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Published in
Academic Frontiers
Linguistic Variation and Rhetorical Patterning in the Normalization of Hostile Humor on an Academic-Affiliated Facebook Page
ACADEMIC FRONTIERS Multidisciplinary e-Publication, 2(1), 70-82, ISSN: 3082-4400, 2026.
Recommended Citation:
Rameri, J. M. V. (2026). Linguistic Variation and Rhetorical Patterning in the Normalization of Hostile Humor on an Academic-Affiliated Facebook Page. ACADEMIC FRONTIERS Multidisciplinary e-Publication, 2(1), 70–82. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18388607
Author(s)
Rameri et al.
Abstract
The proliferation of hostile discourse in academic-affiliated online spaces presents a growing concern for universities striving to uphold civility, professionalism, and ethical communication. This study examines the Facebook post “Tatay Takes a Trip, The Peculiar Case of What Goes Around Comes Around…Justifiably”, published by Salbahis, a disclosed satire page affiliated with Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU–IIT), to investigate how linguistic variation and rhetorical patterning contribute to the normalization of hostile humor in academic-affiliated online spaces. Anchored in Chambers’ Sociolinguistic Variation Theory and employing a qualitative netnographic approach, the study analyzes both the original post and its accompanying comment thread. Findings indicate that linguistic variation, manifested through shifts in register, lexical choice, style, and code-switching, functions as a key resource for indexing stance, identity, and alignment within the academic-affiliated community. In the original post, rhetorical strategies such as sarcasm, metaphor, and satirical framing enable antagonistic evaluations to be presented as intellectual critique. In the comment section, recurrent rhetorical patterning emerges through interactional uptake, escalation, and alignment, transforming hostile expressions into routine and socially acceptable modes of participation. The absence of repair or resistance further indicates a process of desensitization, through which antagonism is no longer treated as offensive but as expected engagement. The study demonstrates that academic-affiliated satire pages, even when operating within an explicitly humorous frame, can inadvertently legitimize and normalize hostile discourse by combining stylistic authority with humor, thereby complicating institutional efforts to promote civility online. These findings underscore the need for greater attention to discourse ethics, digital literacy, and institutional accountability in managing academic-affiliated digital platforms.
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