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Article published In: Internet Pragmatics
Vol. 7:2 (2024) ► pp.272–297

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An analysis of metadiscoursal and discoursal linguistic cues in Arabic clickbait headlines

 | Jordan University of Science and Technology
 | Jordan University of Science and Technology
 | Jordan University of Science and Technology
Published online: 30 May 2023
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ip.00091.ala
Abstract
The study aims to examine how the interactional and interactive linguistic aspects are utilized to qualify the discoursal propositions of Arabic clickbaits to secure viewers’ responsive clicks to thumbnails. To this end, one hundred Arabic YouTube clickbait headlines were selected from five Arabic channels that are owned by independent unofficial entertainment institutions. The data came from a period of one year covering 2021. The data covered different domains such as crafts, sports, entertainment, and science. To examine how the headlines are constructed, we drew on two complementary theoretical frameworks, namely, Machin, David , and Andrew Mayer. 2012. How To Do Critical Discourse Analysis: A Multimodal Introduction. London: SAGE Publications.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar framework of verbal processes and participants, and Hyland, Ken. 2005. Metadiscourse: Exploring Interaction in Writing. London: Continuum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar interactional and interactive meta-discourse framework. It was found that clickbait creators structured their texts interactionally using more enticing attitude and engagement markers, and self-mentions to emphasize a closer relationship with the viewers so as to persuade them to click the baits. This tendency was further heightened by the frequent use of interactive compositional selections attained by deliberately leaving parts of the headlines opaque realized by the frequent use of consecutive dots, cataphoric markers, and viewer-attitude connective signals. Likewise, the discoursal process selection has never been neutral, as clickbait writers frequently used negative mental and material processes to spark viewers’ curiosity to react and click the bait. YouTube clickbait headlines can have the effect of frustrating viewers and/or decreasing their satisfaction. Thus, this research will hopefully contribute to the detection and isolation of clickbaits as a step required to raise viewers’ awareness of the enticing headlines and as a further step to demote them.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review and theoretical framework
  • 3.Methods
    • 3.1Corpus
    • 3.2Data preparation
  • 4.Data analysis
    • 4.1Interactional linguistic choices
      • 4.1.1Self-mention
      • 4.1.2Attitude markers
      • 4.1.3Engagement markers
      • 4.1.4Boosters and hedges
    • 4.2Interactive linguistic choices
      • 4.2.1Logical connectives
      • 4.2.2Endophoric markers
      • 4.2.3Evidentials
    • 4.3Discoursal linguistic choices (Social processes and participants)
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
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Cited by (1)

Cited by one other publication

Al-Ali, Mohammed Nahar & Miss Safa M Hamzeh
2024. Extra cues extra views: A multimodal detection of Arabic clickbait thumbnail verbo-visual cues. Discourse & Communication 18:1 ► pp. 3 ff. DOI logo

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