SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF GOSSIP AMONG THE FEMALE CHARACTERS IN BRIDGERTON SEASON 1

This study investigates gossip among female characters in Bridgerton Season 1 from a sociolinguistic perspective. Using Deborah Jones’s typology of gossip (1980) and Eric K. Foster’s functional framework (2004), it examines 133 instances of gossip in episodes 1–4. A descriptive qualitative approach was adopted, involving close observation of dialogue, identification of gossip occurrences, categorization by type (chatting, house‐talk, scandal, bitching) and analysis by function (provide information, enhance friendship, influence others, give entertainment). Findings indicate that “chatting” is the most frequent type (59/133), followed by house‐talk (52/133), scandal (50/133), and bitching (25/133). Functionally, “provide information” predominates (97/133), then “enhance friendship” (81/133), “influence others” (41/133), and “give entertainment” (7/133). These results shed light on how gossip operates as a means of social bonding, norm enforcement, and information exchange within Regency-era high society.