The Impact of Mobile Legends on Students’ Politeness in Language Use at MTs Al-Halim

Abstract

This study aims to comprehensively examine the influence of the online game Mobile Legends on students' language politeness at MTs Al-Halim, both in terms of verbal and nonverbal communication in the educational environment. The approach used was a qualitative case study design, which allowed researchers to explore the phenomenon in depth within its underlying social and cultural context. Data were obtained through structured observations during three meetings, in-depth interviews with five students, one teacher, and two parents, and visual documentation. Data analysis was conducted using the interactive model of Miles and Huberman (2014), which includes data reduction, data presentation, and drawing and verifying conclusions. The study revealed that students' intensive involvement in the Mobile Legends game affected their communication patterns, particularly in terms of politeness. Symptoms found included a reduced use of polite expressions, the emergence of a dominant tone of voice, defensive responses to criticism, the use of game jargon out of context, and a tendency to dominate group interactions. Based on Leech's (2014) politeness theory framework, these behaviors indicate violations of the maxims of tact, respect, and moderation. These findings reinforce the view that communication culture in digital games can shape students' perceptions and communication practices in the real world. This study recommends that teachers and parents play an active role in guiding students to develop an awareness of polite language and encourage ethical and responsible digital literacy.