Humorous Translanguaging and Playful Discourse on Indonesian Twitter: A Critical Discourse Analysis
Keywords:
Playful discourse, humor, translanguaging, Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA)Abstract
Humour and translanguaging are increasingly prominent in digital communication; however, limited research has explored their intersection in Indonesian social media discourse, where local and global languages creatively merge. This gap leaves unanswered questions about how humorous and multilingual practices operate in online spaces, especially in contexts of cultural hybridity and diverse language contact. This study examines the linguistic creativity exhibited in humorous translanguaging on Indonesian social media, specifically on the X platform (formerly Twitter). By employing Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the research examines three humorous tweets posted by the popular Indonesian account @handokotjung, focusing on spelling manipulation, wordplay, and puns. The findings reveal that users creatively blend multiple languages, including Indonesian, English, Sundanese, and Arabic loanwords, to produce homophonic, homonymic, and semantically playful expressions that resonate with emotional, cultural, and relational themes. The playful discourse employed in these tweets not only evokes humor but also communicates deeper messages of romantic longing, cultural belonging, and sociolinguistic negotiation. The study underscores five key aspects of humorous translanguaging in digital discourse: fostering inclusivity, showcasing linguistic inventiveness, enabling emotional expression, enhancing virality, and transcending language boundaries. These insights contribute to a broader understanding of how digital users utilize hybrid linguistic resources to construct their identities, critique social norms, and create shared meaning in online communities. By foregrounding the intersections between humor, creativity, and multilingual expressions, this research offers a nuanced lens into the evolving dynamics of language use in the digital era and emphasizes the pedagogical and sociocultural relevance of humorous translanguaging practices.
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