THE USE OF EMOJI AND LEXICAL BORROWING IN INDONESIAN SOCIAL MEDIA HATE SPEECH IN POLITICAL CONTEXT: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

This study investigates hate speech on social media targeting Prabowo’s administration, focusing on the use of lexical borrowing and emojis. As digital communication grows more complex, hate comments increasingly rely on both linguistic and semiotic modes to spread hostile messages. A qualitative approach was employed using documentation methods through screenshots of hate comments from Instagram, TikTok, and X. Data were analyzed with Teun A. van Dijk’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), modified to integrate verbal elements (lexical borrowing) and non-verbal elements (emojis). Thirty samples were examined, consisting of comments that combined both elements, or used either lexical borrowing or emojis separately, and were discussed across microstructure, macrostructure, and superstructure, as well as within social cognition and social context dimensions. Findings reveal that lexical borrowing and emojis systematically construct degrading and provocative texts. At the cognitive level, they reproduce ideologies such as anti-democracy and dehumanization, reinforcing negative mental models of targeted groups. At the social level, hate speech operates as a discursive practice that strengthens power relations, builds group identity, and exploits digital platform features like anonymity and emojis to amplify its reach. This study highlights the crucial role of visual symbols and lexical adaptations in shaping online hate speech, offering new insights into the dynamics of political discourse in Indonesia’s digital landscape.