Language Practices on Internet Game Fora
Journal Title: STYLES OF COMMUNICATION - Year 2014, Vol 0, Issue 0
Abstract
Online discussion fora form important venues for promoting language change across the boundaries of time, space, and formal organization. The aim in this paper is to discuss the processes by which participants of online communities develop a sense of common identity. The analysis involves several popular game discussion fora, from quite formal World of Warcraft to unrestrained Tibia. The reported analysis is based on language practices which are found during participation in online game fora. One can note that processes which could be considered as central to community formation are often different manner than the ones found in the literature regarding traditional discussion fora. Examples of such practices along with activities included in a particular category are provided based on selected examples. However, the results which emerge from the analysis indicate that the relationships tend to be constantly realigned under the influence of changing virtual circumstances, such as changing player roles in a group. In addition, language rules are typically not explicit and it appears that they are established and maintained as players imitate and react to each other’s roles. Moreover, there is very little evidence of formal establishing a code of conduct or netiquette for our group, as it is completely thought to be implied. However, the practices which are found to be central are the ones in the category of developing a consistent linguistic style, as they show a great diversity. It is indicated how this category seems to serve certain roles, such as forming a distinct code and with examples of forms of abbreviations and acronyms. It is shown that more traditional roles are played by the very fact of the formation of a distinct code.
Authors and Affiliations
Szymon Wach
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP184295
- DOI -
- Views 98
- Downloads 0
The Use and Misuse of ICT in Local Civil Dialogue in Poland
This article aims to analyze the extent to which the authorities of eighteen Polish cities with the status of provincial capitals use ICT to stimulate local civil dialogue. The quantitative analysis of the content of Int...
Visualizing Europe’s Refugee Crisis on the ‘Debating Europe’ Platform
The images picturing the refugee crisis are heavily emotion-laden and the picture of the dead boy Aylan on the beach is such an example. Besides newspapers where pictures of refugees have been used to stir the readers’ a...
Duality of the Sign Deconstructed. On the Basis of the Works by Jacques Derrida
This paper is an inquiry into some parts of the project of deconstruction by Jacques Derrida, who deconstructs but also and before all demystifies the traditional metaphysical language, language that is “larded with” dua...
Tropaeum Traiani Monument. A Multi-Channel Strategy for Sustainable Development of the Territory through Cycle Tourism
The article explores the methodological approach of the designer around the promotion and communication project of the Tropaeum Traiani and the municipality of Adamclisi, located in the Dobruja region in Romania. The des...
The Metaphor of Struggle in Communication of the Evolutionary Theory
The objective of the paper is a Conceptual Metaphor Theory analysis of the metaphor of struggle in Darwin’s theory. The study begins with a short survey of uses of the concept of “struggle for existence” predating Darwin...