English address terms in Australian, British and North American English on Twitter/X

ABSTRACT This study analyses address terms on Twitter/X across three English‐speaking regions: Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Using a random sample, we examine the frequency and regional distribution of address forms, including @‐mentions, vocatives, titles, kinship terms and greetings. @‐mentions dominate across all regions, while vocatives form the second most common category and show regional patterning – bro , gang and pal in the United States; dude , buddy and queen in Australia; mate and sweetie in the United Kingdom – as well as regional avoidance, with mate underused in the United States and dude and guy in the United Kingdom. To complement the quantitative findings, we analyse a stratified sub‐sample of tweets interactionally, showing that address terms cluster in packages and enact specific relational and moral work. The study advances empirical understanding of digital discourse in World Englishes, highlighting how global platform conventions intersect with regional sociopragmatic norms.