Analysis of Wakamono Kotoba (Slang Words) as the Interjections in LINE Chat Conversation

Abstract

This study aims to examine the way wakamono kotoba used by Japanese young people which express interjection in LINE chat conversation. Using a descriptive method, the data were gathered from chat conversations within two weeks in a group of LINE Open Chat consisting of 180 LINE accounts whose belong to Japanese teens and twenties. The LINE Open Chat group used in this study was the one that focuses on the topic of idle talk. Therefore, even though the group members do not know each other, they use colloquial language, including slang words. The data which consisted of wakamono kotoba (slang words) were then analyzed by using Ishikawa's (2018) types of interjection. The findings show that there is a tendency of using shortened word forms of wakamono kotoba which express interjections in LINE chat, such as maji that shortened from majime which means "serious" and sorena that shortened from sono toori which means "agreement".