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Title Translingual Space: An Exploratory Study of Digitally Mediated Communication in Pakistan

Author(s) FATIMA EKRAM

Abstract The multilingual world of today is increasingly becoming translingual, which is more evident in digitally-mediated communication. However, in contexts such as Pakistan, monolingual norms are still preferred, proposed, and performed, particularly in the contexts of language teaching and learning. The reality of the world outside the classroom, however, is that languages are being regularly meshed and mixed for online and offline communication. This study, therefore, aimed to explore the translingual strategies that Pakistani digital users employ in digital communication and the salient characteristics of such translanguaging. Using Li Wi’s (208) theoretical and analytical lens, this study qualitatively explored Pakistani users’ translingual practices on four different digital mediums i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. The analysis of the data shows that Pakistani users go both between and beyond languages to communicate online. That is, they not only use different languages but also creatively employ emojis and images to articulate their views and opinions. English and Urdu were found to be the dominant languages meshed and mixed, with a tinge of Arabic, which is indicative of the socio- historical association of Pakistani users. The findings clearly show that online communication carries translingual characteristics, which has implications for making English language learners translingual competent to be able to communicate in today’s world.

Type Thesis/Dissertation MS

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2022-11-02

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