Ekspresi Emosi Berbahasa Inggris dalam Video Yang Diposting Ulang oleh Anak Muda di TikTok: Pendekatan Sosiolinguistik = English Emotional Expressions Used in Videos Reposted by Youth on TikTok: A Sociolinguistic Approach

Background. TikTok has become an important platform for youth to express emotions, including reposting videos that represent their feelings and experiences. English is frequently used for emotional expression, raising questions about the types of emotions expressed and the motivations underlying this language choice. Aim. This study aims to identify the emotional expressions found in reposted TikTok videos and to analyze the motivations behind youths’ preference for using English in this practice. Method. This research employed a qualitative descriptive method. Data were collected from 20 screenshots of reposted TikTok videos and responses from 20 youth participants through open-ended questionnaires. The data were analyzed using content analysis and thematic analysis, and interpreted using Ekman’s theory of basic emotions and Myers-Scotton’s Markedness Model. Results. The findings reveal three types of emotional expressions that appear in reposted TikTok videos, namely sadness, fear, and enjoyment. Sadness is the most dominant emotion, reflected in loneliness, emotional exhaustion, vulnerability, and psychological distress. The use of English is motivated by emotional comfort, expressive effectiveness, and aesthetic-symbolic value, whereas participants considered using Indonesian when sincerity, directness, audience accessibility, or emotional expressions were presented as jokes or embedded in humorous content. Conclusion. Reposting enables youth to communicate emotions that may be difficult to express directly. The findings further suggest that the preference for English reflects the ways in which different languages offer distinct resources for emotional expression in social media contexts.