ABSTRACT
This chapter explores another dimension of text-on-screen use – this time, the use of text-on-screen by users. Recent years have seen a surge in social media and screen-based communication, characterised by the increased use of text-on-screen. Subtitling and other audiovisual translation (AVT) practices are no longer the exclusive domain of professionals, giving rise to user-generated forms of AVT. In addition, shifts in media consumption behaviour indicate a growing desire amongst viewers to connect with one another while consuming media content. Text-on-screen, once the preserve of media producers, is now a tool for viewers to engage with both media products and their peers. I will explore how text-on-screen, as a component of screen communication, facilitates the sharing of emotions and experiences amongst viewers, with a focus on shared viewing practices such as danmaku/danmu (bullet titling) and live commentary.
