The Social Meanings of Profanity Use: The Contextual Uses of Abusive Language in the Digital Sphere among Youths

Hoo Fang Jing; Nur ‘Ain binti Mohsin; Noor Ashmalia Binti Mohd Ashraff; Nor Afifa Nordin

doi:10.2991/978-2-38476-563-8_31

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The Social Meanings of Profanity Use: The Contextual Uses of Abusive Language in the Digital Sphere among Youths

Authors

Hoo Fang Jing¹, Nur ‘Ain binti Mohsin¹^{, *}, Noor Ashmalia Binti Mohd Ashraff², Nor Afifa Nordin¹

¹Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Melaka, Malaysia

²Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Negeri Sembilan, Shah Alam, Malaysia

^*Corresponding author. Email: nurain615@uitm.edu.my

Corresponding Author

Nur ‘Ain binti Mohsin

Available Online 28 April 2026.

DOI: 10.2991/978-2-38476-563-8_31 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: AntConc; Profanity; Education 5.0; IR 4.0; Digital
Abstract: This study investigates the use of profanity among teenagers on social media using the Textual Framing Framework, focusing on linguistic, cultural, and sociolinguistic dimensions. Data from selected online posts were analysed using AntConc to identify word frequency, thematic patterns, and framing categories. The findings reveal that profanity is commonly used as a means of emotional release, conflict expression, rebellion, and humour, with bonding being the least observed theme. Linguistic framing highlights code-switching, phonetic respelling, and abbreviation as common forms, while cultural and sociolinguistic framing show how traditional values of sopan santun are gradually replaced by casual and expressive speech. Anonymity emerged as the main factor encouraging bolder language use without social accountability. The study concludes that profanity among youths reflects both linguistic creativity and declining cultural restraint, calling for digital guidance within Education 5.0 and IR 4.0 to foster responsible online communication.
Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access: Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of Research on Language 2025 (IROLE 2025)
Series: Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research
Publication Date: 28 April 2026
ISBN: 978-2-38476-563-8
ISSN: 2352-5398
DOI: 10.2991/978-2-38476-563-8_31 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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ris enw bib

TY  - CONF
AU  - Hoo Fang Jing
AU  - Nur ‘Ain binti Mohsin
AU  - Noor Ashmalia Binti Mohd Ashraff
AU  - Nor Afifa Nordin
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/04/28
TI  - The Social Meanings of Profanity Use: The Contextual Uses of Abusive Language in the Digital Sphere among Youths
BT  - Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of Research on Language 2025 (IROLE 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 401
EP  - 410
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-563-8_31
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-563-8_31
ID  - Jing2026
ER  -

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