Willingness to Communicate in the Digital Wilds: A Case Study of a Gamer Writing Fanfiction.

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Title: Willingness to Communicate in the Digital Wilds: A Case Study of a Gamer Writing Fanfiction.
Authors: Neuhoff, Rida1 (AUTHOR) rneuhoff@mccneb.edu, Sauro, Shannon2 (AUTHOR) ssauro@umbc.edu
Source: CALICO Journal. 2026, Vol. 43 Issue 1, p26-52. 27p.
Subject Terms: *Second language acquisition, *Autodidacticism, *Video games, *Qualitative research, Fan fiction, Two-way communication, Video game culture, Telematics
Abstract: This study explores the willingness to communicate (WTC) of an autonomous learner of English in the digital wilds who is both a gamer and fanfiction writer. It applies MacIntyre et al.'s (1998) framework to a case study of a French fan, Juliette, of the digital game The Sims 4 who joined an English language Facebook community for the purpose of sharing her video-based fanfiction based on The Sims 4 to receive feedback and interact in English. Qualitative content analysis was carried out using a participant informational survey, an initial interview, a task assignment, and a retrospective interview. Findings uncovered several aspects of the WTC framework that were particularly relevant for Juliette's WTC (second language [L2] confidence and WTC) and others that, due to the specific nature of Juliette's fan practices and characteristics of the digital wilds, were not (intergroup climate, intergroup attitudes, intergroup motivation, and desire to communicate with a specific person). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of CALICO Journal is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Willingness to Communicate in the Digital Wilds: A Case Study of a Gamer Writing Fanfiction.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Neuhoff%2C+Rida%22">Neuhoff, Rida</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> rneuhoff@mccneb.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sauro%2C+Shannon%22">Sauro, Shannon</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> ssauro@umbc.edu</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22CALICO+Journal%22">CALICO Journal</searchLink>. 2026, Vol. 43 Issue 1, p26-52. 27p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+language+acquisition%22">Second language acquisition</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autodidacticism%22">Autodidacticism</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Video+games%22">Video games</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fan+fiction%22">Fan fiction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Two-way+communication%22">Two-way communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Video+game+culture%22">Video game culture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Telematics%22">Telematics</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study explores the willingness to communicate (WTC) of an autonomous learner of English in the digital wilds who is both a gamer and fanfiction writer. It applies MacIntyre et al.'s (1998) framework to a case study of a French fan, Juliette, of the digital game The Sims 4 who joined an English language Facebook community for the purpose of sharing her video-based fanfiction based on The Sims 4 to receive feedback and interact in English. Qualitative content analysis was carried out using a participant informational survey, an initial interview, a task assignment, and a retrospective interview. Findings uncovered several aspects of the WTC framework that were particularly relevant for Juliette's WTC (second language [L2] confidence and WTC) and others that, due to the specific nature of Juliette's fan practices and characteristics of the digital wilds, were not (intergroup climate, intergroup attitudes, intergroup motivation, and desire to communicate with a specific person). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of CALICO Journal is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3138/calico-2025-0006
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 27
        StartPage: 26
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Second language acquisition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Autodidacticism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Video games
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fan fiction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Two-way communication
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Video game culture
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Telematics
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Willingness to Communicate in the Digital Wilds: A Case Study of a Gamer Writing Fanfiction.
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            NameFull: Neuhoff, Rida
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            NameFull: Sauro, Shannon
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            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Text: 2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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