Au cours des vingt dernières années, les médias sociaux ont profondément transformé nos modes de communication et l'utilisation de la langue. Bien qu'Instagram soit principalement une plateforme visuelle, les utilisateurs y partagent également une quantité significative de texte. Cela est particulièrement vrai pour les personnalités publiques, dont les publications suscitent souvent de nombreux commentaires spontanés. Ces réactions, souvent chargées d'émotions et parfois extrêmes, illustrent comment les réseaux sociaux rapprochent les célébrités de leur public, modifiant ainsi les registres de langue utilisés. Cette étude se concentre sur l'expression des émotions selon le genre dans les commentaires en réponse à la réaction de Meral Akşener, présidente du İyi Parti en Turquie. En 2023, elle a refusé de poursuivre les négociations avec le Parti démocratique des peuples (HDP) lors des élections présidentielles. Nous analyserons également les commentaires suscités par la lettre ouverte du pianiste turc Fazıl Say à Akşener, publiée sur Instagram. Fazıl Say, connu pour ses critiques politiques et ses réussites artistiques, a suscité une variété de réactions. Les commentaires seront classés par sexe et analysés de manière lexicologique, sémantique et pragmatique pour mieux comprendre comment les hommes et les femmes expriment leurs émotions dans ce contexte de communication instantanée et spontanée sur les réseaux sociaux. Cette recherche visera à élucider les subtilités du langage et des émotions au sein des interactions numériques contemporaines.

Structured Abstract

Introduction

In the last twenty years, the rapid proliferation and diversification of social media have led to significant changes in the ways individuals communicate. These changes in communication methods have also influenced language use. According to Merzeau (2009), digital social networks have transformed the ways individuals interact and communicate, thereby altering language usage. Although Instagram primarily focuses on photo and video sharing, users can also capture and share images of their written content on the platform. When such posts are made by well-known figures such as politicians, artists, scientists, and journalists, they often receive a high number of likes, instant comments, and frequent shares. These comments are typically composed of quick, unprepared, and spontaneous sentences and emojis, reflecting emotions rather than thoughts. As Boullier (2016) notes, they often express strong emotions such as admiration, approval, disagreement, condemnation, rejection, or hatred.

This study investigates how emotions are expressed according to gender in the comments resulting from famous pianist Fazıl Say's message to Meral Akşener, leader of the Good Party, regarding her refusal to continue negotiations with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) during the 2023 presidential election process. Social networks serve as platforms where individuals can frequently express their political and social views in an emotional manner. Our study classifies the comments elicited by Fazıl Say’s short but sharp criticism of Akşener’s last-minute decision to withdraw from negotiations, taking into account his significant achievements and recognition as a composer and pianist worldwide.

Method

This study aims to examine the comments generated by Fazıl Say's criticism of Meral Akşener posted on Instagram. Fazıl Say, who has achieved great success throughout his music career and is a globally recognized composer and pianist, is an active presence on social media. Known for his open and direct criticisms, particularly during the AKP era, Say responded quickly and sharply to Akşener's decision to withdraw from the negotiation table. In addition to his art, Say is also known for his social and political stances, garnering comments from diverse social segments.

This study seeks to analyze the comments classified by gender, examining users' emotional expressions through lexical, semantic, and pragmatic methods. A representative sample of comments made under Fazıl Say’s post was selected for this analysis, assuming the identity information provided by the commenters is accurate. In total, 40 comments were examined, with 20 coming from men and 20 from women. The study aims to identify how emotional expressions differ according to gender in the comments.

Results and Discussion

Fazıl Say’s post received thousands of comments in a very short time, highlighting its impact on his follower base. In this study, we aimed to understand and analyze how the emotional appeal (pathos) reflected in Say's post affects its perceived character and credibility (ethos) among the public. We observed that Say’s follower base was divided into two distinct groups.

The first group, referred to as "Pole (1)," perceives Fazıl Say as an "intellectual, innovative, artistic, oppositional, peaceful, humanitarian, pioneering, alerting, and unifying" figure. For this group, Say's ethos is extremely positive and inspiring; his social responsibility, artistic talent, and stance against injustices strengthen this perception. On the other hand, the second group, termed "Pole (2)," perceives Say’s ethos in an entirely opposite manner. They view Fazıl Say as a "traitor, supporter of terrorism, elitist, and a collaborator with the U.S. against the government." This negative perception often stems from seeing Say's criticisms of the government and political stance as attacks on national integrity.

In addition to these two main poles, we identified a third group, referred to as the "undecided pole." This group initially belonged to Group (1) and held a positive view of Fazıl Say. However, after reading the relevant post, they experienced profound disappointment. This disappointment led them to decisions such as "unfollowing this page," "no longer listening to the artist," "ceasing to respect the artist," and even "blocking the Instagram page." Ultimately, these individuals transitioned from Group (1) to Group (2).

To understand these dynamics, we analyzed the comments in terms of language used, tone, and emotional content. Supporters of Group (1) typically employed respectful and admiration-inducing language to praise Say's intellectual and humanitarian qualities, commending his courage to speak out against injustices. In contrast, Group (2) used highly negative and accusatory language, questioning Say's loyalty to the country and accusing him of betrayal and supporting terrorism. The terms used were often harsh and aimed to discredit not just his political views but also his personal integrity.

The "undecided pole" members expressed their disappointment and confusion through comments that reflected their initial admiration for Say. They felt that his post contradicted their expectations or values. The language they used conveyed a sense of lost trust and feelings of betrayal.

These linguistic choices suggest that followers aim to demonstrate the validity of their feelings and positions to other readers. Rather than merely expressing raw emotional reactions, they attempt to articulately convey the motivations behind their feelings to influence public opinion. While persuasion is a clear objective, the comments also serve as a means for followers to communicate and alleviate their emotions, functioning as a space where they feel heard and understood by the community.

These interactions illustrate that social media provides a fertile ground for argumentative and emotional dialogues. Followers engage in active discussions that could influence public perception and Fazıl Say's image as a public figure, rather than merely providing passive reactions. The use of arguments and styles in the comments demonstrates that Fazıl Say's followers seek to convey their emotions while also attempting to persuade other readers. This reflects the complexity of online social interactions and emphasizes the importance of social media for personal expression and public discourse.