This study analyzes the use of variations of the response expressions “eung” and “eo” in messenger KakaoTalk. KakaoTalk conversation data are obtained from speakers in their 20s from March 2022 to November 2024 and the variations are reviewed based on gender, follow-up utterances, and pragmatic function via logistic regression analysis. The analysis result shows that, the variations are more diverse in messenger conversations than in actual spoken words and that men are more likely to use {eung}, particularly type “ㅇㅇ”. Additionally, different usage rates of {eung} and {eo} are indicated for different pragmatic functions; in particular, {eung} is more frequently used in reasking and emphasizing self-speech, whereas {eo} is more frequently used in hesitating and withholding answers. Additionally, women use variants more often than men, and in the absence of follow-up utterances, variations are more likely to be used than basic types. This study expands our understanding on how languages differ from spoken languages in digital environments by revealing the relationship among variations in response expressions, gender, follow-up utterances, and pragmatic functions in messenger conversations.

This article examines the variations found in the use of ‘eung’ and ‘eo’ in TV dramas and their scripts. Five series of TV drama televised during the 2010s were used as the data for this study, and 3,202 tokens of {eung} and {eo} were collected from the data. Statistical analyses were conducted using Goldvarb X and LVS (Language Variation Suite). Nine variants of {eung} and six variants of {eo} were observed in the data. Regression analyses showed that ‘discourse function’ of {eung} and {eo} was the primary constraint influencing the variation examined. Age was analyzed as another statistically significant factor: Older people used {eung} variants more often than younger people. This result may be taken to indicate either age grading or linguistic change in progress; further research based on careful methodology is in order for its accurate interpretation.