A linguistic analysis of tumblr hyperbole in the tags
This post expands my previous analysis of hyperbolic reactions to cluster tags by themes. There were too many themes, some of them overlapping, to create a cohesive graph. Instead, I present several overarching themes from a data set of 50 tags observed and documented in various corners of tumblr.
1. Feeling Normal™️
Tags within this cluster profess Normal feelings (read: extreme excitement, enthusiasm, obsession, derangement, etc.).
#mmmmrrrghuhhhhghhh #I'm so normal about it teehee
#absolutely not rending my clothing #feeling very normal and not feral at all
#i will simply never recover #gif sets sent to personally destroy me
#i can't cope #the eyes #i'm a puddle
#i am INCONSOLABLE #i am DISTRAUGHT
#IM NOT OKKAAAAAAYYYYYY
#FEELING TOTALLY ONE HUNDRED PERCENT NORMAL
2. Feralness
The following data points conjure animalistic behavior. There’s a non-zero amount of biting and chewing involved.
#chomping biting barking
#biting my arms off
#rattling my cage
#[incoherent biting noises]
#chewing glass
#chewing through wood
#*shaking the bars of my enclosure* HELLO!!!!!!!!
#climbing the walls
#biting gnawing chewing
#im gonna rip off my front door and eat it
3. Noisy Emotional Outbursts
These tags encompass crying, screaming, yelling, and other loud reactions.
# shaking sobbing crying
#SCREAMIIIING BANGING MY HEAD ON THE WALL
#*no thoughts only wailing*
#i am SOBBING
#IM CRYING LIKE A BITCH
#*just fucking yelling*
#S C R E A M
#screeching into a pillow
#brb sobbing for 5-7 business years
4. Throwing
All of these tags except the last one involve being thrown instead of throwing things. I, personally, am entertained by the range of places/situations people are throwing themselves into.
#i am going to THROW MYSELF into the SEA
#hurl me into the sea
#hurl me into the sun
#trebuchet me into the sun
#hurl me straight at europa
#vent me out of an airlock
#slam me against a wall
#put me in a box and throw me down the stairs
#throwing myself into traffic you know?
#just defenestrate me already
#defenestrate me #absolutely hurl me through plate glass
#i'm going to start tossing furniture
5. Bodily Harm
There’s a good deal of overlap with the previous theme. Nearly all of the tags involving throwing would result in varying degrees of bodily harm. Here are the tags outside of the Throwing subgroup.
#im going to throw upppppp
#tearing my hair out
#banging my head against the wall
#SCREAMIIIING BANGING MY HEAD ON THE WALL
#biting my arms off
#microwaving myself
#crumple me up and microwave me
6. Absurdism
My personal favorite cluster. The imagery conjured and resulting comedic hyperbole is just [chef’s kiss].
#im gonna rip off my front door and eat it
#crumple me up and microwave me
#put me in a box and throw me down the stairs
#defenestrate me #absolutely hurl me through plate glass
7. Keysmashes
These tags center less around meaning and more around style, so they form the last group. A handful of these could fall under Noisy Emotional Outbursts because they represent reaction noises. In my linguistic judgment, keysmashing increases the hyperbole – consider augh versus aughfhghghghhh – the latter reads as prolonged and more intense emotionally.
#aghdjakgsjadhjaka *
#hrhrhrhgnnnghhhhh
#aughfhghghghhh
#mmmmrrrghuhhhhghhh #I'm so normal about it teehee
#waughfhghghh
#oughhhhghghhh
*one digression in a friend discord server was how people interpret keysmashes in their minds. Some hear the first couple letters and then some sputtering, others hear static. It’s a common joke that you need a minor in linguistics to understand conversations in this friend group. Such is the nature of things when the chaos linguist energy is strong.
