Grindr Language research

gfgfgf14

Hi,
I am a UL student studying Languages and I am currently undertaking research on the language of grindr. Have you ever noticed anything people say on grindr that is not said in real life? Do you see grindr as racist,homophobic or ageist? Why do people need to assure the world of their masculinity?
These are the kinda things I want to research.
If anyone has any ideas or examples that they would like to share, I would be very grateful.
Thanks
G.

floggg

gfgfgf14 wrote: »

Hi,
I am a UL student studying Languages and I am currently undertaking research on the language of grindr. Have you ever noticed anything people say on grindr that is not said in real life? Do you see grindr as racist,homophobic or ageist? Why do people need to assure the world of their masculinity?
These are the kinda things I want to research.
If anyone has any ideas or examples that they would like to share, I would be very grateful.
Thanks
G.

What has racism or insecurity got to do with linguistics?

And I didn't think grindr has any distinct language - unless you count the usual grammar and abbreviations common to most textual relations.

gfgfgf14

floggg wrote: »

What has racism or insecurity got to do with linguistics?

And I didn't think grindr has any distinct language - unless you count the usual grammar and abbreviations common to most textual relations.

Sorry I should have said sociolinguistics project so racism and insecurity can lead to a difference in the way language is used.
The gay community has it's own speech community and there are obviously terms exclusive to that community online. I am just looking for examples.

Thanks for your opinion

Annasopra

Can you explain more OP?

gfgfgf14

Speech community is a concept in sociolinguistics that describes a distinct group of people who use language in a unique and mutually accepted way among themselves.
Speech communities can be members of a profession with a specialized jargon, distinct social groups like high school students or hip hop fans, or even tight-knit groups like families and friends. Members of speech communities will often develop slang or jargon to serve the group's special purposes and priorities.

1.So the gay community obvs has - btm,top,poppers,fun,420,otter,bear,twink.
I want to ask if there are any more examples for this ye may have come across?

2. I want to see how people may be discriminated against by age,campness etc. and what language is used in the discrimination.

3. I just want some opinions on why people feel the need to use the word "masculine" on their profiles?

wakka12

Ive seen a lot of people say 'no camps ' no fems, no queens, no drama. I think thats pretty hurtful. Also there seems to be a lot of ageism on the website. Most younger guys say stuff like no old creeps, don't wanna date a guy who looks like my dad, etc which is understandable. But Ive seen a lot of guys in their late thirties, 40's and 50's who say they're only interested in guys under 30. So yeah the website definitely is best for 'masc' younger guys, under 35.

I haven't seen any racism at all. But apparently its pretty rampant on american grinder. Probably because we have a reasonably small non white population. But I would imagine that non white people get less messages or replies to messages from white irish people than other white irish people do.

wakka12

And why don't you just make a grinder account and see for yourself? Change your age, descriptions, stats, height, weight, race of the guy in the profile picture and then compile some stats on who gets treated best/worst on there

Peregrinus

wakka12 wrote: »

And why don't you just make a grinder account and see for yourself? Change your age, descriptions, stats, height, weight, race of the guy in the profile picture and then compile some stats on who gets treated best/worst on there

Because the OP is doing academic research in a supervised environment. What you suggest would be considered seriously unethical.

J_E

gfgfgf14 wrote: »

Hi,
I am a UL student studying Languages and I am currently undertaking research on the language of grindr. Have you ever noticed anything people say on grindr that is not said in real life? Do you see grindr as racist,homophobic or ageist? Why do people need to assure the world of their masculinity?
These are the kinda things I want to research.
If anyone has any ideas or examples that they would like to share, I would be very grateful.
Thanks
G.

Grindr can be notoriously shallow compared to other apps in its category. The 'masc only, no fem' thing stems from a need to prove their own masculinity as being gay is still seen as stereotypically being seen as feminine, weaker, dainty, ditzy. They just want to be seen as the 'guy next door' with no defining qualities like that. 'Straight-acting' would be a similar term used. I think there is still a lot of conflict people feel with their personalities and community vs the perception by straight people and wanting to fit in. Certainly there are profiles that look specifically for fitter guys, written as 'reasonably in shape' or 'no chubs/fat/overweight', but that doesn't really define the gay community as a whole at all as there are many who find bigger guys attractive, the bear community is largely defined by qualities like that! It's hard to quantify these things though as Grindr does have a wide age range and a huge spectrum of different guys seeking different things. I imagine needs and language used differs by geography too.

Mr.Frame

gfgfgf14 wrote: »

Speech community is a concept in sociolinguistics that describes a distinct group of people who use language in a unique and mutually accepted way among themselves.
Speech communities can be members of a profession with a specialized jargon, distinct social groups like high school students or hip hop fans, or even tight-knit groups like families and friends. Members of speech communities will often develop slang or jargon to serve the group's special purposes and priorities.

1.So the gay community obvs has - btm,top,poppers,fun,420,otter,bear,twink.
I want to ask if there are any more examples for this ye may have come across?

2. I want to see how people may be discriminated against by age,campness etc. and what language is used in the discrimination.

3. I just want some opinions on why people feel the need to use the word "masculine" on their profiles?

What is 420? and what is an otter?

Annasopra

Mr.Frame wrote: »

What is 420? and what is an otter?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=420

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=otter

Mr.Frame

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=420

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=otter

LOL thanks , you live and learn

Deranged96

how's u?