Dialetti su Instagram: usi, differenze e atteggiamenti linguistici

In this paper we examine the use of Italo-Romance dialects in three Instagram profiles of the group Italiansays (Siciliansays, Sardiniansays, Romeismore). A qualitative analysis is conducted on a selection of posts, on users’ comments and on the profile owners’ comments through a written interview. A labelling scheme of the users’ comments is also proposed. The analysis highlights how dialect covers a wide range of communicative purposes, and, in particular, to preserve a local identity and it is, thus, used as a we-code. The use of English associated to the dialect has not only a dissemination purpose, but also a ludic and ironic one.