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How to chat in English and Chinese: Emerging digital language conventions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2004

HEATHER LOTHERINGTON  and
YEJUN XU
HEATHER LOTHERINGTON
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canadahlotherington@edu.yorku.ca
YEJUN XU
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Purvis Hall, 1020 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A2, Canadayejunxu@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Rapid changes in language form and function occurring in digital environments present teachers and students of second languages alike with conundrums as to language and discourse standards. Factors affecting the changes that are emerging in digital English include the spatial and temporal possibilities and constraints of the medium, digital facilitation of case-creativity and iconic incorporation, and new social network configurations. This paper analyzes evolving changes in orthographic, syntactic, discourse and sociocultural conventions occurring in English and Chinese in digital environments, based on a small scale study conducted at York University in 2002–2003, noting trends across these languages as well as more limited, culturally and linguistically specific evolutions. The converging conventional changes occurring in these two major world languages suggest that similar transitions are happening generally in languages used for online communication, which has serious implications for second language instruction.

Type
Research Article
Information
ReCALL , Volume 16 , Issue 2 , November 2004 , pp. 308 - 329
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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