Language and the Internet

[Anonymous]

I am investigating how language has changed from Standard English to how it is used in Internet chat rooms nowadays. The fluidity of our ever-changing language is very interesting to me, and I wish to understand how changes are being made with every generation. With the introduction of the Internet, new means of communication have evolved, and I would like to find out how the English Language has been modified to fit in with this new technology, particularly abbreviations such as "c u l8r" etc., and the use of emoticons and smiley faces. Does anyone have any ideas, opinions or research on this subject?
Thanks!

 

[RonBee]

Well, standard English is still here, but chatrooms and instant messaging and such have added a new form of communication which is like speech but not speech. It is in a sense a language of its own, but it is a language that is based on standard English.

 

[Tdol]

Over time I think some of these features will creep across into standard English, but it will be a slow process. ;-)

 

[english-test.net]

I think there is more to this subject than the new Chatroom language as with the internet and other new media a new language has emerged and we often are not aware of it. Did you know what a browser is 5 years ago? What about spider, crawler, bot, google, html, dial-up, blog, etc. etc.?
Actually, I'm working an a simliar project - the preparation to which can be viewed on our website ('netlog') and I'd like to get your feedback on it too. Thanks. Torsten

 

[Willbut]

I see nothing wrong with 'B4'- it is perfectly understandable and faster. I prefer it to 'before'.

 

[Tdol]

I think there is more to this subject than the new Chatroom language as with the internet and other new media a new language has emerged and we often are not aware of it. Did you know what a browser is 5 years ago? What about spider, crawler, bot, google, html, dial-up, blog, etc. etc.?
Actually, I'm working an a simliar project - the preparation to which can be viewed on our website ('netlog') and I'd like to get your feedback on it too. Thanks. Torsten

New forms- 'to spider', etc. ;-)

 

[Marika]

Hello!
As a student I've been writing my B.A.work in linguistics entitled:"English language as it is used in chatrooms" and if you are really interested in the process of the language changes I can reccomend you the book of David Crystal :"English on the internet". If some of you are able to help me in my writing by indicating some more sources to me maybe, I would be very gratefull...really... regards, *marika*

 

[Tdol]

I found this article quite interesting: http://www.indiana.edu/~reading/ieo/digests/d129.html

 

[Marika]

Heee,just wanted to make a small correction... the title of the book by Crystal is "Language and the Internet". The second book I know about and seems to be connected with the topic is the book by Susan Herring "Computer-mediated communication.Linguistic social and cross-cultural perspectives." The are also many websides investigating the Internet's influence on language,not only English. XXX *marika*