The Social Life of Words: A Study of Slang and Identity Among Young Adults in Urban Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37899/mjds.v2i4.290Keywords:
Slang, Identity Construction, Social Class, Regional IdentityAbstract
This study investigates the use of slang as a tool for social identity construction among young adults in urban Brazil. The research aims to understand how slang functions within social groups, regional identities, and socio-economic contexts. Using ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews with young adults from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Salvador, the study analyzes how slang is employed to signal group membership, assert regional pride, and negotiate social class distinctions. The findings show that slang serves as a marker of both inclusion and exclusion, reinforcing social boundaries. Regional variations in slang use reflect cultural differences between cities, while socio-economic factors influence how frequently and selectively slang is used. Gender also plays a role, with male participants using slang to assert masculinity, and females using it more relationally. Slang is further used as a form of resistance, particularly among marginalized groups, challenging mainstream cultural norms. This research contributes to the understanding of language as a key element in identity formation and social dynamics. It also offers new insights into how linguistic practices, such as slang, reflect the socio-cultural fabric of urban Brazil. Future research could examine the role of digital media in the evolution of slang and its influence on youth identities in the globalized world.
References
Abduraxmanovna, Z. K. (2024). Linguistic And Cultural Features Of Interpersonal Relations In Urban Discourse. Web of Humanities: Journal of Social Science and Humanitarian Research, 2(11), 91-94.
Ali, B. (2023). Language and Identity: Exploring the Intersection of Linguistics and Sociology. SAUS-Journal of Sindh Languages and Linguistics in Pakistan, 1(1), 1-10.
Alshehri, A., & AlShabeb, A. (2023). Exploring attitudes, identity, and linguistic variation among Arabic speakers: Insights from acoustic landscapes. International Journal of Arabic-English Studies, 24(2), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.33806/ijaes.v24i2.587
Alzahrani, M. A. M. (2022). The role of requestee’s gender in the choice of request strategies by female speakers of Saudi colloquial Arabic. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(2), 108-121.
Bahar, A. A., Fauzi, U. A., Al Anwar, S. F., Istama, N. R., Maulana, A. H., & Nargis, N. (2025). Youth slang as a reflection of social identity in teenage communities. Variable Research Journal, 2(01), 186-194.
Bouchard, J. (2023). Sociolinguistics as scientific project: insight from critical realism. Journal of Critical Realism, 22(2), 173-194. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2022.2150009
Bourdieu, P. (1991). Language and Symbolic Power. Harvard University Press.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Bucholtz, M., & Hall, K. (2004). Language and Identity. Cambridge University Press.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Eckert, P. (2000). Language and Gender. Cambridge University Press.
Gee, J. P. (2014). An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method (4th ed.). Routledge.
Gonzales, W. D. W. (2025). Rethinking (from) the Islands: What Philippine sociolinguistic patterns teach us about multilingualism, language variation, and change. Asia-Pacific Language Variation. https://doi.org/10.1075/aplv.25005.gon?locatt=mode:legacy
Hammersley, M., & Atkinson, P. (2007). Ethnography: Principles in Practice (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Iqbal, T., Shaheen, F., & Mir, B. A. (2025). Linguistic portrayals of gender, ethnicity, and social class in Pakistani television. Policy Journal of Social Science Review, 3(10), 308-321.
Jenkins, R. (2015). Social Identity (4th ed.). Routledge.
Khan, H., Jameel, T., Parveen, N., & Sajjad, A. (2025). The Sociolinguistics Of" Online Linguistic Micro-Tribes": How Digital Communication Shapes Niche Identity And Exclusion. Qualitative Research Journal For Social Studies, 2(2), 542-552. https://doi.org/10.63878/qrjs81
Manurung, J., Napitupulu, M. H., & Simangunsong, H. (2022). Exploring the Impact of Slang Usage Among Students on WhatsApp: A Dig-ital Linguistic Analysis. Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan dan Humaniora, 11(2), 153-169. https://doi.org/10.35335/jiph.v11i2.21
Normurodovna, M. A. (2024). English jargon and slang: The connection between culture and language. Yangi O ‘zbekiston ustozlari, 2(31), 74-82.
Oguine, O. C., Anuyah, O., Agha, Z., Melgarez, I., Alvarado Garcia, A., & Badillo-Urquiola, K. (2025). Online safety for all: Sociocultural insights from a systematic review of youth online safety in the global south. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 9(7), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2504.20308
Ribeiro, J. (2017). Slang and regional identities in Brazil: An exploration of linguistic practices. Brazilian Journal of Linguistic Studies, 43(2), 127-146.
Santos, M. (2024). Dynamics of Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Communication in the Era of Multiculturalism and Cosmopolitanism in Brazil. International Journal of Sociology, 8(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.47604/ijs.2325
Shtaltovna, Y. (2022). Linguistic Democratization of the Modern English Lan-guage: Functional Parameters of English Youth Slang Neologisms. Studies in Modern English, 1, 105-115. https://doi.org/10.25972/WUP-978-3-95826-199-0-105
Silva, A. F. (2018). Language and class: Slang as social distinction in Brazilian urban centers. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 22(3), 307–323.
Śliwa, M., Aguzzoli, R., Brewster, C., & Lengler, J. (2024). Workplace accentism as a postcolonial and intersectional phenomenon: the experiences of Brazilians in Portugal. human relations, 77(10), 1468-1501. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267231198965
Souza, F. (2020). Social class and the evolution of slang in contemporary Brazil. Linguistic Studies in Brazil, 12(4), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315697826
Taylor, A. Y. (2022). Co-authoring speeches, constructing collective identity: Brazilian youth movements from ethnographic and discursive analytic perspectives. Ethnography and Education, 17(3), 293-313. https://doi.org/10.1177/01614681251341061
Umar, H. A., Shehu, J. A., & Ahmad, A. B. (2025). Dynamics of language evolution: exploring sociolinguistic factors, perceptions, and barriers from theoretical foundations. Aminu Kano Academic Scholars Association Multidisciplinary Journal, 1(3), 55-72.
