The performance and reception of translanguaging humor in Chinese entertainment shows

Translanguaging, a significant linguistic trend, is capturing the interest of various academic fields. However, existing literature has yet to adequately examine the role of translanguaging humor in entertainment media. To investigate this issue, we employ discourse analysis to explore the creative performance of translanguaging humor and its audience reception, as manifested in the parasocial interactions through danmu comments. Results show that, firstly, four translanguaging strategies are employed to create humor in Chinese entertainment shows: bilingual puns, literal translation, performance of ‘bad’ English and code-approximation. Secondly, beneath the humor lies a complex layer of emotions that are often paradoxical in nature. Furthermore, the search for a fluid linguistic identity is manifested in the creation and reception of translanguaging humor, which challenges monoglossic ideologies that prioritize rigid language boundaries and embraces the dynamic and hybrid nature of translingual practices across diverse linguistic landscapes.