ERIC Number: EJ1204871
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Feb
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1094-3501
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Bronies Learning English in the Digital Wild
Shafirova, Liudmila; Cassany, Daniel
Language Learning & Technology, v23 n1 p127-144 Feb 2019
This article reports on fan practices, in English, among an international community of bronies--adult fans of the animated cartoon "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" (MLP). Originally directed at a target audience of young girls, MLP has become popular among men. These older male fans have been extremely active in producing multimodal and plurilingual fan practices. We explore how two different groups of bronies--one in Russia and the other in Spain--carry out fan practices in English. Applying digital ethnography, we describe six different cases of adult MLP fans. They both consume and create products such as fanfiction, translations, and fandubbing in different contexts with the use of sophisticated technologies. Not only do fandom practices allow these fans to develop digital identities and reach new audiences, they also help them to improve their English language skills--a task at which they reveal themselves to be both autonomous and self-critical. Regarding translation practices, we note several instances of bronies receiving mentoring from fellow fans who have a higher level of English. Finally, this article points out how, in the process of adapting their written output for global readerships, bronies can acquire some important transcultural skills.
Descriptors: English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Cartoons, Animation, Adults, Males, Multilingualism, Ethnography, Fiction, Translation, Self Concept, Audiences, Communities of Practice, Computer Mediated Communication, Language Skills, Independent Study, Mentors, Language Proficiency, Cultural Awareness, Foreign Countries
University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center. 1859 East-West Road #106, Honolulu, HI 96822. Tel: 808-956-9424; Fax: 808-956-5983; e-mail: llt@hawaii.edu; Web site: http://llt.msu.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Russia; Spain
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A