Due to the fact that the number of Internet users worldwide has grown at 146.2% within the last five years from 2000 to 2005, the Internet itself has become one of the most important and essential kinds of modern media we can imagine these days - at least in the industrialised countries . Recent research statistics from the 31st of March 2005 show that there are currently 888,681,131 Internet users all over the world, which constitutes 13.9% of the whole world population . The main reason why the Internet has established such a prominent position in the world of media is because it covers a wide-ranging field of interests such as news, career, spare time activities, and communication. Since human beings are primarily characterised by an intrinsic urge to communicate with one another, it is no wonder that the invention of the Internet has brought up various forms of computer mediated communication (CMC). One of the most popular and favoured forms of CMC is Internet Chat because it is said to be so close to face-to-face communication like no other kind of mediated communication.
In the following section, this report will first give some brief background information about Internet Chat; then it will investigate the general structure pattern of chat conversations; and finally, it will analyse the relationship between verbal and nonverbal language aspects of chat communication in order to find out whether Internet Chat can really be regarded as a written form of oral communication which integrates oral components into graphical constructions of utterances (Schmidt 2000 : 126).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Internet Chat communication and essential background information
2.1. What is Internet Chat and how can it be accessed?
2.2. Internet Relay Chat
2.3. Web Chat
2.4. Chat structure
3. Analysis of Internet Chat
3.1. Oral language vs. Written language
3.2. Verbal strategies of Internet Chat communication
3.3. Nonverbal strategies of Internet Chat communication
4. Conclusion
5. References
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic paper examines the nature of Internet Chat communication, specifically investigating whether it functions as a written form of oral communication. The core research question addresses how users bridge the gap between written and spoken language through specific verbal and nonverbal strategies to achieve effective real-time interaction.
- The evolution and significance of Internet Chat within computer-mediated communication (CMC).
- Technical distinctions between Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and Web Chat.
- The structural characteristics of online conversational patterns.
- Linguistic analysis comparing oral and written language features in a chat environment.
- Strategies for expressing acoustic and visual communication cues through text.
Excerpt from the Publication
3.1 Oral language vs. written language
The language used in Internet Chat can be regarded as a written realisation of oral language because dialogues in Internet Chat communication, which show face-to-face specific communication features like spontaneity and directness, are expressed by lexical signs and signals. Therefore, Internet Chat communication not only sticks to aspects of written language but also includes components of oral language. On the one hand, Internet Chat communication is characterised by typical features of written language such as anonymity, a spatial distance between communication partners, and public presence (Bader 2002 : 28). On the other hand, Internet Chat communication also shows features of oral language such as dialogues, a free change of speakers, and a free and spontaneous development of topics to talk about (Bader 2002 : 28). This shows that Internet Chat communication combines features of oral and written language and that, therefore, Internet Chat can be considered as a borderline between oral speech and writing (Bader 2002 : 28). In order to overcome the borderline between oral and written language in Internet Chat communication and to bring it as close as possible to face-to-face communication, chat users apply certain techniques and strategies to compensate the lack of visual and acoustic contact. These strategies of Internet Chat communication can be distinguished between verbal and nonverbal strategies of communication.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the global growth of Internet usage and defines Internet Chat as a popular form of computer-mediated communication.
2. Internet Chat communication and essential background information: Provides technical context on how chat works, distinguishing between IRC and Web Chat while exploring structural challenges.
3. Analysis of Internet Chat: Investigates the hybridization of oral and written language, detailing how users employ verbal and nonverbal strategies to simulate face-to-face interaction.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes that Internet Chat serves as a bridge between written and spoken communication, successfully integrating oral components into a text-based format.
5. References: Lists the academic sources and technical documentation consulted for this research.
Keywords
Internet Chat, Computer Mediated Communication, Oral language, Written language, IRC, Web Chat, Communication strategies, Emoticons, Verbal strategies, Nonverbal strategies, Online interaction, Chat structure, Language evolution, Synchronous communication.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper examines how Internet Chat functions as a unique communication medium that occupies a space between traditional written text and spoken oral language.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The study focuses on the technical aspects of chat services, the structural patterns of online conversations, and the linguistic strategies users employ to replicate face-to-face interaction.
What is the main research question?
The work seeks to determine if Internet Chat can be defined as a written realization of oral communication by analyzing its integration of oral components into graphical utterances.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The author performs a literature-based analysis, synthesizing existing studies on computer-mediated communication and linguistics to evaluate the characteristics of chat discourse.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers background information on chat technology (IRC and Web Chat), an analysis of chat structure, and an evaluation of verbal and nonverbal strategies like emoticons and "soundalike slang."
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Computer Mediated Communication, synchronous communication, oral-written borderline, verbal strategies, and nonverbal communication.
How do chat users overcome the lack of visual and acoustic feedback?
Users utilize verbal strategies, such as "Soundalike Slang" and capitalization, alongside nonverbal strategies like emoticons and action-embedding with asterisks.
What is the distinction between Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and Web Chat?
IRC requires specific software and is not part of the World Wide Web, whereas Web Chat operates through standard web browsers and does not require external software.
Why is Internet Chat considered a "tightrope walk"?
It is described as a "tightrope walk" because it constantly balances the features of written language (anonymity, distance) with the features of oral language (spontaneity, direct dialogue).
- Quote paper
- Master of Education Thomas Schachtebeck (Author), 2005, Internet Chat Communication, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/165044
