Language variation in electronic text-based messages: the social differentiation of representing speech and orality in EMC
Date
2013
Authors
Howe, Chris, author
Delahunty, Gerald, advisor
Cloven, Beth, committee member
Grim, Frederique, committee member
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Abstract
This investigation presents a sociolinguistic interpretation of the extralinguistic factors that play a role in language variation among users of electronically-mediated communication (EMC). EMC scholarship routinely comments on the nature of written language use to represent speech and orality in EMC. Often the use of reduced colloquial variants to represent speech in EMC, such as gonna, ima, diz, etc., is associated with younger users and medium variables. Despite popular perceptions about language use in electronic environments, however, little is known about the extent to which age differentials and stylistic variations shape language use in EMC. Analysis of email and mobile phone text message data gathered from 33 participants between the ages of 18-38 indicates that the decision to represent speech and orality in EMC with the use of colloquial variants is not significantly correlated with younger participants. Instead, analysis of the data from 2,542 electronic text-based message (ETM) transmissions containing 47, 739 words reveals that only logographic features (e.g. acronyms and abbreviations) can be associated with age. The findings indicate that members of the oldest age group have retained the use of logographic features in their electronic encounters from the time when they were the most remarked feature in EMC. As with the dimension of stylistic variation, the level of formality appears to be the greatest indicator of language variation in EMC. The implications suggest that EMC scholarship needs to broaden its view of language use in ETMs regarding the use of informal variants. The practice of representing aspects of speech and orality may no longer be a phenomenon that can be primarily associated with medium variables or with teenagers and young adults.
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Subject
electronically-mediated communication
sociolinguistics
language variation