Author’s name:
- Andrey G. Fomin – Kemerovo State University, Kemerovo, Russia
- Natalia A. Smakotina – Kemerovo State University, Kemerovo, Russia / Novosibirsk State Technical University, Novosibirsk, Russia
Abstract:
This study investigates the collaborative construction of meaning within a specialized digital space, focusing on the English-language Reddit community r/SpaceX. As user-generated commentary increasingly shapes public discourse around technological innovation, understanding the linguistic mechanisms that underpin these communal interpretations becomes essential. This research addresses the gap in detailed pragmalinguistic descriptions of such techno-enthusiast ecosystems. The central objective is to elucidate how communicative functions and specific linguistic features within user comments facilitate the emergence of a co-created pragmatic narrative concerning SpaceX’s endeavors. The analysis moves beyond viewing comment sections as reactive, instead framing them as structured systems for collaborative knowledge-building and emotional engagement. Methodologically, the research employs an integrated linguo-pragmatic approach, combining genre-stylistic analysis with an examination of speech acts and intentionality. The empirical corpus consists of 25,374 user-generated comments responding to 247 primary posts, systematically extracted from the r/SpaceX forum over a ten-year period (2014-2024). The analysis establishes that original posts function as complex pragmatic stimuli. They merge the factual, terminological density of engineering discourse with affectively charged language and multimodal elements to generate communal interest. In response, comments form a coordinated ecosystem of pragmatic acts — explanatory clarification, technical assessment, and expression of communal solidarity. This coordination is realized through a distinct hybrid register: technical terminology and acronyms coexist with emphatic syntax (ellipses, parallel structures, exclamations) and a rich layer of emotives and graphic symbols (emojis, ASCII art). The sustained interaction between these forms transforms discrete updates into a living, collective narrative. The principal outcome is the identification of a pragmatic narrative — a dynamic, self-perpetuating stream of collective utterance. This narrative is the primary mechanism through which the community interprets, debates, and emotionally processes complex technological developments, fostering a unique shared identity. The theoretical contribution of this work is a refined model for analyzing meaning-making in expert-amateur digital communities, highlighting the synergy between epistemic authority and affective discourse. Practically, the findings offer valuable insights for digital communication studies, brand anthropology, and public understanding of science, illustrating how specialized online forums organically develop robust interpretative norms. A promising direction for future study involves tracing the diffusion of this narrative into adjacent cultural formats, such as meme ecosystems, to examine processes of simplification, humor, and broader cultural resonance.
| Section | LANGUAGE AND CULTURE |
| DOI: | 10.47388/2072-3490/lunn2026-73-1-135-149 |
| Downloads | 14 |
| Key words | digital discourse; online community; r/SpaceX; user comments; emotive pragmatics; pragmatic narrative; linguo-pragmatic analysis |