Diachronic analysis of orthographic patterns of computer mediated communication
Loading...
Date
2013
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Management and Technology
Abstract
Computer-Mediated-Communication (CMC) is emerging as a new medium – a third medium because it supposedly combines features of speech and writing alike. The increasing proliferation of CMC has also influenced the English orthography. The present research aims to explore what has been its impact on orthographic patterns of English used by Pakistani students for their Facebook conversations ‘on the wall'. The study has set out the following research questions: (a) what are orthographic patterns of mediated-communication? and (b) Has Facebook simplified the language and made it easier and faster means of communication? To address the above mentioned research questions, linguistic postings of 50 participants over the period of three years (2010-2012) were analyzed. Unlike the traditional orthography, various orthographic patterns of English have been emerging since 2010. The study reveals that there has been a rapid simplification in English orthography in these three years through CMC. It seems as various orthographic features regress towards simplification despite the proliferation of new styles of writing in CMC. Thus, we may estimate that linguistic forms would regress towards simplification with ever increasing needs of CMC. This is a process of evolution, though quite radical, which the world languages have been passing through since their inception. In a world where everything changes it would be unlikely if a language alone escapes this universal law.
Linguistic postings (collected from Facebook walls of university students) were analysed under certain classifications and parameters which provided the result that Facebook has greatly helped in simplification of language. Results also depict that various novel patters of orthography are emerging in CMC. These results lead this research to the conclusion that Facebook has played a vital role in changing the orthographic patterns of CMC. English language has become very compact in online discourse. Students (of University of Education, selected as sample using convenient sampling technique) exhibit through their Facebook walls that there has been a great escalation in the change of orthographic patterns. This is also expected that future will unfold many novel orthographic patterns of English.
Description
Keywords
Diachronic analysis, orthographic patterns, computer mediated communication