The Socialization of Local Identity to Global Context: Translingual and Transcultural Phenomena among TikTok Users

Authors: Layli Hamida (Unviersitas Airlangga, Indonesia)
Speakers: Layli Hamida
Strand: Language Socialization
Session Type: General Session

Abstract

Drawing upon the framework of language socialization in digital context, this study seeks to understand the phenomenon of identity building in a superdiverse context of language use on the everchanging digital culture with the coming of TikTok as a new social media platform. Social Media has recently played an increasing significant role in representing cultural identity and reality that exists in societies around the globe. Tik Tok as one of social media platforms available has provided a space for practices of translingual and transcultural exchanges representing multilingual society. Using digital ethnographic method, this study observed videos uploaded on TikTok focusing particularly on Asian users who created intercultural language performances. The data, then, were further analysed by adopting the concept of multiliteracies and language and identity. Results of the study reveal that there are contestation and negotiation of identity among Asian TikTok users in the form of local language use in a global context. There is also a socialization of local language to global community in the act of comparing, explaining, and correcting the use of terms and exclamation of local language using English and other foreign languages which deliberately displays multilingual diasporic Asian identities that are mostly performed in humorous and entertaining manners. These findings are expected to add to the studies and discussions on situated language socialization and informal digital language learning.

Keywords: Language socialization, Translanguage, Transculture, Social media, Identity.