RESEARCH PAPER Lexico-Semantic Features of the Most Popular Tiktok Videos in Pakistan

This research aims to conduct a stylistic analysis of selected content from TikTok using both lexical and semantic approaches. The study analyzes the meanings of sentences and phrases used by content creators on TikTok, as well as various figurative devices employed. A qualitative method was used to conduct the analysis, and the selected content was categorized under various stylistic analysis categories, including semantic parallelism, semantic deviation, lexical deviation, lexical parallelism, and code mixing. Neologism, lexical parallelism, and code mixing were examined under lexical stylistics analysis. Two content creators and five videos from each were selected for the analysis. The study found that both content creators used semantic and lexical parallelism to emphasize specific ideas and create humorous effects in their videos. Additionally, specific stylistic devices were used to convey subliminal messages, including taunting politics, highlighting an increase in robbery cases, and criticizing married life.


Introduction
This study aims to conduct a critical analysis of both written and oral content from selected content creators, with the goal of identifying and understanding the linguistic properties, patterns, structures, and their impact on how the text is perceived. As Perlovsky (2009) notes, the environment, society, and culture in which we live can influence the structure of our language, thoughts, and behavior, ultimately shaping our worldview. For instance, societal norms dictate gender roles in various fields, such as "policeman," "male nurse," "Spiderman," and "Batman," thereby impacting our language structure. Language is a complex phenomenon studied through various theoretical frameworks, and one such approach is stylistics, which is an essential tool for analyzing language.
Stylistics, a subfield of applied linguistics, is concerned with examining the style of texts, including literary works, to identify distinctive and diverse features (Fish, 1973). This is achieved through the study of rhetorical devices, tropes, figures, and other parameters. A stylistic analysis can reveal how authors use various linguistic techniques to convey additional meanings in their writing. In the context of social media, stylistics sheds light on how certain content creators are gaining popularity through their content. It explores the type of content these creators produce that attracts followers who aspire to be like them (Leech, 2014, p.17).
The younger generation is drawn to various social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Currently, TikTok is receiving a lot of attention and has become one of the most popular apps globally, particularly in the United States and Asia. The app, known as Douyin in China, was launched by ByteDance in September 2016 (Jaffar, Riaz, & Mushtaq, 2019). TikTok has evolved into a platform where companies and brands advertise their products, creating opportunities for young people to showcase their talents and earn money as viewers or invited performers. The app's robust growth has prompted people to recognize its positive impacts and explore diverse resources for personal growth, including financial gains and increased popularity. Given TikTok's popularity, researchers are now analyzing the linguistic and stylistic features used by its content creators and users.

Literature Review
The prevalence of social media has led people, particularly the younger generation between the ages of 15-24, to become increasingly enthusiastic about seeking pleasures on various platforms (United Nations, 1981). Among the popular social media apps today is TikTok, which was introduced by Zhang Yimming and enables users to create 30-second to three-minute videos featuring their preferred songs, filters, and editing tools. The app is easily accessible through the Play Store or App Store on mobile phones, allowing users to express their creativity and showcase their talents. As a result, the younger generation is drawn to social media and its many options.
According to recent statistics, TikTok boasts 500 million monthly active users who are drawn to its unique features. One of these features is the ability to gain unexpected attention, as noted by Jaffar, Riaz, and Mushtaq (2019). Unlike other apps, TikTok offers free access to a wide variety of background music, dance and funny videos, challenges, and magic videos, which particularly appeals to the younger generation. Another distinctive feature is that users can create short videos ranging from 15 seconds to 3 minutes, allowing for a fast-paced lifestyle and quick dissemination of content to followers and viewers alike. Moreover, teachers can also leverage TikTok in the classroom to supplement their lessons, as suggested by Brittany in 2018.
Despite its positive impacts, TikTok also has a negative side. There have been incidents where people have lost their lives while making TikTok videos. For instance, in April 2019, a 19-year-old boy named Salman Zakir was accidentally shot in the cheek by his friend Sohail while filming a video for TikTok. Salman died as a result, and his friend was arrested by the police. Additionally, Akram, Ullah, & Wahid, (2021) reported another incident in Punjab, where a person lost their life while attempting to shoot a TikTok video near a farmer who was operating a tractor. The TikToker was crushed beneath the tractor's tire.
In an article published by Mishra, Yan, & Schroeder, (2022), it was reported that in December, 36 complaints were received from both adults and children regarding TikTok addiction and harassment. Tragically, in Vyasareadi, Tamil Nadu, a 23-year-old adult committed suicide after being forced to dress like a girl and upload videos on TikTok. The app's most targeted audience is school students, who often post videos in their school uniforms, allowing stalkers to identify the school they attend. It's not just local policy makers who pose a threat to TikTok users; the app collects data such as height, weight, and even whether or not users wear glasses.
Additionally, the Madras High Court has drawn comparisons between the Blue Whale Challenge and TikTok, as both have been found to encourage harmful behavior among both adults and teenagers. Due to the app's negative impact and the presence of inappropriate content, TikTok has been banned in India, a country with 88.6 million users of the app. In summary, TikTok has both positive and negative effects on its users, and as such, this study seeks to examine the methods employed by content creators to influence the younger generation and achieve micro-fame. The study aims to achieve its objectives by analyzing the lexical and semantic choices made by video makers.

Material and Methods
The present study adopts a qualitative research approach with a content analysis design. This methodology is chosen as it allows for an in-depth exploration of the linguistics and stylistics devices used by Pakistani TikTok content creators. Qualitative research provides a detailed description of phenomena, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the data. The researcher acted as the primary instrument of data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The study employed purposive sampling to select TikTok videos, which were transcribed and analyzed using lexical and semantic parallelism, deviation, and code mixing. The theoretical framework of this study is based on stylistics analysis, which is used to develop a comprehensive understanding of the selected content. The research aims to answer research questions that demand detailed answers, starting with the words 'what' and 'how.' Stylistic analysis is used to examine the linguistics and stylistics devices used by the subjects in the selected TikTok videos. The research framework supports the use of a qualitative research approach, which allows for an in-depth exploration of the phenomena under investigation.

Data Analysis and Discussion
This chapter provides detailed results of the research.

Semantic parallelism
Semantic parallelism is the repetition of the same meaning by the writer or poet in a verse, statement or sentence. It is further divided into three parts: synthetic, synonymous and antithetical parallelism.

Synthetic Parallelism
Synthetic parallelism found where second statement adding meaning to the first statement. In this line speaker 1 asking for a bet, without the second statement reader cannot understand that "what the bet is? That is why in the second statement speaker asking for a bet in which someone's should not open his/her eyes. In the above table synthetic parallelism used by the speakers, when the first statement of their dialogue is not comprehensive without the second statement. For Example: when speaker one asks to speaker two that why she is crying, speaker two answers that robbers came, and took all the gold and implements with them. Speaker 1: why you did not use the gun? Speaker 2: I had hide it, otherwise they took it as well. So in order to clear his/her stance, speaker two further describes it with the help of second sentence. Here speaker one is asking to an old man ‫)بابا(‬ that how should I make a grave, either with sand or tails? Pakistan Social Sciences Review (PSSR) Jan-March 2023, Vol. 7, No. 1 40 Same as in the above table speakers use synthetic parallelism to explain their side in front of the other speaker; explain themselves to get rid of the blames they are facing from speaker two or for the sake of giving information about the main topic of their conversation. For Example: speaker 1 asks to speaker two what happened" he replies that someone has stolen 2000Rs from my wife's purse. Speaker one answers by using synthetic parallelism; she is fibbing, those were only 1500Rs I have counted while thieving them. Therefore, in the above highlighted line speaker used synthetic parallelism, to explain his point of view in front of the other speaker.

Synonymous Parallelism
Repetition of same meaning in different words more than one time in a phrase, statement or verse this repetition involves two parallel lines, or more, expressing the same idea. In this line speaker one is trying to emphasize the situation which the speaker 2 is facing and she emphasizing by saying Synonymous parallelism used by the speaker in the above table. The aim behind its use is to make their idea clear to the listener or reader. In the above table, when speaker use synonymous parallelism, it helped the reader or listener in order to process the pattern of sense in which the speaker wants to convey. For Example: first speaker explains the situation two speaker two that know you had destroyed and devastated. Because someone has fibbed his cycle. Therefore, in the highlighted words he used two different words of same meaning in order to show the intensity of loss two the second speaker and the viewers as well.

Semantic Deviation
Vagueness in the meaning of sentences, words and phrases creates semantic deviation. So, foregrounded irregularity of content consists of two types: semantic oddity and honest deception.

Semantic Oddity
Ambiguity in the sense of words or phrases, because in semantic oddity literal meaning convert into figurative meaning.
Pleonas. Repetition of same meaning with different words in a sentence or phrase, and repeated word seems useless semantically called pleonasm. In this line speaker to is giving his views about horoscope to speaker one by saying that "horoscope is for single person not for married one". In the table of "Sample A" speaker use pleonasm to clarify the situation that, what is going on. By the repetition of same words speaker does emphasize on an idea, it helps the viewers or readers to remember the main idea of the video. For Example: In the above table speaker one asks speaker two to give a look to horoscope that how will you day spend? These highlighted words are the repetition of the same meaning because horoscope itself tells about that how would be the day of a person. Nevertheless, speaker used the words and its explanation as well, so that it would be comprehensible for the viewers if they do not know the meaning of the word 'horoscope'. In this line speaker 2 is pointing towards a person so that the speaker one could also see him by saying that "Sir, that boy ‫لڑکا(‬ ‫)وہ‬ has come for job interview".
In this table pleonasm used by the speaker in order to point towards a particular person so that the particular person gain the attention of the audience. For Example: In the above table speaker, one is informing speaker two, "sir that boy has come for interview". Highlighted words are belonging to the term of pleonasm because both are representing each other so if we remove the word "that"; whole sentence will remain meaningful. But speaker used pleonasm to give importance to a particular person.

Paradox.
A statement is said to be a paradox when it contains contradiction, ambiguity and self-evidently false in its nature". In this line speaker one is consoling speaker two about his tension by using a paradoxical statement that "do not worry any girl would like you even with her closed eyes".
People like chaotic things and suspense in this world. Same as in the above table speaker use self-evidently false statements so that it will create suspense in reader's mind or viewer that what speaker is trying to say. However, most of the statement are understandable because of the context or background in which these statements uttered by the speaker. Therefore, people like those contents that contains paradoxical statements. For Example: In the above table, speaker used paradox in order to build a mocking effect on his content. Speaker one tells his anxiousness about not having a girl in his life, who would like him. Speaker two consoles him with the help of paradoxical statement that do not worry buddy any girl would like you with her closed eyes. Here, this statement is self-evidently false that how anyone ca see someone with his/her closed eyes and how he/she would accept him as a lover. Speaker just used it to trigger the sense of humor of his viewers. Here speaker two is answering speaker one about the poetry of a poet by using paradoxical statement that "the poet is requesting about the video call to his beloved". In the table of "Sample B" paradoxical statement used by the speaker not just for creating suspense but also for creating humor in his/her content. For Example: speaker one asks speaker two about the meaning of a poetry in which poet is saying to his beloved that I am satisfied with your picture but it is my wish if I could see you face to face. But speaker two replies by using paradoxical statement by saying that in these line poet is in the awhirl of a video call. Therefore, because of the highlighted word this statement is self-evidently false having a video call does not mean that you are in the awhirl of video call. People can see each other and can talk as well through this app. Speaker used it to create humor in his content.

Metaphor.
It is similar to the figure of speech "simile" because it also compares two different things but without the use of as or like. In this line speaker two used metaphor to elaborate the meaning of horoscope by compare it with wife's face". Means "horoscope and wife's face both will design that how will her husband spend a day; happily or sadly". In the above table of metaphor speaker used metaphors to trigger the imagination of the reader/listener by explaining his feelings and emotions about a particular thing. In the above table, presence of metaphor is creating humor for a reader/viewer. For Pakistan Social Sciences Review (PSSR) Jan-March 2023, Vol. 7, No. 1 43 Example: when speaker one asks speaker two to read the horoscope about how would he spend his day, speaker two answers by using metaphor that horoscope is for unmarried people, because married people can examine the horoscope through the mood of his spouse. So in this dialogue he relate his spouse's face with horoscope.

Honest Deception
In honest deception a writer or poet is honestly deceiving his/ her readers by exaggerating the situation of objects.
Hyperbole. It is define as a figure of speech which is used by a writer or poet exaggerate a situation or object in order to overemphasis on a thing or situation in front of the reader". Here speaker two is giving sympathy to speaker one by with the help of hyperbole by saying that "do not say this Wajid, any girl will like you even with her closed eyes". In the above table speaker used hyperbole to exaggerate the situation, feelings, however the reader/viewer can understand the intensity of what the speaker is trying to say. The presence of hyperbole in the above table would allow the reader to be sympathetic with the character for example, when speaker one told to speaker two that robbers came and took all the god and all the implements with them, here viewers feels pity on the speakers that know they have nothing to live. Or sometimes can feel the humor, which had created by the speaker for example, when speaker one tells speaker two that no girl like him, speaker two replies don not say it buddy any girl would like you with her closed eyes. In these dialogues highlighted words used as hyperbole but performing the function of creating humor.
In this table hyperbole exists when speaker one asked for a job to speaker two, speaker two jested to speaker one by saying that you big faced man I will give you job do you know to speak English. In this line use of hyperbole is creating humor in the situation.
Litotes. It is also a way of exaggeration but in a pessimistic way. It also creates mock in the writing. In this line speaker is using litotes to exaggerate his problem is a pessimistic way; No likes me. Here speaker is exaggerating his bank balance by avoiding the issue of rupees which he has lost; he just wants that man who did this. A speaker or writer use litotes when he/she wants his/her audience to think about the particular thing. However, after getting the meaning of that litotes they can enjoy it as a sense of humor. Same as in above tables first, reader tries to understand that what he is trying to mock about in a pessimistic way. For Example: speaker one tells speaker two that someone has fibbed 2000Rs from his wife's purse, speaker two replies that those were only 1500Rs I have counted them while fibbing. Speaker one replies by using litotes that problem is not related to money I just want that person who did this. Therefore, when a viewer understand litotes they feel comic effect.
Irony. It creates when a same image, sentence or phrase contains contradiction in meaning. In order to build irony writer says something else and meant something else. In this line speaker is using sarcasm to create mock effect in his content by making a harsh comparison of "his wife's face with horoscope" by saying that horoscope and a wife's face expressions tells that how her husband could spend a whole day". In this line speaker is using sarcasm on his own perceptions by saying that the poet is trying to ask for a video call to his lover because he wants to see her/him. It is a perception of today's young generation that they talk to their beloved one on video call.

‫صحیح‬ ‫ُتر‬ ‫پ‬ ‫میرا‬ ‫کیوں‬ ‫بنیا؟‬ ‫نئ‬
1 This line is an irony because the speaker one is asking for a thing that how it make but the speaker 2 gives unexpected answer by asking a counter question; why dear son? Does it not correctly made? This line is an irony because speaker two gives unexpected answer to speaker one about how a grave should dig. Speaker 2 answered that do not make it with clay just fix a shutter on it.
In the above tables when the speaker two say something unexpected to the speaker one it creates humor for the reader. For Example: Speaker one asks to speaker two that who made the Pakistan? Speaker two replies by using irony and asks, why my son? Did it not make correctly?
Sarcasm. It is defined as a harsh tone used by the writer or poet in order to make fun of someone.  In this line speaker one is asking a lay man, body guard about a thing which belongs to foreign people, then speaker two replies in a sarcastic way that are you robbers coming from England? In the above tables speaker used sarcasm to criticize the other speaker with the help of harsh words but this harshness creates humorous effect in the content. For Example: speaker one asks to speaker two for a job of bodyguard at his shop. Speaker two replies you big faced man I will give you a job but, tell me do you know to speak English?" speaker two replies why Sir? Are the robbers coming from England? Here speaker replies in a sarcastic way to create mocking effect.

Lexical Deviation
Lexical deviation occurs when words are not present in normal standard form.

Neologism
It is defined as the formation of new words and these words have no existence in the dictionaries. In this line speaker is speaking deviated word ‫)چوں(‬ because this word does not exists in dictionary but he used because of the dialectal difference. As most of the people use these words just because of the fluency in Punjabi language, it has same meaning which the real meaning has "from" her purse. In this line speaker is speaking deviated word ‫)صئ(‬ because this word does not exists in dictionary but he used because of its frequent use in his society. As most of the people use these words just because of the fluency in Punjabi language, it has same meaning which the real word's ‫صحیح)‬ ( meaning "correct/correctly" In the above tables neologism used as a deviation in order to make a funny content. Because sometimes these words formed when they are suddenly, speak incorrectly intentionally or unintentionally by the speaker. This deviation would be considering in the Punjabi language, which speaks, by the speaker. However, on the above table sudden use of deviated words creates comic effect. For Example: speaker asks to speaker two that how a grave should be dig with the mud of cement? Speaker two replies that just put a "shuttle (shutter)" on it. Therefore, by the use of deviated word speaker two creates mocking effect in the content.

Lexical Parallelism
Lexical parallelism occurs where same meaning and same structural words exist in a sentence, verse or phrase. Here cycle word is lexical parallelism because these words speaker one borrowed from other language and he is facing problems with two thing, cycle and motor cycle; in order to explain that problem she has to use two same words. speaker told to the other speaker that robbers came and they took all the god and all the implements with them. Here the word "all" repeated two times as a lexical parallelism and doing emphasis on the savings of the speaker.

Conclusion
This study analyzed the selected content of TikTok with the aid of stylistics analysis. Content selected according to the number of views from its viewers. @jeevansultan1 and @muneebkhanmoni are the content creators, which are selected because of their millions of followers and their popularity among the young generation because of their contents.
Results suggested that the two selected content creators have used almost all the same devices in their videos; synthetic parallelism, synonymous parallelism, pleonasm, paradox, metaphor, hyperbole, litotes, irony, sarcasm, neologism, and lexical parallelism. Their techniques of using these devices are also similar. However, as compared to sample B, sample A contains excessive use of semantic parallelism, semantic deviation and lexical parallelism. In addition, sample B contains lavish use of code mixing as compare to the sample A. For Example: ‫چاہیے.‬ ‫گارڈ‬ ‫سیکیورٹی‬ ‫کیلیے‬ ‫شاپ‬ ‫کی‬ ‫گولڈ‬ ‫اپنی‬ ‫مجھے‬ ‫یار‬First two; "shop", "gold" words will specifically consider as code mixing words from English language because the character has words from Urdu language for these words. For Example: -"Gold" ‫,(سونا)‬ "Shop" ‫.(دوکان)‬ In order to gain attention of their audience through their videos they used all the above-mentioned stylistics devices to build a taste of humor in a sympathetic and empathetic situation. For Example: ‫ہے؟‬ ‫آتی‬ ‫ِنگلش‬ ‫ا‬ ‫آپکو‬ ‫ہوں،‬ ‫لیتا‬ ‫رکھ‬ ‫آپکو‬ ‫میں‬ ‫والے‬ ‫منہ‬ ‫وڈے‬ In this line speaker, two is using hyperbole to create humor by "exaggerating the size of a man's face". However, both the content creators have similarities in their contents. This is the reason behind the popularity and rising fan following of both of the content creators on TikTok.
It also concluded by the results of current study that both content creators used the stylistics devices to convey hidden messages or ideologies that influence the mindset of the young generation in a funny way; they used the stylistics devices to emphasis on a specific thing, to criticize the politics, to highlight the issue of increase in robbery cases. In addition, the study tells that the selected content also represents the patriarchal society, for example, the ideology of anti-feminism injected through the funny videos and all the viewers laugh at the mindset of female in a situation that female creatures of this planet did not have common sense. The mentality of the common person in comparison to the one who has some knowledge of this world also highlighted through results. The results of the second content of TikTok suggested the Punjabi speakers as uneducated whom you can dodge easily. Furthermore, this study pointed towards the use of gadgets, and the way it merged in the human mind. If you ask a 20th century's person about a verse written by a poet of the 19th century he will answer it by relating the 20th century's things with the 19th century's, because of his interaction with gadgets.
For Example: ‫پییاء۔‬ ‫ایچ‬ ‫چکر‬ ‫دے‬ ‫کال‬ ‫ویڈیو‬ ‫شاعر‬ ‫ایچ‬ ‫ایدے‬ ‫جی‬ ‫ر‬ َ ‫س‬ ‫تہ‬ ‫ِیچ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫خیال‬ ‫‪In‬میرے‬ this line speaker is using sarcasm on his own perceptions by saying that the poet is trying to ask for a video Pakistan Social Sciences Review (PSSR) Jan-March 2023, Vol. 7, No. 1 49 call to his lover because he wants to see her/him. It is a perception of today's young generation that they talk to their beloved one on video call. To sum up the whole information, in the current study two different content creators of TikTok along with two different languages; Urdu and Punjabi are analyzed with the help of lexical and semantic stylistics analysis. This study also clarify the way through which the selected content creators injected subliminal messages to their viewers.