Authority, Hierarchies and Games: An overview of multilingual language practices in Final Fantasy, Minecraft and PUBG in Twitch and live gaming scenarios [Jan 19, online, @17:15 UTC+1]

Authority, Hierarchies and Games. An overview of multilingual language practices in Final Fantasy, Minecraft and PUBG in Twitch and live gaming scenarios

We are pleased to invite you to the next talk in the lecture series Digital Humanities in Focus, organized by RosDH, the Digital Humanities Working Group at the University of Rostock.

On Monday, January 19, 2026 at 17:15 (UTC+1), Laura Vawter, PhD Candidate at the Institute of English and American Studies (Rostock), will give a talk titled:

“Authority, Hierarchies and Games. An overview of multilingual language practices in Final Fantasy, Minecraft and PUBG in Twitch and live gaming scenarios”

Abstract:

Cultural and linguistic analysis of language in digital environments and gaming scenarios is a global and interdisciplinary field that encompasses linguistics, digitalization, education, and computer science. Digital Humanities (DH) too is an interdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between philosophy, cultural studies, social sciences, and digitalization.

The exploration of digital games not only has profound implications for the transformational nature of these intersecting fields but is key to unlocking a digital culture that is central to the lives of current, younger, and future generations. Just as language is how we, as individuals, create meaning, games and participation in gaming culture are how individuals create meaning in the digital world.
This lecture discusses linguistic patterns in gaming scenarios, how players establish and shape hierarchies within gaming communities using gaming language, and its implications for future research in DH.

The event will take place online. Access to the Zoom link and further information can be found here.

Everyone interested is welcome to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!