The Phenomenon of Code-Mixing in College Students’ Instagram Captions: An Analysis of Identity and Digital Language Style

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine code-mixing in Mandailing Natal Instagram captions written by college students, with a focus on identity construction and digital language style. Thirty Instagram captions were gathered between January and March of 2025 for this study, which uses a descriptive qualitative methodology. Documentation was used to gather data, and Muysken’s (2000) theory of code-mixing—which incorporates insertion, alternation, and congruent lexicalization—was used for analysis. The results indicate that students employ three different forms of code-mixing, with insertion being the most common. Code-mixing is used to express identity and digital language style, as well as to serve as a communication tool. It suggests that students promote themselves as contemporary, expressive, and internationally connected people by using multiple languages. According to the study’s findings, code-mixing is a significant component of students’ social media digital communication practices. It illustrates how a multilingual environment shapes linguistic identity in the digital age.