Beyond Information Exchange: Academic Politeness and Identity Construction in Student–Lecturer WhatsApp Communication

Alexi Sapta Pratama (Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University, Bandung)

Journal of English Education
Vol. 4 No. 1 (2026): Journal of English Education

The increasing use of digital messaging platforms in higher education has transformed the ways students communicate with lecturers. While WhatsApp offers a convenient and efficient medium for academic interaction, it also raises important questions regarding the linguistic practices employed by students in maintaining professionalism and appropriateness in digital communication. This study investigates the linguistic patterns found in students’ academic short-message communication with lecturers through WhatsApp. Employing a descriptive qualitative design, the study analysed 60 academic messages produced by four undergraduate students during the 2025 academic year. The data were collected through documentation techniques and analysed using content analysis. The findings reveal six prominent linguistic features: greetings, honorifics, apology expressions, indirect requests, gratitude expressions, and compliance statements. These linguistic patterns demonstrate that students strategically employ language not only to convey information but also to construct academic identities, negotiate institutional relationships, and maintain professional communication. The findings further indicate that politeness remains a central component of digital academic discourse despite the informal nature of WhatsApp as a communication platform. Drawing on Politeness Theory, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Academic Discourse, and Critical Discourse Analysis perspectives, the study argues that students’ linguistic choices are shaped more strongly by institutional norms and sociocultural expectations than by technological affordances. The study contributes to the growing body of research on digital academic communication by providing empirical evidence from the Indonesian higher education context and highlighting the interaction of language, identity, authority, and technology in academic messaging practices. The findings offer insights for students, lecturers, and educational institutions seeking to promote effective and professional digital communication.