Last week, PLURILINGMEDIA members Sebastian Müller (Trier University; Romanistik Universität Trier) and Lexi Dawn Halász (Universitat Internacional de Catalunya; UIC Barcelona) undertook a Short-Term Scientific Mission at the University of Galway, hosted by Dr. Verena Platzgummer (School of languages, Literatures and cultures).
Over the course of the week, the three developed a comparative analysis of how learners create content in minoritised languages on TikTok, how their legitimacy as learners and that of minoritised languages as objects of language learning are negotiated in the comments. The researchers focused on three languages they are learning themselves respectively: Catalan for Lexi, Irish for Verena and Papiamentu for Sebastian.
Towards the end of the week, the three went on a visit to TG4, Ireland’s national Irish-language broadcaster, and the surrounding Gaeltacht. They were welcomed by Trevor Ó Dochartaigh and several of his colleagues, some of whom are also active as content creators for and alongside their work in TG4. This added a practitioners’ perspective, connecting the analysis directly to the Action’s interest in audience–creator dynamics and digital language vitality.
Míle buíochas to Verena Platzgummer and everyone else for their warm welcome and contribution to making this mission a success!
