Identifying Key Idiolect Markers in Sociolinguistic Profiling: A Scoping Review and Analytical Framework for Real-world Applications
Vitalii Shymko · SAGE Open · 2025
Sociolinguistic profiling has emerged as a powerful tool for understanding individual language patterns and their applications in diverse contexts, including digital communication, forensic linguistics, and psychological analysis. This study investigates key idiolect markers—such as vocabulary, syntax, prosody, and speech patterns—focusing on their efficacy and adaptability across different mediums and languages. A comprehensive review of 34 studies, spanning from 2004 to 2024, was conducted using databases like Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, ensuring robust and multidisciplinary coverage. Our findings reveal that idiolect markers exhibit varying accuracy rates depending on the context, with digital communication settings achieving up to 91% accuracy using linguistic features, and spoken interactions excelling with non-linguistic markers at 85%. Challenges, including cross-linguistic variability, data limitations, and ethical considerations, were critically analyzed. The study proposes an integrated analytical framework combining qualitative and computational methods to enhance profiling accuracy and adaptability. Practical implications are explored in depth, highlighting applications in targeted advertising, mental health detection, and authorship attribution. Future research directions emphasize the importance of cross-linguistic validation, development of adaptive profiling models, and ethical safeguards to mitigate risks such as bias and misuse. These insights underscore the transformative potential of sociolinguistic profiling while addressing the methodological and ethical complexities of its implementation.