Finding an Identity

1
Finding an Identity

• Xiaofei Lu
• APLNG 083S
• September 11, 2007

2
Outline

• Linguistic identity of Netspeak
• Prescriptivism vs. descriptivism
• Prescribing rules of Netspeak
• Describing features of Netspeak

2
3
Linguistic identity of Netspeak

• An uncertain linguistic identity
• Established linguistic knowledge challenged
• Misunderstandings and misconceptions
• Emergence of semi-prescriptive guides

3
4
Prescriptive approach to language

• Prescribes how a language should be used
• Values a particular language variety
• An authoritarian and puristic philosophy
• Examples of prescriptive rules
• Do not end your sentence with a preposition
• Do not use double negatives
• Never begin a sentence with and

4
5
Descriptive approach to language

• Describes and explains variations in usage
• Values versatility and richness of language
• An all-inclusive and egalitarian philosophy
• Examples of descriptive rules of language
• Subjects come before verbs
• Form a regular past tense by adding -ed
• Adjectives come before nouns

5
6
Tension in Netspeak Netspeak

• How do these approaches relate to Netspeak?
• Prescriptive urge for regularity and consistency
• Personal, creative spirit of Netspeak
• The Jargon Watch
• The Jargon File
• Hacker Ethic

6
7
Prescribing rules of Netspeak

• Behavioral rules
• Incorrect use of technology
• Ethical violations
• Linguistic rules
• Always check your messages
• Never e-dump lovers
• Never write messages in capital letters
• What are the consequences for violations?

7
8
Wired Styles 10 usage principles

• Guide for navigating the informal waters of
  digital prose
• A worrying kind of perscriptivism

8
9
Wired Styles 10 usage principles

• The medium matters
• Play with voice
• Flaunt your subcultural literacy
• Transcend the technical vividness and lucidity
• Capture the colloquial

9
10
Wired Styles 10 usage principles

• Anticipate the future
• Be irreverent
• Brave the new world of new media
• Go global
• Play with dots and dashes and slashes
• Whats common among these principles?
• Whats your attitude towards them?

10
11
Describing features of Netspeak

• A systematic description vs. prescription
• How does it come about?
• What Netspeak features are notable?
• Notable features
• Lexicon
• Graphology
• Grammar

11
12
Lexicon

• Terms unique to the Internet domain
• Software window, refresh, toolbars
• Hardware freeze, hang, crash, client
• Users surfers, wizards, wannabees, newbies
• Internet neologisms
• Compounding mouseclick, freeware, webmaster
• Affixation hypertext, cyberspace, e-mail,
  emoticon
• Blending netiquette, ecruiter
• Coinage hackitude,

12
13
Abbreviations and acronyms

• General BBS, FAQ, HTML, ISP, URL
• Firm or site names AOL, IBM, IRC
• Shortcuts for sentences/phrases lol, ttyl, fyi
• Letter-plus-number combinations F2F, C2C

13
14
Graphology

• Both enhanced and reduced systems exist
• Capitalization
• Lower-case default mentality
• Use of capitalization is marked
• Bicapitalization AltaVista, EarthLink

14
15
Spelling

• US spelling more common than British
• New spelling conventions downloadz
• Non-standard spelling
• Tolerance of spelling errors in e-mail
• Spellings that reflect pronunciation nooo, yep
• Emotional expressions with repeated letters
  yayyyy
• Persistent deviant spelling phreaking
• Teenage uses kook, fone

15
16
Punctuation

• Degree of minimalism varies
• Use of symbols and punctuation combinations
• Pause
• Emphasis !!!
• From programming languages _our_ project
• From HTML Nonsense

16
17
Grammar

• Verb reduplication
• How about that! Win, win.

17