Translingual play in networked socialization for transcultural communication: stylized performance and participatory discourse on YouTube

By integrating critical translingual theories and praxis-oriented intercultural communication, this article explores social media users’ translingual play as a creative way of making linguacultural connections. By juxtaposing transnational YouTubers’ narrations, conversations, and reflections, this study presents their humorous stylized performance for transcultural communication with the local community. The analyses of viewer comments further show the collaborative evaluation and recontextualization of YouTubers’ translingual play as well as metalanguaging about English use and sociocultural practices. The results unveil multilayered relations between stylized performance and participatory discourse.