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Title Social Semiotics of Translingual Pakistani Content Websites

Author(s) Zareen Samar

Abstract Since traditional media migrated to the digital world, a surge of new independently owned content generating websites have entered the field of journalism. The shift has opened countless linguistic stylistic choices to be employed by writers. In recent years, Pakistan has been introduced to these reporting platforms operated by youth. Since Pakistanis are inherently multilingual and multicultural, this phenomenon is also observed in the communication strategies in the online space. As a result, the individuality of concerned situation offers a plethora of new research opportunities, as explored herein. This study collected headlines and titles (textual modes), images, emoticons (visual modes) as used by three leading Pakistani content websites Mangobaaz, Parhlo and The Current to analyze their translingual and multimodal practices using Wei‟s (2017) theory of translanguaging and social semiotics theory for communication presented by Kress (2010) and concluded that the creative youth of Pakistan break the outdated mold of monolingual and monomodal ways of conversing and sharing. The study has implications which suggest a shift towards a contemporary medium for communication which are not limited to translingual approaches to quoting, commentary, naming and labeling, calculated, obscure and concrete mode selection, various ways of addressing, usage of questions, identity, hashtags, emoticons and abbreviations. Where previous Pakistani studies have focused primarily on traditional news sources; this study is the first of its kind to approach the growing industry of Pakistani independent media startups.

Type Thesis/Dissertation MS

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2023-01-09

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