The complexities and dynamics of pragmatics of sharing on social media

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This Bristol Conversations event was originally postponed in November 2025. We're pleased to inform you a new date has been set and the seminar will now take place on Wednesday 11th February!

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This event is part of the School of Education's . These seminars are free and open to the public.

Supported by the Language, Literacies and Education Network (LLEN)

The complexities and dynamics of pragmatics of sharing on social media

Sharing has become an integral part of our daily lives and a fundamental component of digital cultures, influencing our communication, social interactions, and cultural production. My talk will delve into the intricate nuances and multifaceted nature of sharing practices on online forums and social media platforms, highlighting the complexity of online communication from a pragmatics perspective. Drawing on insights from a diverse range of relevant literature, I will explore the dynamics of sharing practices, examining how factors such as individual emotions, social norms, cultural contexts, and technological affordances intertwine to shape individuals’ sharing practices. A particular focus of my presentation will be the pragmatic strategies employed by Chinese netizens when sharing their exam experiences and seeking or offering emotional support on social media groups.

Wei Ren is Professor of Applied Linguistics at the School of Foreign Languages, Beihang University, Beijing, China, and a visiting professor at University College London. His research interests include second language pragmatics and social media pragmatics. He has published 95 papers in international journals, including Applied Linguistics, Applied Linguistics Review, Discourse Context & Media, International Journal of Multilingualism, Journal of Pragmatics, and System and 35 papers in Chinese journals. His recent publications also include a book Second Language Pragmatics (Cambridge University Press), and special issues in Journal of Pragmatics and Discourse Context & Media. He serves as the associate editor of Ampersand (Elsevier) and editorial board members for multiple linguistics journals, including Applied Pragmatics, Contrastive Pragmatics, Discourse Context & Media, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Journal of Pragmatics, Language Teaching Research, and System.

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Host or Publisher School of Education, University of Bristol