My master's thesis on online communication

[[wcip]Angel]

Hi everybody!
For those of you who may not remember, I came to you approximately 8 months
ago and asked if you'd like to participate in my thesis on online communication. My
corpus consisted of actual forum posts from two message boards - The Lurker
Lounge and The Elder Scrolls forums - in addition to emails which had been
submitted by some participants.

Some of my participants wanted me to let them know when I was done, and some
even wanted to read the thing (!) Well, if you're still interested, the document can be
dowloaded here.

I'm not going to try and summarise my findings in this post, all I can say is that I
learned *a lot* this year, about how people communicate with each other on the
Internet.

If you have any comments or questions, I'll be glad to answer them. I welcome
contrasting viewpoints; although at this point, it's not like I'll be able to do anything
about them, as I've already submitted by thesis to the Master's committee. :)

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank the participants from both
message boards for providing me with such a rich and varied corpus. I couldn't
have done this without you, and for that, I am very grateful.

Thank you.

- [wcip]Angel

PS: I had originally intended to ask each of my participants if it was OK by them if I
made this thread, but considering the fact that they already agreed to let me use
their forum posts, I thought it was unnecessary to ask their permission for this as
well. Besides, even though I mention specific participants in my thesis, none should
feel offended in any way, as I believe I have remained impartial and not passed
judgment on anyone :)

Here is a PDF-version of my thesis:
Clickie.

[Chaerophon]

Very cool - I just spent about half an hour going over it. Nice work! I'll be sure to make up a more useful response when I haven't been awake for 36 straight hours. ;)

[Occhidiangela]

The usage is further illustrated with short case studies of two participants:  Occhidiangela from The Lurker Lounge and MagTech from The Elder Scrolls forums.  The study also provides a detailed description of message boards as a medium and an attempt to describe forum posts and emails as text types.
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When I show my wife the abstract, I think she'll either just shake her head or ask me if I have been having an on line liaison with a woman called [wcip]Angel. Luckily, your website shows your name, so I'll be safe from the dreaded "Frying Pan of Spouse Slaying." Crushing Blow 90%, anyone? :ph34r:

Occhi

[[wcip]Angel]

:lol:

I assume you read your case study. (If you haven't yet, please do, and you'll appreciate the irony of that last part of your post :P)

Edit: I just realised: Postcount is back. How come? And more importantly, is it possible to remove it? I stated in my thesis that the site-runner removed postcount partly to avoid unnecessary posts. I'm not saying that my thesis will fail or stand on that point alone, but it's an inaccuracy I should have doublechecked before I wrote it... :whistling:

[Rinnhart]

A comment:

"6.2.2.1. Symbol variant" is incorrect. The Lounge does have language filters.

I assure you, I have never typed "#$%&" in my life. And I still haven't, now. :D

[Guest]

I cant see it. Im sure its due to some sort of ineptitude on my part, but when I open(after down loading it) it all I see is blank pages.

Any ideas?

[Occhidiangela]

:lol: I assume you read your case study. (If you haven't yet, please do, and you'll appreciate the irony of that last part of your post :P)
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I do indeed appreciate it. :lol: I just finished reading your paper.

I cackled with glee when I saw one of my wiseacre ramblings on golf deconstructed to serve the cause of erudition. From the ridiculous, my post, to the sublime, your scholarship. :lol:

The "I are a silly person" construction is used with humorous intent, in verbal joke telling, to intentionally lampoon incorrect usage by using it. It lies in the "shared understanding" category of irony, I think.

I am in awe of your facility with the English language, given your L2 status.

*applauds with great vigor*

FWIW 1. Keyboard.

Type on your keyboard 3457. (Use the keys above the QWERTY.) With a shift key, it yields, #$%& -- the profanity symbolization you mentioned. The auto filter feature Rinnhart noted is a better answer than your (perhaps unintentionally) amusing discussion of comparing the letters <s> <h> <i> <t> with # $ % &. The use of special characters to protray "letters in bad words" was very commonly used in cartoons and comics when I was growing up. There was not always a one to one correspondence between any guessed profanity and the number of symbols used. The idea was to portray "bad word here." The asterisk and carat were, for some reason, not generally used. I think that is due to their being something like superscript.

FWIW 2. Aviatorspeak

The analyzed email was liberally seasoned with the cant used by two military aviators who worked together for three years. While the jargon itself represents another register, as I understand the term, one could not expect you to be familiar with it.

My wife hardly understood that email when I showed it to her.

Well done, [wcip]Angel. I hope your review board likes the work you presented.

Occhi

PS: The frying pan stayed in its sheath. :D

[kandrathe]

F#$%^king Awwwwesome!1!111!!!

:) Thought I would drop my serious facade in homage to your scholarship.

Really. Well done.

[GenericKen]

Neat.

Reading.

Gratz on your dinging your M.S. :)


EDIT> They let you reference Wikipedia in the UK? I thought at first maybe it was just a touch here and there to supplement common knowledge into your references, but there's actually quite a few references to it.


I'm a little suprized that you didn't posit the possibility that many spelling errors are a result of the revisable nature of message boards. I've noticed in my own posts and many others that tense, grammar, and the proper prefixing/suffixing of a word will often change several times while playing with the phrasing of a post, and that it's quite easy to lose track, even during the initial composition.

Then again, if I were limited to 150 pages for my masters' thesis, I wouldn't touch internet grammar with a 10 foot pole either. =O)

[[wcip]Angel]

I cant see it. Im sure its due to some sort of ineptitude on my part, but when I open(after down loading it) it all I see is blank pages.

Any ideas?
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You're not the first one to experience this. I sent the link to a friend of mine, and it didn't work. I sent the file via MSN, and it worked fine. I could perhaps try and email you the file, if you like?

Neat.

Reading.

Gratz on your dinging your M.S. :)
EDIT> They let you reference Wikipedia in the UK? I thought at first maybe it was just a touch here and there to supplement common knowledge into your references, but there's actually quite a few references to it.

UK? I'm Norwegian :)

About Wikipedia, it's not a source I would use unless I was forced to. When there's not that many (up to date) books and articles on 1337-speak, I have to refer to the only source that has any information on it. The topic of 1337-speak doesn't lend itself well to the medium of books, as it is constantly shifting and changing. A book written 2 years ago will by now have serious flaws and parts that are partially or completely outdated.

I'm a little suprized that you didn't posit the possibility that many spelling errors are a result of the revisable nature of message boards.

Hmm. I think I mentioned in my text type analysis on emails that (think it was there) one reason why there's not that many spelling errors in emails as there are in forum posts, may be that posters know that they can edit and revise forum posts at any time after submission while this is not the case for emails, which makes them proofread emails with a higher level of scrutiny and attention to detail.

I've noticed in my own posts and many others that tense, grammar, and the proper prefixing/suffixing of a word will often change several times while playing with the phrasing of a post, and that it's quite easy to lose track, even during the initial composition.

Then again, if I were limited to 150 pages for my masters' thesis, I wouldn't touch internet grammar with a 10 foot pole either. =O)
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In my Research Proposal, I mentioned that I wanted to focus on spelling errors, grammar and vocabulary. As my thesis evolved, both my supervisor and I saw that it would be unmanagably to do anything about grammar. In order to treat the subject of grammar properly, my thesis could easily have doubled in pagecount.

Perhaps for my PhD dissertation? :P

[Occhidiangela]

Perhaps for my PhD dissertation? :P
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That would at least qualify you to fulfill the role as LL Gramma Police Chief. :lol:

Occhi

[yangman]

How about a PDF version? Some of us avoid having to deal with wordprocessors whereever possible. ;)

I haven't had a chance to read it, but I am looking forward to it. It should keep me well-occupied during the free time of my absurd summer class schedule.

I'm sure my computing colleagues will get a kick out of it as well.

[[wcip]Angel]

Hi Yzilla!
I had a look around in Word, and I couldn't find a "Word-->PDF-converter" of any sort. Besides, I don't know how this process would affect the document. E.g. would my phonetic fonts remain intact? What about my appendices and footnotes, etc..

[Griselda]

Hi Yzilla!
I had a look around in Word, and I couldn't find a "Word-->PDF-converter" of any sort. Besides, I don't know how this process would affect the document. E.g. would my phonetic fonts remain intact? What about my appendices and footnotes, etc..
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You might try Primo PDF.

[[wcip]Angel]

Thank you, Griselda! Great programme and easy to use :)

Here is the PDF-version

[ShadowHM]

Thanks for sharing, Angel !

I printed the entire work, and took it with me to the cottage to quietly peruse and absorb. The weekend was hectic, due to some serious birthday celebrating (two friends turned 50 and one turned 70 - milestones like that need major infusions of alcohol to properly celebrate :P ) I got a chance to scan it all once, and get a start on absorbing it today.

I have some friends who also want to read it. :) It will be a springboard for some interesting discussions this summer. :D

[LemmingofGlory]

(OT)

When I show my wife the abstract, I think she'll either just shake her head or ask me if I have been having an on line liaison with a woman called [wcip]Angel.&nbsp; Luckily, your website shows your name, so I'll be safe from the dreaded "Frying Pan of Spouse Slaying."&nbsp; Crushing Blow 90%, anyone?&nbsp; :ph34r:

You know, I was watching a TV show and finally saw a spousal frying pan in action. The hit came swiftly and unexpectedly, and it only took one swing to put him down. Her frying pan didn't appear enchanted at all, so I'm thinking she must've rolled a critical hit and served him up some scrambled brains.

-Lemmy

P.S. Great job finishing your thesis, Angel. I'll give it a look later.

[Occhidiangela]

(OT)
You know, I was watching a TV show and finally saw a spousal frying pan in action. The hit came swiftly and unexpectedly, and it only took one swing to put him down. Her frying pan didn't appear enchanted at all, so I'm thinking she must've rolled a critical hit and served him up some scrambled brains.

-Lemmy

P.S. Great job finishing your thesis, Angel. I'll give it a look later.
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It's all in the wrist. ;)

Occhi

[Xukuth]

In your study of Mactech, you note that "diverse" is used to mean "different," "assorted," and "widely varied," and that Mactech probably meant to use "various" instead.

In English, "diverse" can also be used to mean "various." Although it's not commonly listed in dictionaries as a meaning, try checking out the root word for "diverse" - the Middle English word "divers," and you'll see that it is synonymous with various, and this meaning can be carried over into the current "diverse."

I actually use "diverse" to mean "various" every so often, so that's a part of the thesis that nagged at me.

[[wcip]Angel]

I just checked Dictionary.com, and you are right. "Diverse" is related to "various" in some way or other. I immediately assumed it was a Norwegianism, because this exact "error" is extremely common in Norwegian L2 English speakers.

I was not aware of the etymology of "diverse". Thanks for illuminating me :) I'll mention it to my supervisor (whose main field is Middle English).