The Intermingling Of Formal And Informal Text Elements In Internet Discourse

This article examines the convergence of formal and informal stylistic elements within a single text in internet discourse as a linguistic and communicative phenomenon, often described as a “hybrid” style. Owing to the open and democratic nature of the internet and the functional differentiation of platforms (official websites/portals versus social networks, blogs, and chats), formal announcements, statements, and legal–informational texts frequently coexist with informal devices such as slang, abbreviations, emojis, and memes. The study characterizes the formal style by its normativity, neutrality, and standardized syntax, while the informal style is defined by simplicity, expressiveness, dialogic orientation, and emotional coloring. Drawing on the works of Bobokhonova, Krongauz, Crystal, Zappavigna, and Herring, the paper explores the transformation of etiquette in online communication, the platform-specific creation of norms, and the formation of registers. Using examples from Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok, it demonstrates how the degree of formality/informality varies according to audience, context, and communicative goals, with particular stylistic softening observed in advertising, education, news, and service correspondence. In addition, through examples such as “ovoz berish” (to vote), “qo‘l ko‘tarmoq” (to raise one’s hand), and “voz kechmoq” (to refuse), the article analyzes processes of semantic narrowing/expansion and stylistic shift in the internet environment, explaining these changes by the activation of polysemy in online contexts. The conclusion substantiates that the blending of formal and informal elements in internet texts is a natural process determined by platform characteristics, audience expectations, and the emergence of a new communicative culture.