Nicknames as a socio-cultural phenomenon among Lithuanian youth

ENThe 20th century saw an increase in the number of informal onym studies in both Lithuanian and foreign linguistics. Closely linked to youth sociolects, nicknames are created and used by young people to express their individuality, creative abilities, socio-cultural attitudes, or to convey a certain symbolic message. Typically, the nicknames created by young people are characterised by spontaneity, expressiveness, emotionality, representation of social identity and linguistic hybridity. Nicknaming as a socio-cultural phenomenon is associated with the youth subculture, which is characterised by distinctive norms and rules reflecting the processes of youth socialisation. Furthermore, nicknames help express certain attitudes towards other members of the same sociolect. As a rule, nicknames created by Lithuanian young people tend to carry positive connotations. However, some can be used to offend, humiliate and hurt other members of the youth subculture. They are also used to mock, tease or make fun of a person by highlighting their negative features. The aim of this study is to analyse nicknames used by the Lithuanian youth as a socio-cultural phenomenon, to identify the socio-cultural factors that determine the use of nicknames and to form a socio-cultural characterisation of nicknames, based on socio-onomastic theory. Nicknames can be classified into several semantic and cognitive groups, based on physical, psychological and social characteristics. Using the questionnaire survey method, the socio-cultural analysis of nicknames reveals certain trends within different groups of young people, depending on their sex, age and cultural environment. This analysis also identifies the social roles young people tend to assign themselves, as well as the social and cultural identities they are building.