Hashtags as Elliptical Clausal Constructions in Digital News Discourse: A Faircloughian Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

The rise of social media has transformed news communication, with hashtags emerging as prominent linguistic tools that shape public understanding and discourse. Despite growing research on digital media, limited attention has been paid to the structural and ideological functions of hashtags as elliptical clausal constructions in news posts. The current study aims to investigate how hashtags in digital news on X function linguistically and ideologically through the lens of Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis. The findings of the study reveal that hashtags compress complex propositions into minimal forms, enabling news organizations to frame events, obscure agency, and influence audience interpretation, thereby reinforcing dominant ideological narratives. The study recommends further research into cross-platform comparisons and the role of multimodal elements, such as emojis, in conjunction with hashtags, to deepen understanding of digital news discourse practices.