Solidarity and the Scoobies: an analysis of the -y suffix in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Abstract

This article offers a sociolinguistic analysis of selected dialogue from 66 episodes of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BTVS). While the research record reveals an interest in the use of language on the show, it is argued here that the issue of language in relation to friendship bonds has thus far received insufficient treatment. In response, this study asks if Buffy and her friends (the Scoobies, as they call themselves after the ghostbusting teens in the cartoon Scooby-Doo) are represented as using vernacular variants to demonstrate in-group identity. Marked -y suffix adjectives (e.g. Heart-of-Darkness-y) are adopted as the linguistic variable, and the data are interpreted with reference to Lesley Milroy's social network theory and Mick Short's concept of embedded levels of discourse in drama dialogue. The findings demonstrate that marked -y reveals shifting alliances within the Scooby gang, as it characterizes not the gang as a whole, but only certain members. The findings also suggest that knowledge of how language is used in the formation of friendship groups may be part of sociolinguistic competence (as theorized by Michael Canale and Merrill Swain). Further investigation into whether this is accomplished above or below the writer's level of conscious awareness is offered as a suggestion for future research.

Adjective Intensification as a Means of Characterization

“…She examined individual characters’ use of marked y -suffixes to create new adjectives, e.g., heart-of-darkness-y, cute-y, out-of-the-loop-y , and vein-y . Adams (2003:42), in his book on “Slayer Slang,” had claimed that these forms had “very quickly come to characterize the whole Scooby Gang, serving as the adhesive that binds them together.” Mandala (2007) verified this hypothesis and established that these kinds of adjectives function as a marker of in-group identity and membership for the core group of friends in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the “Scooby Gang” or the “Scoobies”). In this paper, we claim that character groupings can be indicated not only through marked lexical items, but that features such as intensifiers can be equally revealing.…”

“…While comparative studies of television dialogue and naturally occurring language have mainly focused on issues of authenticity, it is worth exploring language patterns that deviate from sociolinguistic expectations. The creative use of marked linguistic features can also provide insight into identity practices, as Mandala (2007) proved in her study on communities of practice within Buffy the Vampire Slayer (see section 4). She examined individual characters’ use of marked y -suffixes to create new adjectives, e.g., heart-of-darkness-y, cute-y, out-of-the-loop-y , and vein-y .…”

“…The language of Buffy has attracted diverse scholarly attention, including Mandala's (2007) in-group membership study mentioned above. "Slayer Slang"…”

“…The various ways in which language is used in scripted dialogue, such as television series and film, have been given increasing attention by researchers in the past decade. Some have focussed on how close scripted language is to natural speech (Quaglio 2009;Bednarek 2012aBednarek , 2012b, some on how language shows relations between characters (Bubel 2006;Mandala 2007), and some on what it can demonstrate about ongoing language change (Rey 1996;Tagliamonte & Roberts 2005).…”

“El criado pesado”: La caracterización en la serie Águila Roja

“…Bubel (2006) dedica su trabajo de tesis doctoral a la construcción discursiva de las relaciones entre personajes, centrándose en la amistad en Sex and the City. La caracterización lingüística de personajes de series es investigada por Bubel & Spitz (2006), Gregori Signes (2007) y Richardson (2010) focalizando los medios del humor verbal y la descortesía, y por Mandala (2007Mandala ( , 2008Mandala ( , 2011, quien se centra en relevantes recursos discursivos en inglés, como el uso de adjetivos en -y, el cambio de código del inglés al chino y la cortesía lingüística.…”