Analysis of Netizens’ Expressive Illocutionary Acts in the Comment Section and Video Content of Denny Sumargo’s Curhat Bang Podcast Episode “Arra”: A Multimodal Pragmatic Study

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the forms, functions, and meanings of expressive illocutionary acts found in internet users’ comments and visual content in the podcast episode Curhat Bang Denny Sumargo featuring Arra. The study employs a multimodal pragmatic approach, integrating linguistic analysis with non-verbal elements such as facial expressions, body movements, and vocal intonation. Expressive speech acts serve as the central focus because they reflect the speaker’s feelings, attitudes, and emotions toward certain events or experiences. Data were collected from the transcript of the podcast episode as well as comments posted by internet users in the YouTube comment section. The analysis was conducted by identifying verbal and non-verbal expressions that indicate expressive illocutionary acts and interpreting their functions and contextual meanings based on Searle’s theory and multimodal pragmatic principles. The findings reveal a wide range of expressive acts, including expressions of empathy, sympathy, praise, and criticism, produced by the host, the guest, and internet users. Visual elements and vocal intonation further strengthen the emotional meanings conveyed. This study indicates that communication on digital platforms is inherently complex and multimodal, reflecting the dynamic forms of emotional expression through which audiences respond to content with psychological and social impact.