Date of Award

4-30-2026

Degree Type

UG Dissertation (Restricted)

Department

English

Chief Supervisor

Mr. HUNG Tsun Sing, Jason

Abstract

This study investigates the linguistic mechanisms behind bilingual wordplay and its humor mechanism in Hong Kong’s digital space, with reference to the sociolinguistic contexts and parameters involved for such creative practice. While existing studies have examined digital discourses in different online platforms, there has been little research on virtual bilingual wordplay in the case of Hong Kong, an international city rich in linguistic and cultural diversity. To address the gap in the existing literature, this study focuses on analyzing bilingual wordplay, in the form of Cantonese-English code-switching, on social media as an integral part of the virtual linguistic landscape (VLL) of Hong Kong. The study conducted qualitative analysis to examine the instances of bilingual wordplay on Threads and adopted I-R theory and SSTH to study their humor effects. The results indicate a static linguistic mechanism development constrained by bilingual limitation while revealing a dynamic contextual implication. The function of such wordplay has evolved from a practical application to a tool of humorous personal expression via Threads, whose users in Hong Kong leverage their bilingual skills and collective cultural knowledge to co-construct a unique local VLL, as such to establish their digital identity. This paper contributes to exploration of how Hong Kong bilingual people navigate the digital realm through their creative display of bilingual wordplay.

Keywords

Bilingualism, Bilingual Wordplay, Threads, Linguistic Humor, Virtual Linguistic Landscape

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Cheng, H. T. (2026). Virtual bilingual wordplay and humor: The linguistic mechanisms and virtual linguistic landscape revisited (UG dissertation, Lingnan University, Hong Kong). Retrieved from https://commons.ln.edu.hk/eng_fyp/96

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