Speaking and Writing in Asynchronous Computer-mediated Communication
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2012 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Approaches to Discourse: Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Linguistics |
| Keywords | Speaking; writing; computer-mediated communication; spatio-temporal aspect; discussion boards |
| Attached files | |
| Description | The article deals with the elements of speaking and writing appearing in asynchronous computer-mediated communication. In history, the two channels of human communication were perceived as separate and independent and speaking was even dismissed by linguists for being too amorphous and chaotic to be studied. However, with the occurrence of modern technologies it became clear that speaking and writing in fact merge and overlap. The aim of this article is thus to identify in which ways asynchronous CMC resembles speaking and in which writing, and how it overcomes the obstacles posed by the fact that the medium tries to speak by means of writing (i.e. typing) -- the visualization of writing. The examples used to support the arguments are drawn from two threads of an Internet discussion board dedicated to dieting. |