Culturally bound abusive expressions in Ghanaian social media

This study examines the use of culturally bound abusive expressions in Ghanaian online discourse, with a focus on the strategic deployment of indigenous languages and culturally specific terms as mechanisms of verbal aggression and online harm. Drawing on a descriptive qualitative approach, data were collected from social media commentary on major sociopolitical events in September 2024, including public reactions to the government's handling of illegal mining (Galamsey) and the subsequent arrest of protestors. The analysis reveals a form of pragmatic borrowing, where users embed abusive expressions from Akan, Ewe, Ga, and Hausa into English-based discourse. These expressions, retained in their original forms, heighten emotional intensity, assert cultural identity, and convey power or resistance, often carrying meanings that avoid direct translation. Rather than being spontaneous outbursts, they operate as culturally situated acts of verbal aggression that combine expressive force with significant social impact. The study shows how Ghanaians on social media strategically mobilize insulting expressions not only to offend but also to reinforce group cohesion, enact sociocultural resistance, and challenge sociopolitical authority. The findings advance understanding of how multilinguals in postcolonial contexts navigate online interaction by using language as a weapon of aggression and a medium of identity construction and sociopolitical critique. The study provides insights into multilingualism, digital communication, and the cultural specificities of online harm in sub-Saharan Africa.