‘That’s the Vibe‘—Exploring Chinese English Slang “Vibe” Through Translanguaging and Metonymy: A Corpus Linguistics Approach

1.1. Background

Social network communication in later decades has quickly created over the world. The virtual world, comprised of different sorts of online communication, is presently an indistinguishable portion in numerous people's lives. As a result, distinctive sorts of Social network communication have developed, such as social-networking app(e.g. Instagram), micro-blogging (e.g. X), online dialog forum(e.g. Reddit). These virtual spaces offer different communicative affordances, counting online chatting, long posts, and brief blogging posts (Zhang, 2022).

Similar to Twitter, Weibo provides micro blogging services to users and is the most popular microblogging site in China(Data Weibo, March,2024). Weibo is a space where online users can express their thoughts and interact through social networks, allowing them to practice their creative online literacy.

Many young people use 'Internet English' a lot on social media. Using English words and phrases in Chinese social media sites is a popular way for people in China to communicate with each other(Zhang, 2012). Young people often make up new words or ways of using language when they're online. This is because teenagers are known for changing the way we speak and write, and are seen as the main reason language keeps changing(Palacios Martínez, 2018: 363).Young people often make up new words or ways of using language when they're online. This is because teenagers are known for changing the way we speak and write, and are seen as the main reason language keeps changing.

The growing interest in Chinese-English slang research just brings closer the study of how different linguistic resources and socio-cultural influences interact in the process of configuring current practices of communication. Employing the tools of corpus linguistics, this paper teases apart the nuanced strata upon which meaning may be constructed for the word 'vibe' and its sociolinguistic implications for cross-cultural interaction and identity online. Numerous semantic scholars have managed with the components of the advancement of word implications in past decades(Kachru, 1983; Qin & Guo, 2020; Tan, 2009; Yang, 2005). More and more proof shows that implications and utilizations of words are variable and composite, and may turn out in an unexpected way depending on how words are utilized in settings.

1.2. Research Questions

This study aims to find out how Chinese people use the English word "vibe" by focusing upon how they mix languages and use one word to represent a larger idea. The research questions which were answered from this research were:

1. How do people use their translanguaging strategies in the context of Internet slang, with particular focus on the use of "vibe" within this framework?

2. How is metonymy involved in configuring and construing the meaning of "vibe" in Chinese-English slang?

3. How do translanguaging and metonymy shape the meaning and use of the term "vibe" in cyber communication?

4.What patterns and trends are manifested in the use of translanguaging and metonymy in the term "vibe," as seen in a corpus linguistic approach?

5. How do cultural nuances and linguistic intricacies inform the use and meaning of "vibe" in Chinese English slang?

2. Literature Review

2.1. What’s the Vibe

The word, "vibe," is a noun used to describe the mood or atmosphere in regard to a person's feeling. It is an informal way of capturing the mood or feeling which something or some place gives off. For instance, a person could say that a certain place gives off a "good vibe" if the same is welcoming and positive or, contrarily, a place could be said to give off a "bad vibe" if the feeling is one of hostility and negativity. As a verb, "vibe" can mean to enjoy oneself by listening to or dancing to popular music, or to be in harmony with someone or something(Oxford University Press, n.d.).

The word "vibe" originated in the 1940s as a short form for "vibraphone," the musical instrument. By the 1960s, it was in use as an abbreviation for "vibration" in the sense of an instinctive feeling about a person or thing(Online Etymology Dictionary, n.d.).

It comes from the Latin "vibratio", meaning "a shaking, a brandishing"; from the past participle stem of "vibrare," meaning "to set in tremulous motion." The intuitive signal of a person or thing, vis-à-vis the concept of "vibe", became popular in the late 60s, though one finds etymological origin for both senses as far back as 1899(Online Etymology Dictionary, n.d.). In general, the evolution of a word reflects changes in culture and the adaptation of language to express totally new ideas and emotions. That is to say, "vibe" is widely used today to describe either the atmosphere or the emotional tone of a situation, place, or person—more typically in informal contexts and among young generations. Among young people in China, the term "vibe" has also been embraced and innovatively used to communicate with each other. It also signals a wider trend in which English expressions and slang are becoming part of everyday speech (Online Etymology Dictionary, n.d; Merriam-Webster, n.d.)

Chinese people have a tendency to introduce new meanings of such words and use them actually to catch some unique traits of their culture and identity. There comes Chinese English slang, also known as Chinglish which is a specific linguistic phenomenon that has won popularity in online communication platforms such as Douyin (Chinese TikTok), Weibo, and Wechat. Chinese English slang is a way of hybrid language: it uses the materials from both Chinese and English in creating a new syncretic style of linguistic lexical formation that represents the creativity and adaptability of subjects using the Internet within the Chinese paradigm (Li&Wang,2024). Examples of other translanguaging strategies, apart from Pinyin initialism, abound in new Chinglish, including other hybrid words with Chinese, English, and Arabic numerals. Another prevalent one is that of other translanguaging strategies, which serve as indicators of more creative ways in which people blend their linguistic resources for self-identification purposes and online self-presentation (Li&Wang,2024).

Chinese English slang finds its sources associated closely with modern globalization, while society's gradual increased "informatization" leads to the communication and exchange of information in mass social networking sites (Qiao,2024). In the background of this is that communication with such mass social networking sites presents itself as a beehive of activities with people from all sorts of cultural backgrounds; hence, it uses internet slang as an important device for the expression of ideas, vibetions, and identities in a rapidly transforming digital scape (Qiao,2024).

From a sociolinguistic point of view, Chinese English slang is not only a tool for communication but also a reflection of the value orientation and norms of society creating and using it (Qiao,2024). This research on Internet terms with their corresponding translation strategies depicts how language has been changing in order to adapt toward technological development and changes in culture and towards reflecting the dynamics of any linguistic expression in the digital era.

For example, the atmosphere of a new café or general mood during a social event would be caught with the usage of the word "vibe". It is a way of expressing, in present-day terms, a complicated variety of feelings or the character of a place. When such a word as "vibe" is used, alongside so many other English slang words, it represents a more vibrant and dynamic form of bilingual communication that is most popular on social media platforms and in informal conversation. Its linguistic creativity is not trapped in the use of this word, but extend to an even wider array of metalinguistic choices. It's a testament to how changes in a globalized, digitized world enable youth to fall back on adaptability and inventiveness.

2.2. Translanguaging and Metonymy

Originally derived from Welsh ('trawsieithu'), translanguaging was presented as a language teaching approach to alternation of language for pupils in class, (Williams,1994,1996). Indeed it is a term that has been much investigated and debated by researchers and theorists, ( Blackledge & Creese, 2010; Canagarajah, 2011; Garcia & Li, 2014; García, 2009) as the terms such as code-mixing and code-switching cannot fully capture the bilingual/multilingual speaker's online/offline social interaction in the increasingly globalized flows of communication.

The media, people, goods, and services have contributed toward the increasing diversity in the linguistic landscape of individuals repertoires (Hafner et al., 2015, p. 445). Canagarajah (2011) describes translanguaging as how multilingual speakers shuttle between languages, which are regarded as an integrated system. Garcia and Li (2014) further argue that translanguaging extends the monolithic view of code-switching which continues to treat language as separate entities and excludes other semiotic resources.

Therefore, translanguaging stress on the manner through which the users of language seem to make use of not only different languages and language varieties but also with different multiliteracies resources within a transformative, resemiotisation process.

Translanguaging is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon in which different languages and their resources are put together in communication. Much insight from the existing literature on the theoretical underpinning and practical application of translanguaging has been taken up nowadays across a variety of linguistic contexts. This is attributed to be a dynamic and fluid nature while focusing on promoting language learning and further communication in multilingual contexts(Li, 2017).

All this is happening in processes that are supposed to be very central to translanguaging. This helps in meaning construction and identity negotiations in translanguaging practices (Li, 2017). Hence, an exploration of the use of metonymy in translanguaging practices may reveal more of how these resources are drawn upon by users of language in service of their communicative goals.

Besides this, the translanguaging resources available in English, for instance, the Chinese English slang "vibe," all point us to how creative, adaptive, mutable, and dynamic in nature the use of language can get while communicating online. The analysis of translanguaging resources mobilized in performance of internet slang offers a way towards unpacking complex ways in which individuals draw from diverse linguistic and semiotic resources relevant to how they shape their identities in self-presentation online.

In non-cognitive approaches to language, metonymy has been traditionally viewed as a rhetorical figure in which the name of a referent is used to point to another that it replaces and with which it has a relation of contiguity in the real world. Kövecses and Radden (1998: 39) have offered one of the most widely accepted definitions of metonymy as a cognitive process in which one entity offers mental access to another inside the same domain: A cognitive process in which one conceptual entity, the vehicle, provides mental access to another conceptual entity, the target, within the same domain (Kövecses and Radden 1998: 39). This definition of metonymy is not free from certain problems. A fundamental concept in which metonymy and metaphor differ is in CL the paradigmatic reality that metonymy is a shift within one of the only differences whereas metaphor is a shift between domains.

In its broad sense, metonymy is a fundamental concept for any word or phrase substitution according to the conceptual relation between them. The manipulation of Chinese English slang "vibe" may imply certain meanings and associations within the construal.

The existing metonymy literature focuses on its cognitive and linguistic mechanisms that shed light on how the language users exploit this phenomenon to optimize communication. Metonymy is not a device in linguistics but a cognitive process taking place in the backgrounds of our perception and understanding of a language (Li,2024). In other words, checking the role of metonymy in coming to an understanding of a slang item, for example "vibe," helps researchers understand more intricate webbing of associations and meanings situated therein.

In addition, metonymy has been brought into close relation with translanguaging: flexible use between languages and semiotic resources (Li,2024). In the case of Chinese English slang, the relationship between metonymy and translanguaging provides insight into well-structured and often complicated ideas and conceptions that guide language users across linguistic boundaries.

Researching point of confluence between metonymy and translanguaging in the use of "vibe" in Chinese English slang stands to discover a subtle connection between meaning and the identities appropriated by language users on the Internet. This section will attempt to introduce some literature, focusing mainly on metonymy and its importance for the application and understanding of different contexts of social and cultural linguistics.

When we come back to “vibe”, there is an example of cline from evident lexical to clearly word-formational diction, all referring to metonymic patterns:

Figure 1. A cline of derivative patterns of “vibe”.

Figure 1. A cline of derivative patterns of “vibe”.

Table 1. A cline of derivative patterns of “vibe”.

no derivation	vibe	lexeme	（n.）	That was such a vibe time.
zero derivation (conversion)	vibe	conversion	(adj.)&(v.)	She's so vibey a comedian We honestly vibed at the potluck yesterday.
overt derivation	viber	morphological derivation	（n.）	She's so ineffable a Viber

Table 1. A cline of derivative patterns of “vibe”.

no derivation	vibe	lexeme	（n.）	That was such a vibe time.
zero derivation (conversion)	vibe	conversion	(adj.)&(v.)	She's so vibey a comedian We honestly vibed at the potluck yesterday.
overt derivation	viber	morphological derivation	（n.）	She's so ineffable a Viber

3. Methodology

Corpus-based research is put into figurative language of "vibe". Moreover, if a large-scale study is carried out with data that are all carefully selected from corpora, finally we can even achieve results generalizable to a certain population or genre. The corpus methods turn out to be more effective than the traditional use of examples drawn from dictionaries for the study of figurative language unavoidably present the researcher with a skewed picture of what actually goes on in language(Adel,2016).The recruitment period for data collection from Weibo posts started on 14/03/2024 and ended on 02/05/2024, spanning a total of 49 days.

Ethics Statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Jeonbuk National University. The IRB confirms that authors have thoroughly reviewed and adhered to Weibo's Terms of Use for social media research, ensuring compliance with all relevant policies, including the privacy and anonymity of users. All personally identifiable information such as user avatars and profiles has been excluded to maintain user confidentiality. All personal information and privacy related to users in Weibo posts have been anonymized, and all data comply with Weibo's Terms of Use.

3.1. Data Collection

There are 511million active users on Weibo, according to the site's official statistics, for March 2020. This platform has spontaneity of social events, news, and celebrity activities. Weibo users are exposed to multimodal input system by means of which they can type through different languages, emojis, and graphics, Meme. With the available technological affordances, the publicity and huge number of user base, Weibo is an appropriate research site even for beginner digital literacy practices.

We collected data from the posting of the Weibo users. By searching "vibe" inside the text in the page "Hot Weibo," we browsed through micro-blogs. The collection period was five-day week, and in every day, the latest microblogs with 'vibe' were sampled for the first five pages. The entire data collection process went on for almost 2 months from March 14th to May 2nd, 2024, resulting in a total of 2,220 Weibo postings. Within the collected Weibo postings, the total number of sample “vibe” has reached 2,220 in all.

This is an intensive approach to data collection in the sense that it has been collected at rigid and systematic intervals, and at the same time offered a certain degree of randomness. The size of posting data is rich for the purpose of the research into literacy practices on Weibo containing 'vibe'. Importantly, all the sensitive and identifiable information, such as user avatar, personal profile have all been sifted and dropped to protect users' privacy and anonymity.

The process of building the corpus for Chinese English slang "vibe" was very careful to meet varied translanguaging strategies and metonymic expressions. The data selection criterion with regards to the corpus was the frequency of the language items in use, relevance to the research topic, and the diversity of what is termed in these corpora. Another reason for the corpus size is that it was based on an in-depth inquiry into the patterns of translanguaging and metonymic features found in the Chinglish slang "vibe." The compilation of such a corpus was conducted prudently to capture subtleties and intricacies involved in how one manipulates translanguaging resources and metonymy within this mode of online self-presentation, which will illuminate the creative and adaptive character of the Chinese netizens in realizing their digital presentation (Li,2024).

3.2. Data Analysis

These collected expressions and variations of 'vibe' have been analyzed in a linguistic and communicative functions in the corresponding Weibo posts. Each original post was semantically coded for what the user wanted to say in Mandarin Chinese. This task called for Mandarin Chinese literacy and computer literacy to decode the meaning of 'vibe' in multiple texts and contexts. The original posting was followed by a literal translation and the interpretation was followed by a figurative translation. (Table 2) In the example below, ‘vibed’ was used as a replacement of ‘enjoy themselves’ due to similar meaning. In this way, vibe(verb)stems from vibe(n.). which is the zero derivation of the metonymic pattern. The analytic approach was conducted consistently through the data analysis. The following section will illustrate and discuss the detailed findings from the 2,220 Weibo postings.

4. Finding

Versatility of ‘vibe’

The analytical result renders eight form of literacy practices with ‘vibe’ based on the translanguaging. Table 3 displays the linguistic functions of ‘vibe’. In that the literal meaning of the word ‘vibe’ in pop songs, which imitates ‘vigor’, people who use Weibo have given new meanings and even novel attributes of the word for Chinese social network. Aside from that, other linguistic and communicative functions in translanguaging, such as affective emoji and intensification, have been utilized by Weibo users.

Chart 2. Communicative and linguistic functions of ‘vibe’ in decreasing order.

Chart 2. Communicative and linguistic functions of ‘vibe’ in decreasing order.

Table 3. Communicative and linguistic functions of ‘vibe’ in decreasing order.

Type	Frequency
1. Translanguaging: Mixing Languages	1120
2. Metonymy: Conveying	950
3. Describing Positive Atmospheres	630
4. Social Dynamics	615
5. Nuances on Youth Culture	602
6. Enhancing Aesthetic Depiction	580
7. Encouraging Relaxation and Enjoyment	375
8. Enabling Instant Connectiveness	360
9. Informal and Relatable Communication	310
10. Creating a 'Community' Feel 11. Hip-hop element 12. Searchable hashtag	151 46 30

Table 3. Communicative and linguistic functions of ‘vibe’ in decreasing order.

Type	Frequency
1. Translanguaging: Mixing Languages	1120
2. Metonymy: Conveying	950
3. Describing Positive Atmospheres	630
4. Social Dynamics	615
5. Nuances on Youth Culture	602
6. Enhancing Aesthetic Depiction	580
7. Encouraging Relaxation and Enjoyment	375
8. Enabling Instant Connectiveness	360
9. Informal and Relatable Communication	310
10. Creating a 'Community' Feel 11. Hip-hop element 12. Searchable hashtag	151 46 30

4.1. Translanguaging: Mixing Languages

Vibe is a term that has risen through the Chinese and English online community, in yet another resource infusion manner of borrowing. This section will discuss corpus linguistics based translanguaging in the coining of this term, thus deconstructing how new meaning is made through the coining process by taking elements from both Chinese and English.

One can linguistically decode a very interesting interaction of Chinese and English language resources in the mechanisms of the term "vibe." The users of the very term take to quite a number of different strategies of translanguaging in their recourse, ordering away the unintended nuances of vibetion shored up with cultural references. For example, there is the use of Chinglish forms, Pinyin initialisms, the hybrid word wherein various Chinese characters are blended with English words and numerals in Arabic to develop a new form (Li,2024).

Therefore, metonymy in translanguaging might even become another stratum of the meaning for "vibe". Metonymy attaches any piece of words or expressions to the more general concepts or vibetions; this makes the term deeper and more complicated. The use of metonymic expression enables one to make culture meanings together with the resonances of vibetion which are not language-specific (Qiao, 2024).

This implies that, from a corpus linguistics viewpoint, one would obtain usage patterns of translanguaging and metonymy related to the signifier "vibe". In a big corpus of written online interactions and textual exchanges, one could draw linguistic strategies reoccurring in relation to this sign. The present study takes an empirical approach regarding how language users creatively blend Chinese and English resources to the vibetions for meaning (Li,2024).

Apart from the fact that it is easy to substitute "vibe" on the Chinese sentence, there are also English letters or words seen in Chinese context that give rise to a peculiar mixture of languages. Such tendencies indicate the characteristics of the modern dynamic communication environment and the growth of the global culture, which is often bound together. Tying both English and Chinese, the result is endless patterns of expression.

Table 4, Table 5, Table 6, Table 7, Table 8, Table 9, Table 10, Table 11, Table 12, Table 13, Table 14 and Table 15 below illustrate the different parts of a social media posts from Weibo contains “vibe”, and show how English words were assimilated into Chinese sentence structure to form a hybrid language style. The table has a nonduplicable column. Original Posting is the untouched text of the Weibo post in Chinese, but it contains an English word – "vibe." This illustrates how there is a concept of vibe built into Chinese idioms. The translation column gives the whole original post in English, which expresses the core point of a Chinese sentence to its Table. This renders the content intelligible for those who do not speak Chinese. What I mean is, the intended meaning reveals what is meant by the original post More often than not, translating is limiting and does not exactly represent how messages are conveyed; for this reason, this column will go over what a specific post actually means in wording terms and emotional or contextual implications. Example cited by the author further explains how “vibe” can be interpreted in a different context. Shows that 'vibe' is subjective and used across different contexts, including the unreleased one in her thread. Description can be taken as an analysis or commentary, about how the word ‘vibe’ fits into Chinese sentences and creates a mixed language form This gives readers a more organic understanding of the language at work. These categories work to break down how ‘vibe’ is mobilized in Chinese linguistic usage together, displaying the mechanism of language hybridization and translation of English words into a different cultural context. A typical case is exemplified below (Table 4):

4.2. Metonymy: Conveying

This linguistic device of metonymy will be considered in the use of the term "vibe" so as to ascertain the underlying connotations and representations that pertain to the term. It is a figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole, or vice versa. In terms of Chinese-English slang, metonymy plays a very big role when used with the word "vibe" in conveying nuanced meanings and culture-related references.A semiotic understanding of the term "vibe" reveals many nuances of language and how it is used to evoke certain vibetions, attitudes, and connotations of a culture(Li, 2024). We extract the meanings attached to the term itself by explicating how certain elements or characteristics of the term symbolize broader concepts and ideas. It is because of this that a corpus linguistics approach can help to explore such instances of metonymy in the usage of "vibe" within Chinese English slangs. Towards strict corpus collection spanning sources like Douyin and other online communication platforms, one is able to develop patterns and trends in how really metonymy is used through this word(Qiao, 2024).

In addition, even the study of translanguaging strategies in interpreting and transferring the "vibe" can be informative about further ways cultural indirection and concrete linguistic strategies mold the sense and use of the term. In that regard, because of how it influences the use of metonymy in cross-cultural communication and expression, translanguaging can be seen as a dynamic, fluid language processing (Li, 2024).

Apart from the atmosphere or mood mentioned above, "vibe" can also have the metonymic use in Chinese to represent certain aspects of culture or society; used to refer to the general aura or ambiance related to a given event, location, or individuals. This use mashes many-sided ideas into one word for easy and clear communication. A typical case is exemplified below (Table 5):

4.3. Describing Positive Atmospheres

Although there is some straying from the original connotation of pleasant or stylish environments, "vibe" can still pretty often be used to describe not only very enjoyable and sophisticated environments but also invigorating social interactions in vivid community spaces. Thus, "vibe" is quite a flexible tool for different kinds of positive phenomena in contemporary use in the Chinese language. An example is shown below (Table 6):

4.4. Social Dynamics

The word vibe has expanded from describing not a place or space but actually the social dynamics of that space. This can probably compare to a verbal encapsulation of the mood or the energy an array of people gives off and often times it becomes very critical in the discussions of social interactions and group cohesion. It therefore suffices to be most applicable in the current digital age where much interaction is characterized by virtual communities and virtual interactions on the web. "Vibe" may well be the most important factor of an online space that helps to determine styles of communication and community engagement. An example is shown below (Table 7):

4.5. Nuances on Youth Culture

The term "vibe" is particularly resonant with youth culture in China. It usually describes popular experiences, settings, or trends with which the young people in question interact. In this sense, this usage captures the feeling of the current cultural landscape, it makes the past relevant and relatable for the youth always looking for fresh expressions and ways of association with their equals. Not only this, but "vibe" is a concept that goes much further than the mere physical and refers to the digital grounding as well, as when one speaks of one forum or social-media site having the "vibe" of another. An example is shown below (Table 8):

4.6. Enhancing Aesthetic depiction

"Vibe" is so overused for fashion, design, and lifestyle when something's setting off a vibe of stylishness or attractiveness. It's in this way that the word came to be well loved by influencers and trendsetters alike when explaining a certain type of appeal to some looks or experiences. Whether describing the ambience of a posh café or capturing the scent of an avant-garde fashion show, "vibe" permeates aesthetic descriptions with undercurrents of feeling that extend far beyond the ocular and into how they resonate with feeling and understanding the style and design more holistically across cultures and continents. Below is provided an example: (Table 9):

4.7. Encouraging Relaxation and Enjoyment

Sayings such as this one remind humankind to take a moment, to pause and relax, to enjoy what is around them—this really puts the experiential weight back into the meaning of "vibe." The call here is for a being to steer clear of the schedules distractingly experienced through life, to look about and take pleasure in some of the mundane moments of life. This type of attitude can alleviate the stress that is part of our environment and can bring about well-being. An example is shown below (Table 10):

4.8. Enabling Instant Connectiveness

Phrases such as "get the vibe" mean that there is an immediate understanding or connection with the atmosphere or energy of a place or event. This also helps in easy sharing of the same experience or mutual understanding, fostering friendship and rapport among people who have just met each other. The feeling allows one to communicate very fast without explaining much bit by bit because an immediate bond is established based on the same feelings or perceptions. An example is shown below (Table 11):

4.9. Informal and Relatable Communication

"Vibe" has, to this point, found its way into common slang and speech in such a way that communication loses some of its formality and feels much warmer; it brings an air of the known spirit to every dialogue, especially when found in the ever-brief status updates in online social media. The use of familiar language that resonates with one's daily experience puts the speaker or writer in a more receptive position to their audience and therefore demolishes the barriers that formal settings put up. An example is shown below (Table 12):

4.10. Create a 'Community' Feel

This goes a long way to add more to the feeling of community amongst users, who might share a similar taste or experience. If one identifies with that "vibe," he can really feel part of a bigger group with the same mindset and, hence, brings belonging and acceptance in an online or offline social circle.

This helps people bond with each other much better and, at the same time, bring in a sense of relaxation, entertainment, informality, and inclusivity among communities. An example is shown below (Table 13):

4.11. Other functions of ‘Vibe’

There are another 2 types of functions in the use of 'vibe' namely the Hip-hop element and the Searchable hashtag. Compared with the other types mentioned before, these 2 compose only a small portion of the data; however, it is worthy of notice since these functions reflect the online technological affordances of micro-blogging as well as users' adaptations to popular culture like hip-pop and the indexical meanings embedded in 'vibe'. (Table 13&14)

5. Discussion

5.1. Translanguaging Strategies in "Vibe"

Note that the term "vibe" was among the most frequent in lots of translanguaging strategies by netizens speaking Chinese. The main strategy is mixing English with Chinese, placing "vibe" in Chinese sentences, which gives rise to the hybrid language form. This lays credence to the growing trend of incorporating English words and expressions into Chinese online discourse: hanyingcizu (Zhang & Ren, 2022; Zhang, 2017).

The use of the word "vibe" further underpins just how creative and adaptive in nature language users are in constructing meanings during processes of translanguaging. In this fusion of linguistic resources from different languages, netizens can articulate ideas, emotions, and identities hard to fully encapsulate through single language use alone (Canagarajah, 2011; García & Li, 2014).

5.2. Metonymic Representations of "Vibe"

This is also brought out in the analysis that metonymy plays a key role in influencing meaning and use in the Chinese English slang "vibe". Very often, the word "vibe" is used metonymically to refer to something more general with respect to atmosphere, mood, or social dynamics. This metonymic extension is one through which speakers can convey elaborate ideas and associations in an economy-of-means manner that facilitates communication: convincingly, one where there is shared knowledge within an online community (Kövecses & Radden 1998; Janda 2014).

And secondly, this metonymic realization of "vibe" in the Chinese context is constitutive of moral nuance and linguistic subtlety. Language users may then take advantage of the metonymic associations to navigate the enhanced complexities through self-presentation and bargaining for identity in the online spaces by adopting the abundant riches that culture may afford to them (Kachru, 1983; Qin & Guo, 2020).

5.3. Cultural and Languages Implications

The multiplicity of uses of the Chin English slang "vibe" is a very valuable insight into the contemporary Chinese social and language life. This term resonates for the youth culture, giving a medium through which youths are able to express shared experiences, trends, and aesthetics in an informal and relatable way (Palacios Martínez, 2018; Zhang, 2012).

In addition to base functions, 'vibe' through forming a community of common tastes and experiences contributes to social bonding and belongingness. This is because languages that play a role in the construction of cultural identity and in the promotion of social interaction in virtual spaces are likely to (Li & Wang, 2024; Qiao, 2024). Through examining the "vibe" in Chinese social media as a phenomenon of linguistic innovation and cultural adaptation, a theoretical analysis thus takes us to a proposal for a theoretical framework---the Digital Translanguaging Practice Model (DTPM). The findings regarding translanguaging practices, metonymic usage and digital context adaptation, cultural fusion and identity construction are integrated using a model. The DTPM also provides a broad and holistic view of how borrowing words manifest in convergence patterns within digital platforms related to the evolution of languages. It shows how a single lexical item when taken out of one linguistic and cultural milieu, often in online spaces, may come to perform multiple functions and have a multitude of meanings. This model explains not only what happened with "vibe" in Chinese social media, but provides six features for future studies on other cases of category extension to consider.

Figure 2. Digital Translanguaging Practice Model (DTPM).

Figure 2. Digital Translanguaging Practice Model (DTPM).

6. Future Research

This research could contribute to the knowledge of the strategies used in translanguaging, metonymic representation, as well as cultural implications of 'vibe' within Chinese-English slang, but further research must be done to deepen knowledge of the phenomenon. Future studies should delve into 'vibe' and other lexical items that manifest in Chinese across various social media through regions and demographic groups. This would enable making a more complete analysis regarding the diversity and change in language practices on the internet.

Furthermore, longitudinal studies could be put into place to trace effectively the dynamic nature of language change over time: how meanings and usages of slang terms like "vibe" have changed in response to cultural shifts and technological advancements. This will increase understanding of the complex relationship between language, culture, and identity in the digital age. Other future engagements could find a focus on multi-interdisciplinary research, where insights would be drawn not only from sociolinguistics but also from the fields of anthropology and cultural studies to understand in more depth the socio-cultural variables that influence language practices and presentation of self in the Internet. In conclusion, Chinese English slang and all the nuances of translanguaging and metonymy are very interrelated and can give way to numerous new grounds for research, and in that light, valuable insight is given into dynamic and adaptive languages in globalization and digital communication.

7. Conclusions

This paper examines the complex interplay of translanguaging strategies, metonymic representations, and cultural nuances inherent in using the Chinese-English slang term "vibe" on the popular microblogging platform Weibo. This research, therefore, emphasizes the creative nature of adaptive language users when negotiating the intricacies of online self-presentation and identity through corpus linguistics analysis (Zhang & Ren, 2022; Canagarajah, 2011).“Vibe” has been put to more general use in all manner of translanguaging strategies, usually through a combination of Chinese and English, which represents a current tendency within the hybridity of languages online and further metonymically, such that Lang-8 users should be able to draw on the term to convey far more voluminous concepts and implications regarding the ambiance, tone, and social phenomena in a shorthand way, enabling it to be a valuable aspect of quick and subtle communication within an online community(Kövecses & Radden, 1998; Janda, 2014).

Besides, a plurality of functions of "vibe" in Chinese English slang speaks to resonances with youth culture that demand community and belonging for people with similar experiences and aesthetics for users of this language (Palacios Martínez, 2018; Li & Wang, 2024). The above accents the pivotal role which language can actually play today in fostering various cultural identities, enabling social links among individuals(Qiao, 2024).