Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies in accordance with this notice and the Terms of Use.
Journals KemSU
Scientific journal "Bulletin of KemSU. Series: Humanities and Social Sciences Scientific journal "Bulletin of KemSU. Series: Political, Sociological and Economic sciences Scientific journal "Bulletin of KemSU. Series: Biological, Engineering and Earth Sciences SibScript (until February 17, 2023 – Bulletin of KemSU Strategizing: Theory and Practice Foods and Raw Materials Virtual Communication and Social Networks Food Processing: Techniques and Technology Dairy industry Cheese- and buttermaking Science Evolution
Submit manuscript
Virtual Communication and Social Networks
VAK Russia 5.12.3 UDC 8

THEORY OF VIRTUAL GENRE STUDIES: THE PROBLEM OF METHODOLOGY Theory of Virtual Genre Studies: The Problem of Methodology

Published in Virtual Communication and Social Networks · Volume 4, Issue 2 · Pages 172–184 · Rubric: Interdisciplinary Linguistics
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21603/2782-4799-2025-4-2-172-184 · EDN: DSUPHD
Received: 16.02.2025 Accepted: 03.04.2025 Published: 03.07.2025
Authors
NA Nadezhda Tyukaeva
Nadezhda Tyukaeva
ORCID ResearcherID
ABSTRACT
The article addresses terminological and methodological challenges in the linguistics of digital communication. Its primary aim is to introduce the concept of web-idiom as a systemic language variant of the internet environment, encompassing stable grammatical, lexical, and pragmatic patterns adapted to digital spaces (platforms, algorithms, multimodality). The novelty of the study lies in overcoming the polysemy of existing terms and developing a hierarchical model language → web-idiom → web-sociolect, where web-sociolects (e.g., TikTok idiom, Discord slang) are interpreted as platform-conditioned linguistic systems. The empirical base of the article includes 120 works on virtual genres and genre studies (scientific articles, monographs, dissertations, as well as 500 digital texts (comments, posts, streams, memes). Grounded in K. R. Popper’s methodological nominalism, the author proposes a shift from an essentialist paradigm to a functional one, emphasizing the explanatory function of theory over descriptive taxonomy. A paradigmatic crisis in virtual genre studies stems from the dominance of a priori nominations (blog, meme) and the absence of verifiable models. The web-genre source studies require an interdisciplinary approach that integrates corpus linguistics, digital anthropology, and data science to analyze communicative strategies and cultural codes. The term web-idiom ensures taxonomic precision by distinguishing digital language forms from offline categories. The concept of web-genre source studies establishes a framework for descriptive practices, overcomes their cyclical nature, and forms a corpus of primary and secondary texts. It focuses on typical phenomena in net-idioms and subsequent theoretical exploration of how web-genres structure digital discourse. Future research prospects include the integration of quantitative methods and practical validation of models in communication studies and linguistic expertise. The study contributes to the theory of speech genres by providing tools to analyze the dynamics of internet communication amid technological transformation.
KEYWORDS
virtual genre studies, speech genre studies, internet language, web language, web genre source studies, genre, internet genre, theory of speech genres, web-idiom, internet communication
Text References
Text
Text (PDF)
Read Download

1. Arutiunova N. D. About movement, delusion, and ascent. Logical analysis of language: Cosmos and chaos, ed. Arutiunova N. D. Moscow: Indrik, 2003, 3–10. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/ykdmgj

2. Babikova M. R. Variety of genres regarding the Internet memes in modern nationalistic discourse. Izvestiia Uralskogo federalnogo universiteta. Seriia 1: Problemy obrazovaniia, nauki i kultury, 2019, 25(2): 67–73. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/wqrlcw

3. Babuk A. V. Cyberbullying as a form of threat in online-communication. World of Linguistics and Communication, 2022, (69): 95–106. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18500/2311-0740-2024-19-2-42-174-182

4. Babuk A. V. The speech genre of a criminal threat in online-communication. Speech Genres, 2024, 19(2): 174–182. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18500/2311-0740-2024-19-2-42-174-182

5. Bazhenova E. A., Ivanova I. A. Blog as an Internet genre. Perm University Herald. Russian and Foreign Philology, 2012, (4): 125–131. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/pjensz

6. Baikulova A. N., Malashenkova E. N. The speech genre "wish": An overview of modern linguistic papers. Speech Genres, 2023, 18(1): 74–91. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/gflqdw

7. Brinev K. I. Forensic linguistic expertise: Methodology and methodology. Moscow: Flinta, 2014, 304. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/tyngdt

8. Wierzbicka A. Speech genres. Speech Genres, 1997, (1): 99–111. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/ynqgkl

9. Golev N. D. Macro-modeling linguistic variability: expanding the boundaries of linguistic variation studies (a comprehensive review of Russian linguists’ works). Nauchnyi Dialog, 2023, 12(8): 86–125. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2023-12-8-86-125

10. Golev N. D. Internet search engines as a linguistic source (using the example of solving some theoretical and applied issues of Russian word formation). New phenomena in Slavic word formation: system and functioning: Proc. XI Intern. Sci. Conf., Moscow, 24–26 Mar 2009. Moscow: MAKS Press, 2010, 197–212. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/seaaql

11. Goldin V. E., Danilin S. Yu., Dementev V. V., Zhelvis V. I., Lebedeva N. B., Rostova A. N., Sedov K. F., Tiukaeva N. I., Shmelev A. D., Shmeleva E. Ya., Shmeleva T. V., Shchurina Yu. V., Yarmarkina G. M. Anthology of Speech genres: Everyday communication. Moscow: Labirint, 2007, 320. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/rspkld

12. Goroshko E. I., Zhigalina E. A. Virtual genre study: Fixed and disputable. Journal of Psycholinguistics, 2010, (12): 105–123. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/pyzmdp

13. Degaltseva A. V. "This is how food was cooked for kings": Attractive techniques in the names of video cooking recipes on the Zen platform. Speech Genres, 2024, 19(3): 295–303. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18500/2311-0740-2024-19-3-43-295-303

14. Dementyev V. V. "n most…": Internet rating as a speech genre. Speech Genres, 2021, (3): 226–244. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18500/2311-0740-2021-3-31-226-244

15. Dementyev V. V. Headlines with figures in the media: A structural and functional analysis. Tomsk State University Journal of Philology, 2020, (63): 5–27. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17223/19986645/63/1

16. Dementyev V. V. Speech genres theory. Moscow: Znak, 2010, 600. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/rejygj

17. Dementyev V. V., Fenina V. V. Cognitive genristics: Intra-cultural speech-genre values. Speech Genres, 2005, (4): 5–34. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/ynddrr

18. Zaytseva O. V., Katyshev P. A. Social parameters in the genre of communicative simulation. Virtual Communication and Social Networks, 2023, 2(4): 215–221. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21603/2782-4799-2023-2-4-215-221

19. Kapanadze L. A. On the border of written and oral text: The structure and development trends of electronic genres. In: Kapanadze L. A. Voices and meanings. Selected works on the Russian language. Moscow, 2005, 305–320. (In Russ.)

20. Karasik V. I. Language circle: Personality, concepts, discourse. Volgograd: Peremena, 2002, 477. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/ugqamp

21. Karpoyan S. M. Instagram as a peculiar genre of virtual communication. Philology. Theory & Practice, 2015, (12-3): 84–88. (In Russ.) https://www.elibrary.ru/swriae

22. Kim L. G., Rolgayzer A. A. Comment vs Internet comment: on the issue of the specific genre characteristics of virtual communication. Speech Genres, 2024, 19(3): 286–294. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18500/2311-0740-2024-19-3-43-286-294

23. Kontsevaya N. A. The genre of the longread: A sociolinguistic aspect. Speech Genres, 2024, 19(4): 385–393. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18500/2311-0740-2024-19-4-44-385-393

24. Larionova M. V. Semiotics and pragmatics of memes as a tool for effective political Internet communication (based on the material of Spanish political discourse). Voenno-gumanitarnyi almanakh, 2022, 353–354. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/hlokub

25. Lebedeva N. B., Zyrianova E. G., Plaksina E. G., Tiukaeva N. I. Genres of natural written speech. Student graffiti, marginal notebook pages, and private note. Moscow: Krasand, 2021, 211. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/rlothv

26. Makarov M. L. Genres in electronic communication: Quo vadis? Speech Genres, 2005, (4): 336–352. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/vlmnha

27. Maksimova N. G. Electronic text in a limited communicative space. Bulletin of the Chuvash University, 2007, (4): 188–196. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/jwxcwb

28. Malashenkova E. N. Speech genre of wishes in youth Internet discourse: Innovations and linguistic creativity. Speech Genres, 2024, 19(2): 183–194. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18500/2311-0740-2024-19-2-42-183-194

29. Popper K. R. Objective knowledge: An evolutionary approach. Moscow: Editorial URSS, 2002, 384. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/ooavev

30. Popper K. R. Conjectures and Refutations. The Growth of Scientific Knowledge. Moscow: AST, 2004, 638. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/qwgied

31. Rabenko T. G. The Russian speech genre in the paradigm of linguistic variantology in personal diaries. Kemerovo: KemSU, 2018, 171. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/xrucjv

32. Salimovskii V. A. Genres of speech in functional and stylistic coverage: Russian scientific academic text. Dr. Philol. Sci. Diss. Ekaterinburg, 2002, 343. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/nmqqzh

33. Fedosiuk M. Yu. Unresolved issues in the theory of speech genres. Voprosy Jazykoznanija, 1997, (5): 102–120. (In Russ.)

34. Firsova T. G., Koshcheeva O. V. Genre diversity of official Telegram channels of higher educational institutions. Speech Genres, 2024, 19(4): 368–384. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18500/2311-0740-2024-19-4-44-368-384

35. Shchipitsina L. Yu. Complex linguistic characteristics of computer-mediated communication in the German language. Dr. Philol. Sci. Diss. Arkhangelsk, 2010, 459. (In Russ.) https://www.elibrary.ru/qexxmb

36. Shchurina Yu. V., Harohorina M. B. Internet meme as a "newsmaker" in the modern media space. Media Linguistics, 2020, (7): 263–275. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu22.2020.209

37. Shchurina Yu. V. Internet memes in the structure of comic speech genres. Speech Genres, 2014, (1-2): 147–153. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/tibwwr

38. Dillon A., Gushrowski B. A. Genre and the WEB: Is the personal home page the first uniquely digital genre? Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 2000, 51(2): 202–205. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4571(2000)51:2<202::AID-ASI11>3.0.CO;2-R

39. Herring S. C. Online communication: Through the lens of discourse. Internet Research Annual, eds. Consalvo M., Baym N., Hunsinger J., Jensen K. B., Logie J., Murero M., Shade L. R. NY; Bern; Berlin; Bruxelles; Frankfurt am Main; Oxford; Wien: Peter Lang Group AG, 2004, vol. 1, 65–76.

This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
PDF JATS XML
The contact persons
Nikolay D. Golev
Editor-in-Chief
Nikolay D. Golev
ngolevd@mail.ru
Lidiya G. Kim
Vice Editor-in-Chief
Lidiya G. Kim
kimli09@mail.ru
3172
downloads
VAK RINC Science Index Directory of Open Access Journals Crossref RINC Dimensions Scilit The Lens
CC
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Creative Commons
© КемГУ, 1997–2025
Agreement Personal data protection and processing policy Powered by Editorum, 2026
Login or Create
* Forgot your password?