Abstract
Impoliteness in online discourse is an issue
growing with every passing day due to increasing online activities through
social media and news websites. The paper discusses impoliteness strategies
that are being adopted in the context of online news threads in Nigeria,
drawing on selected online articles on Sahara Reporters, The Dailytimes, and
The Punch. Using Culpeper's Theory of Impoliteness, the research explores the
forms, types, and linguistic strategies of impoliteness in 12 user comments
sampled from these platforms. Findings show that face-threatening acts such as
insults, sarcasm, and name-calling are predominant, which the anonymity and
immediacy of online platforms further worsen. The paper is a call to
impoliteness and civil discourse, and it outlines the strategies that can
enhance responsible communication in Nigeria's digital public sphere.
Keywords: Impoliteness strategies, Nigerian
online discourse, pragmatics, critical discourse analysis, and sociocultural
dynamics.
DOI: 10.36349/sojolics.2026.v02i01.024
author/Eburafa, Ezra Fidelis
journal/Sokoto JOLICS 2(1) | June 2026 |
