Summary

Chat language and identity....

This unit looks at the more obvious stylistic features of electronic chatrooms where participants use writing and symbols to 'chat' in real time. The unit begins by describing the features and properties of chat and the issues arising from it, and then outlines some of the varied research approaches.

This is no more than an introduction to the most complex and bizarre of the new communication technology text types and the aim of the unit is to map some investigation pathways for the reader to take further.

Links:

• Monochrome IRC/MUD/BBS system.
• NLP IRC Chat Transcripts Many IRC transciptions on the topic of Neuro-Linguistic Programming.
• The Language of Internet Relay Chat Project investigating the presence of 'language subculture' amongst IRC users.
• IRC Corpus 24 chat transcripts in 'txt' format - used for 'The Language of IRC' project. Use Word Smith Tools to search the files for linguistic features.
• Net Investigations Extensive online investigation, including Petrie's massive psychological study of email.
• The Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication An extensive catalogue of journals and papers about the linguistic effect of CMC. See 'Play and Performance in CMC'
• MUD site Excellent site, with an extensive archive of different texts exploring the fantasy world of 'Multi-User Dungeons'
• MIRC Homepage of the popular IRC client
• The Psycho-Social Aspects Of Multi-User Dimmensions In Cyberspace By James Sempsey.
• Avatar III Home page of the UK's main Multi-User Avatar site
• IRC & Online Relationship Investigation Australian site dedicated to setting up a chat-room specifically to 'establish how social relations are constructed in virtual environments'. Also info RE: ethics of using online data.

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