Excuse my poor English: language management in English-language online discussion forums

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 (232) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaroslav Švelch
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Language Management ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Online Discussion Forums

AbstractUsing the framework of Language Management Theory (LMT), this article seeks to analyze the ways in which non-native speakers negotiate their position in English-language online discussion forums. Based on the material collected from four discussion forums, competing opinions have been identified regarding the acceptability of “bad English” and the need for language management, i.e. acting upon a perceived lack of compliance to linguistic norms. Some users propose that compliance to communication norms should be enforced in a top-down manner or based on an explicit set of rules, whereas others hold that the community of users can deal with potential communication problems individually in an emergent manner. While the applicability of native speaker norms to the discussion forums is being questioned, non-native speakers, especially in practically oriented forums, tend to perform pre-interaction language management, using disclaimers in their posts, such as “Excuse my poor English”, to avoid potential misunderstandings and to prevent native speaker norms from being applied to them. The article argues for the use of LMT in computer mediated communication research, as it offers a dynamic view of the process in which rules, conventions and norms of online communication are being continuously discussed, negotiated and applied.

Inter-Animation between Utterances in Collaborative Chat Conversations

2013 ◽  
pp. 63-93
Author(s):  
Traian Rebedea ◽  
Stefan Trausan-Matu ◽  
Costin Chiru
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Collaborative Discourse ◽  
Online Discussion Forums ◽  
Discussion Threads ◽  
New Type

With the wide adoption of instant messaging, online discussion forums, blogs and social networks, online communication has shifted from narration to highly collaborative discussions with multiple authors and discussion threads. However, the theories and methodologies for analyzing this new type of discourse which is different from narration, but also from dialogue, have remained mostly the same. The authors propose a new method for the analysis of this type of discourse, designed especially for multi-party chat conversations where parallel discussion floors and threads exist at the same time. The theoretical underpinning of the inter-animation framework is the detection of links between utterances in order to build a conversation graph that may be used to discover the discussion threads. The framework has been used for analyzing chat conversations of students in Computer Science in order to assess the involvement of each student, the inter-animation of the conversation and the degree of collaborative discourse.

scholarly journals Types of Interaction in Online Discussion Forums: A Case Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuheir Khlaif ◽  
Hamid Nadiruzzaman ◽  
Kyungbin Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Learning Community ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Online Learning Community ◽  
Online Discussion Forums ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Midwestern University

The purpose of this paper is to identify the types of students’ interaction, as well as their discussion patterns in an online course. The study took place in a large Midwestern University and 17 graduate students participated in the study. The primary data was obtained from students’ discussion forum postings. The researchers used both qualitative and quantitative approaches to describe and analyze the types of discussion and interaction. The researchers developed a coding scheme based on theories and models. The findings of the study reveal that computer mediated communication (CMC) has a positive potential to increase interaction among students. Furthermore, the findings confirm the effectiveness of asynchronous online environment in supporting online learning community. Participants were engaged in social interaction to build their knowledge. This study recommends two-way interaction for achieving sustainable discussion and promoting higher level of interaction.

LEARNER VERSUS NONLEARNER PATTERNS OF STYLISTIC VARIATION IN SYNCHRONOUS COMPUTER-MEDIATED FRENCH

2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rémi A. van Compernolle ◽  
Lawrence Williams
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
French Language ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Stylistic Variation ◽  
Person Plural ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Second Year ◽  
First Person Plural

This study analyzes stylistic variation among first-, second-, and third-year instructed learners of French engaged in synchronous French-language computer-mediated communication (CMC) and compares the results with data from nonlearner discourse in a public, noneducational synchronous CMC environment. We focus specifically on variability inyes/noquestion (YNQ) structures and the use of the pronounsnous“we” andon“one” or “we” for first-person plural reference. The results suggest that whereas first- and second-year learners rarely use informal variants, third-year students approximate—but do not actually reach—native-speaker norms. Contrary to expectations, however, no positive correlation was found between the increased use of the informal pronoun and the informal YNQ structure. Finally, we argue for more in-depth case studies that combine analyses of performance data, competence data, and individual learner histories to determine when, why, and how second language users begin to recognize and emulate native speakers’ sociolinguistic norms and variation.

scholarly journals A Description of Asynchronous Online Discussions in Higher Education

10.29007/bh4n ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Javier Fernández-Polo ◽  
Mario Cal-Varela
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Online Discussion Forums ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions

This study provides a preliminary characterisation of asynchronous online discussions as a learning tool in higher education (Garrison 2003; Ho & Swan 2007). Our materials consist of the written record of 16 online discussions, totalling circa 165,000 words, from a one-semester course on general English-Spanish-English translation. The participants are second-year students from different nationalities, mostly Spanish, using Spanish and less frequently Galician as lingua francas. We start by describing the various situational factors surrounding the events (including the role of the discussions in the course, the variety of participants and the nature of their relationship), which may explain some highly recurrent language and organisational features encountered in the resulting texts. Secondly, using Antconc, we carry out an exploratory analysis of the lexical and collocational patterns of the exchanges. The findings reveal a very strong interactive component (Herring 1999, Condon & Čech 2010), with two dominant functions, the creation of affiliation and the prevention of conflict. The analysis shows a widespread use of praise, hedging and other forms of politeness in the posts, and, more generally, a clear concern for the interests of other participants in the discussion and an effort to acknowledge their voices. In the paper, we also look into the evolution of the exchanges over the time-span of the course by focusing on one case study. The analysis reveals the progressive crystallisation of the genre in the student’s interventions, a process which involves a clear evolution from a rather tentative kind of post, mostly monologic, informational and author-centred, to a progressively longer post with a more complex structure, and especially a heightened awareness of the dialogic and multi-party nature of the exchanges (Herring 1996). The results of the study may have considerable pedagogical interest. We believe that computer-mediated communication (CMC), including asynchronous online discussion forums, is bound to play an increasingly significant role in the future of higher education.

The Functions of Negotiation of Meaning in Text-Based CMC

2011 ◽  
pp. 291-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sedat Akayoglu ◽  
Arif Altun
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Nonnative Speakers ◽  
Negotiation Of Meaning ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Meaning Negotiation ◽  
Mediated Discourse ◽  
Research Questions

This chapter aims at describing the patterns of negotiation of meaning functions in text-based synchronous computer-mediated communication by using computer-mediated discourse analysis. Two research questions were sought in this study: (a) what types of negotiation of meaning emerge in text-based synchronous CMC environments, and (b) is there any difference between native speakers (NSs) and nonnative speakers (NNSs) of English in terms of negotiations of meaning functions in this environment. The emerged functions of meaning negotiation were presented, and when comparing the NS with NNSs, the most frequently used negotiation of meaning functions were found to be different, but the least frequently used ones were found to be similar. The findings of this study might give insights to researchers, educators, and teachers of English Language when designing instruction in terms of patterns of negotiation of meaning functions in text-based synchronous computer-mediated communication.

The Functions of Negotiation of Meaning in Text-Based CMC

2009 ◽  
pp. 1431-1446
Author(s):  
Sedat Akayoglu ◽  
Arif Altun
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Nonnative Speakers ◽  
Negotiation Of Meaning ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Meaning Negotiation ◽  
Mediated Discourse ◽  
Research Questions

This chapter aims at describing the patterns of negotiation of meaning functions in text-based synchronous computer-mediated communication by using computer-mediated discourse analysis. Two research questions were sought in this study: (a) what types of negotiation of meaning emerge in text-based synchronous CMC environments, and (b) is there any difference between native speakers (NSs) and nonnative speakers (NNSs) of English in terms of negotiations of meaning functions in this environment. The emerged functions of meaning negotiation were presented, and when comparing the NS with NNSs, the most frequently used negotiation of meaning functions were found to be different, but the least frequently used ones were found to be similar. The findings of this study might give insights to researchers, educators, and teachers of English Language when designing instruction in terms of patterns of negotiation of meaning functions in text-based synchronous computer-mediated communication.

scholarly journals An Empirical Analysis of Formality in Online Communication

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 61-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellie Pavlick ◽  
Joel Tetreault
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Statistical Model ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Online Discussion Forums

This paper presents an empirical study of linguistic formality. We perform an analysis of humans’ perceptions of formality in four different genres. These findings are used to develop a statistical model for predicting formality, which is evaluated under different feature settings and genres. We apply our model to an investigation of formality in online discussion forums, and present findings consistent with theories of formality and linguistic coordination.

scholarly journals The Linguistics of Social Networking: A Study of Writing Conventions on Facebook

2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Pérez-Sabater
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Academic World ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
The University

Scholarly research on computer-mediated communication discourse has mainly centred upon the linguistic characteristics of emails, focusing on the formal and informal features and the orality involved in this form of communication. This paper presents a new insight into the study of computer-mediated communication (CMC) by analysing a fairly recent genre of computer-mediated communication, comments posted on the new social networking websites. The research undertaken examines the comments published on the official Facebook sites of some universities to observe the level of formality/informality of online communication in English. The distinction between online writings by native and non-native speakers of English has been considered as well. The study focuses on the formulae of etiquette and protocol used for salutation, opening, pre-closing and closing as an indicator of the degree of orality and informality in online writing. Data reveal that, in the specific context of the university, the use of Facebook is not conventionalised, as the comments posted on Facebook present important stylistic variations. Moreover, in most instances non-native speakers of English display more formal traits than native speakers when communicating electronically on social networking sites in the academic world.

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