Translanguaging in advertising: An examination of separate and flexible bilingualism in Tamil newspaper advertisements

Abstract

The rapidly changing world of advertising relies heavily on language to engage its audience effectively. The trend of translanguaging, the adaptive and integrated employment of languages, is increasing in the advertising sphere. This research investigates language patterns in Tamil newspaper advertisements, categorizing them into separate and fluid bilingual types using Mark Sebba's model. The investigation centers on translanguaging variations in bilingual contexts, highlighting prevalent language dynamics. The study encompasses 147 commercial advertisements from the Tamil newspaper Dinakaran, published between 2022 and 2023. The findings show widespread use of flexible bilingual strategies in Tamil written media, underlining language’s evolving role in advertisement content. The observed dynamic language practices in advertisements stem from globalization, providing marketers with linguistic tools to foster language inclusivity, cultural relevance, audience involvement, and direct communication with readers. This research stands out in its reassessment of bilingual tactics in advertisements, uncovering translanguaging varieties not previously studied in Tamil print media. It concludes by acknowledging potential challenges to translanguaging in advertising, such as inaccuracies, lack of direct equivalents, and cultural and linguistic nuances. This study stresses the dynamism, flexibility, and influence of translanguaging practices in advertisements on audience engagement in a multilingual context. The study is significant as it provides the practical and theoretical implications of flexible bilingual practices for scholars, advertisers, and linguists working in bilingual advertising.