Translanguaging as rhetorical practice: Multilingual meaning-creation in university classrooms
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Abstract
Multilingual university classrooms, particularly in human sciences programs, are dynamic rhetorical spaces in which students navigate a multilingual context to interpret and produce meaning. This study examines how multilingual students employ translanguaging as a rhetorical and cognitive resource to support comprehension, problem-solving, and academic expression. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected from two multilingual universities through systematic classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with undergraduate translation students and instructors, and analysis of instructional materials and institutional language policy documents. The data were analysed thematically using the thematic analysis model of Braun & Clarke (2021) as an interpretive framework. The findings reveal that students strategically mobilise their complete linguistic tools to clarify complex rhetorical concepts, negotiate meaning between theoretical models and practical tasks, enhance argumentative clarity and stylistic precision, and affirm cultural identities in educational discourse. Despite restrictive institutional policies that privilege English and Arabic, students displayed agency by using Bangla and hybrid language forms to scaffold understanding and participate more equitably. The findings advocate revising language policies, integrating multilingual instructional materials, and preparing educators to adopt translanguaging-inclusive approaches. Such shifts can enhance students’ linguistic dexterity, critical rhetorical awareness in creating meaning, and professional readiness within multilingual educational contexts.
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