Translanguaging in online requests: communicative strategies of Chinese international students in the UK

Kun Yang; Siyu Shen

Translanguaging in online requests: communicative strategies of Chinese international students in the UK

Yang, Kun ^[1] ; Shen, Siyu ^[2]
1. [1] Nanjing Normal University
  
  Nanjing Normal University
  
  China
2. [2] University College London
  
  University College London
  
  Reino Unido
Localización: International journal of multilingualism, ISSN 1479-0718, Vol. 23, Nº. 3, 2026, págs. 1438-1459
Idioma: inglés
DOI: 10.1080/14790718.2025.2574387
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Resumen
- This study investigates how Chinese students in the UK utilise translanguaging strategies in their online requests through the analysis of data collected from WhatsApp and Instagram. The findings reveal that students employ a diverse range of multimodal, multilingual, and multisemiotic resources, indicating a strategic blending of languages and modes to effectively navigate communication. Three turn positions are identified, ranked in order of frequency: single turn, turn medial, and turn initial. Furthermore, translanguaging in requests serves multiple functions, including interpersonal, expressive and textual purposes. This study contributes to a better understanding of how Chinese international students in the UK employ translanguaging in their online requests, offering new insights into the intersection of language, culture, and technology in an international academic context.
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