Worlds of many languages. Transformations in fictional text universes

Abstract

This article presents a study of how meaning is created when participating in a fictional text universe, and thereby provides insight into literacy aspects of recreational use of fictional stories. The analysed material consists of transcriptions of pen-and-paper role-playing sessions. The results show that the role-players transform fragments of information from different languages, modalities and semiotic systems into the situated practice of role-playing. In the conclusion, the competence to transform in relation to the role-playing, and in a wider context to participate in text universes, is discussed as a multiliteracies competence needed in the situated activity. The way in which language and communication is used requires, among other things, the ability to integrate different languages, modalities and semiotic systems, which in turn opens up new perspectives on what literacy in a recreational use of text universes can be.