TRANSLANGUAGING VS BRANDING: PRAGMATIC FUNCTIONS OF MIXED-LANGUAGE PR POSTS IN UZBEK AND ENGLISH DIGITAL INSTITUTIONAL DISCOURSE

Kamola Fayziyeva

Authors

Kamola Fayziyeva Oliy ta’lim, fan va innovatsiyalar vazirligi huzuridagi Bilim va malakalarni baholash agentligi bosh mutaxassisi

Keywords:

translanguaging; code-switching; branding; institutional PR; Telegram; Uzbek digital discourse; pragmatic functions

Abstract

Mixed-language PR posts are increasingly common in institutional digital communication, yet their pragmatic purpose is not always “natural bilingualism.” This thesis examines the tension between translanguaging as meaning-making and branding as strategic language display in English- and Uzbek-context PR posts. Using a qualitative pragmatic-discourse approach, the study analyzes publicly available posts from Uzbek institutional/large-service Telegram channels and English-language institutional social media pages where mixed-language captions occur. The analysis focuses on pragmatic functions of language alternation: attention capture, authority softening, inclusivity cues, credibility borrowing, procedural clarity, and commercial persuasion. Uzbek digital PR shows frequent alternation among Uzbek–Russian–English lexical tokens (e.g., cashback, bonus) to maximize reach in a Telegram-dominant ecosystem (UzDaily, 2025). Findings argue that mixed-language PR operates on a continuum: at one end, translanguaging (audience-oriented repertoire use); at the other, branding (curated multilingual identity). The study contributes a functional model explaining when language mixing signals solidarity and accessibility versus prestige and market positioning.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Baraka Market. (n.d.). Public Telegram channel posts (promotions with mirrored Uzbek–Russian copy and English commercial tokens). https://t.me/s/barakamarket_uz

2. Facebook. (n.d.). Public recruitment post: “We are hiring! ¡Estamos contratando!” https://www.facebook.com/puertoricorealtors/posts/we-are-hiring-estamos-contratando-comparte-con-amigos-y-familiares%EF%B8%8F-association-/974698161325811/

3. HUMO. (n.d.). Public Telegram channel posts (service updates and technical notices with bilingual Uzbek–Russian formatting). https://t.me/s/humoofficial

4. Li, W. (2018). Translanguaging as a practical theory of language. Applied Linguistics, 39(1), 9–30. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amx039

5. Lu, C., & Gu, M. M. (2024). Review of research on digital translanguaging among teachers and students: A visual analysis through CiteSpace. System, 123, 103314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2024.103314

6. Pooja, A., & Mishra, S. (2024). Translanguaging in advertising: An examination of separate and flexible bilingualism in Tamil newspaper advertisements. Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Studies, 24(1), 14–32. https://so02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/hasss/article/view/263398

7. Sindoni, M. G., Ho, W. Y. J., & Li, W. (2025). Conceptual framework of translanguaging in mediated action: The case of #Bilingualparenting on social media. Discourse, Context & Media, 68, 100959. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2025.100959

8. UzDaily.uz. (2025, October 22). Telegram — 76% reach, YouTube — No. 1, e-commerce on the rise: Inside Uzbekistan’s digital landscape. https://www.uzdaily.uz/en/telegram-76-reach-youtube-no-1-e-commerce-on-the-rise-inside-uzbekistans-digital-landscape/

9. Xalq Banki. (n.d.). Public Telegram channel posts (bank PR announcements with bilingual Uzbek–Russian formatting and English loanwords). https://t.me/s/xalqbankinfo

10. Androutsopoulos, J. (2015). Networked multilingualism: Some language practices on Facebook and their implications. International Journal of Bilingualism, 19(2), 185–205. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367006913489198

11.