Multimodal Pragmatic Functions of Chinese–English Code-Switching on Social Media: A Corpus-Based Study of TikTok Videos

Xi Bai

doi:10.47297/wspciWSP2516-252751.20261004

PDF
Export
Share
Collection
Album

Multimodal Pragmatic Functions of Chinese–English Code-Switching on Social Media: A Corpus-Based Study of TikTok Videos

Volume 10, Issue 4

Views: 0 Downloads: 0

Multimodal Pragmatic Functions of Chinese–English Code-Switching on Social Media: A Corpus-Based Study of TikTok Videos
Multimodal Pragmatic Functions of Chinese–English Code-Switching on Social Media: A Corpus-Based Study of TikTok Videos
Department of English, School of Foreign Languages, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650000, China
Vol. 10, Issue 4, Pages: 256-261(2026)
Published：30 August 2026
DOI：10.47297/wspciWSP2516-252751.20261004
Accepted：

Scan QR Code

Xi Bai.Multimodal Pragmatic Functions of Chinese–English Code-Switching on Social Media: A Corpus-Based Study of TikTok Videos[J].Creativity and Innovation,2026,10(04):256-261.
DOI：

Xi Bai.Multimodal Pragmatic Functions of Chinese–English Code-Switching on Social Media: A Corpus-Based Study of TikTok Videos[J].Creativity and Innovation,2026,10(04):256-261. DOI： 10.47297/wspciWSP2516-252751.20261004.

摘要

Abstract

This study investigates the pragmatic functions of Chinese–English code-switching (CS) in multimodal social media discourse

drawing on a self-compiled corpus of 500 TikTok videos (approximately 1

200 minutes of audiovisual content) produced by Chinese–English bilingual content creators. While CS has been extensively studied in spoken and written contexts

its functions in multimodal digital environments—where linguistic choices intersect with visual

auditory

and kinetic semiotic resources—remain underexplored. To address this gap

the present study employs a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative annotation of CS instances (N=3

847) with qualitative multimodal analysis of their co-occurring visual and prosodic features. The findings reveal that CS in this context serves six primary pragmatic functions: (1)

identity performance

where English markers signal cosmopolitan identity and generational affiliation; (2)

pragmatic emphasis

where switches to English highlight key information through concurrent multimodal reinforcement (e.g.

gesture

facial expression

prosodic stress); (3)

humor and playfulness

often realized through incongruity between linguistic code and visual modality; (4)

discourse structuration

where CS marks topic boundaries and narrative transitions; (5)

audience engagement

where switches function as direct address strategies to foster parasocial interaction; and (6)

metapragmatic commentary

where CS is used to explicitly comment on the CS act itself. Crucially

the pragmatic force of CS was found to be systematically modulated by multimodal co-text: switches accompanied by congruent visual-prosodic cues exhibited significantly higher pragmatic salience than those occurring in multimodal isolation. These f

indings challenge traditional unidimensional models of CS by demonstrating that its functions are not solely determined by linguistic context but are co-constructed across semiotic modalities. This research contributes to the burgeoning field of multimodal pragmatics and has implications for understanding bilingual language practices in the digital age.

关键词

Keywords

references

Androutsopoulos, J. (2015). Networked multilingualism: Some language practices on Facebook and their implications. International Journal of Bilingualism, 19(2), 185–205.

Auer, P. (Ed.). (1998). Code-switching in conversation: Language, interaction and identity. Routledge.

Burgers, C., van Mulken, M., & Schellens, P. J. (2013). Finding irony: An introduction to the Verbal Irony Procedure (VIP). Metaphor and Symbol, 28(3), 186–205.

Deumert, A. (2014). Digital superdiversity: A commentary. Discourse, Context and Media, 4–5, 116–120.

Gullberg, M. (1998). Gesture as a communication strategy in second language discourse. Lund University Press.

Gumperz, J. J. (1982). Discourse strategies. Cambridge University Press.

Haugh, M. (2015). Im/politeness implicatures. De Gruyter Mouton.

Jewitt, C. (Ed.). (2014). The Routledge handbook of multimodal analysis (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Kress, G. (2010). Multimodality: A social semiotic approach to contemporary communication. Routledge.

Lee, C. (2017). Multilingualism online: A review of the literature. Language and Linguistics Compass, 11(3), e12231.

Li, W. (1994). Three generations, two languages, one family: Language choice and language shift in a Chinese community in Britain. Multilingual Matters.

Li, W. (2018). Translanguaging as a practical theory of language. Applied Linguistics, 39(1), 9–30.

Myers-Scotton, C. (1993). Social motivations for codeswitching: Evidence from Africa. Oxford University Press.

Nicoladis, E. (2007). The effect of bilingualism on the use of manual gestures. Applied Psycholinguistics, 28(3), 441–454.

Norris, S. (2004). Analyzing multimodal interaction: A methodological framework. Routledge.

Poplack, S. (1980). Sometimes I'll start a sentence in Spanish y termino en español: Toward a typology of code-switching. Linguistics, 18(7–8), 581–618.

Wang, D., & Kirkpatrick, A. (2019). Code-switching in the classroom: A case study of a Chinese university. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 22(4), 453–467.

Zhang, S. (2020). Chinese-English code-switching on WeChat: Functions and identities. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 41(5), 425–439.