Pregledni rad
Language in the (Con)text of Computermediated Communication
Tadej Prapotnik
; Fakultet za poslijediplomski humanistički studij Sveučilišta u Ljubljani, Slovenija
Sažetak
The article brings attention to characteristics of computer-mediated communication.
In computer-mediated communication we are faced with at least partly different
context of communication than in face-to-face communication. Due to
partly different communication context (anonymity, the lack of some elements,
typical for “normal”, i.e. face-to-face conversation) characteristics of communication
is changed. Technologic characteristics (synchrony – asynchrony) of particular
types of computer-mediated communication partly influence on linguistic
praxes of users.
We focus our attention on synchronous chat-rooms and asynchronous discussion
forums. The attention is drawn towards similarities and differences between synchronous
and asynchronous types of on-line communication. Both types have their
own peculiarities, which lead participants to different linguistic praxes.
The situation we encounter in synchronous (real-time) chat-rooms (internet relay
chat) is to some extent closer to the classical talk, which is usually spontaneous
and unplanned. Here the linguistic style of participants is influenced much
stronger by technological possibilities, due to the fact, that synchronous chatrooms
presuppose that both communicators are at the same time present in given
chat-room, and talking in real time (real time chat).
In asynchronous on-line forums, which do not presuppose that both communicators
are present in forum, it is harder for users to have control over interpretation
of other participants, nor it is possible to quickly correct or modify misunderstandings.
The absence of a context (paralinguistic and prosodic features) and
asynchrony hinders the writer in controlling what the reader shall construe. Users
of CMC try to bridge these problems by using different strategies of interaction
(use of emoticons, which stresses the adequate intention of a message).
Ključne riječi
language; computer-mediated communication; discussion forums; chatrooms; (a)synchronicity
Hrčak ID:
25572
URI
Datum izdavanja:
10.12.2007.
Posjeta: 4.325 *