Reconceptualizing translation and translators in the digital age: YouTube comment translation on China’s Bilibili

A new participatory ecology of translation facilitated by digital technologies has significant implications for understanding and translators. This article examines YouTube comment on Bilibili in China to reconceptualize translators taking the Will Smith-Chris Rock confrontation at Oscars 2022 assassination Shinzo Abe as two illustrative case studies. It demonstrates that Chinese netizens participate civic engagement translate verbal written comments into a multimodal text with various technological tools. Based emergent properties translation, we argue can be reconceptualized an assemblage resources reconstitute extend original meanings source text. We also propose expand concept encompass both human non-human translators, challenging anthropocentric bias translator Finally, post-humanist approach is suggested age.