"GET WOKE, SCULLY!": AN INTERSECTIONAL APPROACH TO MEDIATED LANGUAGE IN BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

Abstract

Sociolinguistically, mediated performances in scripted media productions like television shows have traditionally been viewed as either inauthentic or misrepresentative depictions of reality. In the past decade or so, however, researchers have increasingly started employing television shows and films in their investigations, claiming that the staged nature of these data are useful in understanding language ideology issues. Previous work on mediated discourse tends to focus mainly on the portrayal of linguistic enregisterment processes, or on the lack of accurate representation on the screen concerning media typecasting strategies. This thesis takes a different approach and investigates how mediated discourse can be used as a tool to reveal existing societal beliefs and ideologies, and may simultaneously instigate ideological change through verbally and visually mediated forms. Through analysis of the American situation comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, I argue that the show takes a step away from reinforcing circulating stereotypes in its attempts to represent currently discussed social problems in a modern society. For example, my findings point out that the processes of mediation and mediatisation help expose the interwoven systems of power that work in tandem to impact marginalised communities. Utilising an intersectional approach, this thesis discusses how the most marginalised communities in society, such as the black and LGBTQ communities, are impacted by numerous overlapping power structures. Furthermore, I assert that while mediated forms aid in the proliferation of enregistered forms to typecast and pigeonhole characters, they also have the power to influence ideological change. The results of this investigation hence contribute to the larger discussion of how mediated forms of language can be employed as suitable data to study representations of linguistic practice. Correspondingly, I hope to have demonstrated a convincing case study of the substantial effect of the media on society.