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Article published In:
Understanding Chinese Social Media
Edited by Sumin Zhao and Chaoqun Xie
[Internet Pragmatics 4:2] 2021
► pp. 219–246

The construction of heterogeneous and fluid identities

Translanguaging on WeChat

| University of Bath
| University of Bath

This paper presents a case study of identity construction and performance by examining the dynamic translanguaging practices of a Chinese student in the UK on a widely-used social media platform, WeChat. Drawing on data from WeChat Moment posts, chatting records, face-to-face interviews and online interviews over a period of 10 months, the study discusses identity construction in a digital world with a particular focus on heterogeneity and fluidity. The main findings include the following two points. First, the participant is the epitome of his world; he selects and manipulates linguistic and other semiotic resources indicating his beliefs, attitudes and life trajectory, and he actively, creatively, critically and strategically uses resources from his communicative repertoire to construct heterogeneous and fluid self-identities in his interactions with others. Second, the participant actively creates a virtual translanguaging space on WeChat, within which his new and old identities and different knowledge meet, integrate and fuse. The findings of this research provide detailed insights of digital translanguaging practices of WeChat users and contribute to a comprehensive understanding of identity (re)construction and (re)formation of an increasing number of overseas Chinese students.

Keywords: identity, translanguaging, communicative repertoire, WeChat, overseas Chinese students, Goffman, internet neologism, social media
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.WeChat’s design and features
  • 3.Literature review: Self-presentation and translanguaging
    • 3.1Selective self-presentation on social media
    • 3.2Translanguaging and multimodality
  • 4.Methodology
    • 4.1The participant
    • 4.2Ethical considerations
    • 4.3Data collection and data analysis
  • 5.Findings and discussion
    • 5.1Translanguaging and identity performance
      • 5.1.1Rich and fluid linguistic and semiotic resources
      • 5.1.2The use of ‘tata’
      • 5.1.3The use of internet neologism
    • 5.2A virtual translanguaging space
      • 5.2.1A selective virtual space created by translanguaging
      • 5.2.2The fusion of heterogeneous identities
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 17 February 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ip.00046.li
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