Theories of Language and Technology

UNIT 4 - INVESTIGATING LANGUAGE

LANGUAGE AND TECHNLOGY

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NORMAN FAIRCLOUGH

TIM SHORTIS

CHRISTOPHER WERRY

SHEGLOFF

MAJOR THEORIsts

SINCLAIR

PAUL GRICE

HOWARD GILES

BROWN AND LEVINSON

NORMAN FAIRCLOUGH

computers imitate human interaction;

• computers allow you to 'take turns' - drop down menu for your turn
• 'Are you sure'/'yes or no'
• Synthetic Personalization: ( the process of addressing mass audience as though they were individuals) --> to create personal relationship through pronoun which actually does not exist --> mostly used in advertising/persuassive language

+ info

Carrington, Crystal, Shortis, Thurlow, Werry

linguistic compression used in online convos:

• vowel deletion,
• phonetic spelling,
• initialisms and
• letter/number phonemes

Imitation of speech or semantic nuance;

• Use of more letters than necessary (Soooo Whaaat?)texts and emails are like talk as people take turns and it's informal

SUZANNE ROMAINE: FACTORS OF LANGUAGE CHANGES

INTERNAL CHANGES:

• The changes happen within the language. example: the promoting or deletion of words/sounds by dictionary (colour->color)

EXTERNAL CHANGES

• Changes of languages due to social contexts, ideology, technology and invention (Calling someone 'fat')

MICHALE HALLIDAY: FUNCTIONAL THEORY

Language chnages according to the needs of its users/changes in technology.

• case: the words 'cassette' will be archaic beccause technology has moved on while the neologism (invention of new words) such as 'USB/WIFI' etc. is needed

SHARON GOODMAN: INFORMALISATION (to make less formal)

grapheric symbols:

• examples: X,(for many meanings), A-E (for grades), P (for Parking) F (for Female)

Multimodal communication

• (memes/picture+text combinations)

Use of Lower case letter where traditionally uppercase.

• exampel "BP' --> currently become "bp"

DWIGHT BOLLINGER: INCREASING USE OF EUPHEMISMS

• Mild/indirect words or expressions substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarassing

examples:

• fake --> man-made
• manufactured --> crafted
• small --> fun-size

DAVID CRYSTAL: Expressive Richness of Langugage

• The 'Tide Metaphor' -Language just changes like tides, but change is not for the better or worse...
• Internet diversified the way we communicate
• Novel features may occurs but but does not change the basic nature of the langauge.
• STOP IT!!!!!!!

GARDNER CAMPBELL Animated Langauge Theory (tech-assisted)

• Language is animated --> Word processing technology exists ( we can move, edit, change, delete, add words/gifs/picture in our text)
• We can mimic/imitate features of spoken communication in written communication too.... (Psuedo Paralinguistic features - emojis/ emoticons etc)

Tim Shortis: theory of "disinhibition"

• Tim Shortis notes that text messaging is often explicitly related to face-to-face conversation, commenting on past interactions or anticipating future ones. He develops this with the idea that while fast, the interaction is "not in real time", which leaves time for participants "to construct a considered response" between "communication turns".
• He advances a theory of "disinhibition" - suggesting that text messaging frees the participants from negative non-verbal communications.
• Think of the following scenario: a request for a date or an attempt at flirting could be made with less immediate risk of losing face if your are texting it rather than orally asking. (However, consider the risk involved in this: unlike spoken words that are not recorded, a text message can be shown to other people.)

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Be judicious in going through this video. Not all theories/theorists are relevant to the topic. Hence keep in mind the theories we discussed so far and look for those theorists in the video.

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Internet and English language

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Technology and English language

Thanks!