Today we embarked on our first language investigation. An exploration of the sophistication and richness of the way we modify and elaborate on standard English to enrich our interpersonal communication.
Stage 1:
We began with the hypothesis: “Spoken conversation and online instant messaging have more in common with each other than they do with written communication”.
We will now transcribe an instant messaging conversation and annotate it for all instances that deviate from standard English.
INSERTS: An example of an instant messaging conversation, and glossaries of of spoken and textual language features
Fi and Mia’s convo:
Fi: Hey
Mia: Yoooo, what you doing 2morrow?
Fi: Not much probably just school then chill hbu?
Mia: Same same, lets do something ?
Fi: Sounds good! I’d be keen, what do you have in mind??
Mia: Hmmmm lake and ice-cream?
Fi: Yes im keen as a been can we get gelato!?
Fi: Swim if good day!
Mia: Yussss ? ?
Fi: Love me some black peak
Mia: Faaaaab, talk lata ? (glasses and teeth emoji)
TEXT LANGUAGE GLOSSARY
These are particular to this form of communication. They will assist you in the up-coming tasks where you begin to discriminate between language that is spoken and language that is written.
Emoticons – graphic symbols representing emotions
Acronyms – use of words’ initial letters to form a single new word e.g. AIDS
Initialisms – initial letters spelled out e.g. OMG
Contractions – omitted letters, e.g. txt
Logograms – single letters or numbers replacing sections of words e.g. 2day for today or u for you
Ellipsis – omitted parts of a sentence e.g. coming?
Unusual spelling – e.g. wiv for with (often reflecting an accent)
Merged words – e.g. seeya
Repeated letters for emphasis e.g. helllllo
Upper case or lower case to donate tone e.g. NO WAY
Punctuation omitted or added for effect e.g. dont be late!!!
Speech-like interjections e.g. ha ha
