The Linguistic Representation of Bullying in the Animated Series "Our Family Life": A Semiotic Analytical Study

Abstract

This study seeks to analyze the linguistic representation of bullying in the Jordanian animated series Hayat Ailtna (Our Family Life), focusing on how dialogue in the local Jordanian dialect, alongside accompanying semiotic elements, shapes children’s understanding of bullying discourse. The study is grounded in the premise that language in animated texts functions not merely as surface communication but as a symbolic tool for constructing authority and social relationships. To achieve these objectives, this study employs a combined interpretive analytical approach, drawing on both critical discourse analysis and social semiotic analysis. Dialogues and visual contexts from three selected episodes of the series were deconstructed, with vocabulary and expressions related to bullying systematically coded, and rhetorical styles and dialect carefully examined. The results indicate that bullying in the series is portrayed as a multidimensional and interactive discourse, encompassing behaviors from digital fabrication to subtle social exclusion and ideological verbal abuse. The study further highlights the role of spoken language in either reinforcing dominance or challenging aggressive behavior, underscoring the significance of animation as a cultural and educational medium that fosters behavioral and moral awareness among Arab children.critical discourse analysis