Communicative Strategies in Internet Chat Rooms Jiraporn Yiamkhamnuan

Kasetsart J. (Soc. Sci) 32 : 478 - 492 (2011) «. ‡°…µ√»“ µ√å ( —ß§¡) ªï∑’Ë 32 : 478 - 492 (2554) The Mixing of Thai and English: Communicative Strategies in Internet Chat Rooms Jiraporn Yiamkhamnuan ABSTRACT The study systematically described the characteristics of mixing Thai, by Thai speakers, with English- based discourses in the Internet chat rooms. The possible functions of mixing, the factors involved, and the new textual identities built by language mixing were also explored. Data were collected from 60 textual chat extracts in international and English chat rooms on the Sanook and Pantip websites. The findings revealed that shifting to Thai was done by means of (1) Thai word insertion, (2) word translation, (3) word quotations, (4) word repetition, (5) specialized features expression, and (6) net culture switching. Shifting occurred mainly as a result of the Thai chattersû non-proficiency in English, the habitual use of Thai cultural terms, and the causal, synchronous nature of the non-visual interactions, while the individual linguistic styles as well as emotional drivers were to help build a shared understanding between Thais and at the same time express their cultural identities. Keywords: code-mixing, language mixing and technology, language in Internet chat rooms ∫∑§—¥¬àÕ ¿“…“®“°·∫∫·ºπ‡¥‘¡‰ª Ÿà∏√√¡‡π’¬¡°“√ªØ‘∫—µ‘∑“ß Õ‘π‡∑Õ√å‡πÁµ≈—°…≥–‡À≈à“π’È¡’ “‡ÀµÿÀ≈—°¡“®“°°“√ ∫∑§«“¡«®‘ ¬©∫— ∫π— ’È ¡«’ µ∂— ª√– ß§ÿ ‡æå Õ∫√√¬“¬◊Ë ¢“¥§«“¡§≈àÕß·§≈à«„π°“√ π∑π“‚¥¬„™â¿“…“ ≈°…≥–°“√ªπ¿“…“‰∑¬„π«“∑°√√¡¿“…“Õ— ß°ƒ…‚¥¬— Õ—ß°ƒ… §«“¡§ÿâπ™‘π°—∫°“√„™â§”‰∑¬‡æ◊ËÕ ◊ËÕ ºŸâæŸ¥™“«‰∑¬„πÀâÕß π∑π“∑“ßÕ‘π‡∑Õ√å‡πÁµ √«¡∂÷ß «—≤π∏√√¡·≈–∏√√¡™“µ‘¢Õß°“√æŸ¥§ÿ¬„π™à«ß‡«≈“ »÷°…“Àπâ“∑’Ë ªí®®—¬∑’Ë‡°’Ë¬«¢âÕß·≈–π”‡ πÕÕ—µ≈—°…≥å ‡¥’¬«°—π∑’Ë§Ÿà π∑π“‰¡à “¡“√∂¡Õß‡ÀÁπ°—π‰¥â „À¡à∑’Ëª√“°Ø‡ªìπ¢âÕ§«“¡Õ—π‡°‘¥®“°°“√ªπ¿“…“¥—ß πÕ°®“°π’È ¬—ßæ∫°“√ªπ¿“…“Õ—π‡ªìπº≈¡“®“° °≈à“« ¢âÕ¡Ÿ≈„π°“√«‘®—¬√«∫√«¡®“°∫∑ π∑π“„π ≈—°…≥–°“√ ◊ËÕ “√‡©æ“–∫ÿ§§≈·≈–·√ß¢—∫∑“ß ÀâÕß π∑π“π“π“™“µ‘·≈–ÀâÕß π∑π“¿“…“Õ—ß°ƒ… Õ“√¡≥å´÷ËßπÕ°®“°®–™à«¬ √â“ß§«“¡‡¢â“„® “√ „π‡«Á∫‰´µå πÿ°·≈–æ—π∑‘æ¬å ®”π«π 60 ∫∑ π∑π“ √–À«à“ßºŸâ π∑π“™“«‰∑¬¥â«¬°—π·≈â« ¬—ß· ¥ßÕ—µ º≈°“√«‘®—¬æ∫°“√ ≈—∫®“°¿“…“Õ—ß°ƒ…‰ª Ÿà¿“…“ ≈—°…≥å√à«¡∑“ß«—≤π∏√√¡¥â«¬ ‰∑¬‚¥¬«‘∏’°“√µà“ßÊ ‰¥â·°à (1) °“√·∑√°§”‰∑¬ (2) §” ”§—≠: °“√ªπ¿“…“ °“√ªπ¿“…“·≈–‡∑§‚π‚≈¬’ °“√·ª≈§” (3) °“√Õâ“ßÕ‘ß§” (4) °“√´È”§” (5) °“√ ¿“…“„πÀâÕß π∑π“∑“ß∑“ßÕ‘π‡∑Õ√å‡πÁµ · ¥ß≈—°…≥–æ‘‡»…·≈– (6) °“√ ≈—∫®“°°“√„™â Department of Languages (English), Faculty of Commerce and Management, Prince of Songkla University, Trang Campus, Trang 92000, Thailand. «. ‡°…µ√»“ µ√å ( —ß§¡) ªï∑’Ë 32 ©∫—∫∑’Ë 3 479 INTRODUCTION the current expansion of English, as çÇ In Thailand, the realization has grown that English is the lingua With linguistic globalization as a growing franca for interaction with ùforeignersû, rather than trend in todayûs communicative world, contact just ùnative speakersûÇé. Through this view, English between speakers of the English language and a is no longer restricted to upper social classes as in native language seems to be common, especially previous times, but is simply welcome among where English is of paramount importance. In common people. Frequent contact between English Thailand, English was historically associated with and Thai is thus unavoidable, resulting in the knowledge, power, and modernization. As early as ùlanguage mixingû phenomenon › an alternation 1612, the English language came to Thailand through between one language and another simultaneously contact with British people. During the reigns of made by a speaker within a sentence. King Rama IV and V, it was for the exclusive use There has been substantial interest in the of the royal families. Under the process of mixing of English in Thai utterances among Thai westernization and modernization (1851›1960), a researchers, particularly in terms of sound variables number of selected young men were sent to foreign by Thai speakers with different English language countries to extend their studies for the countryûs experience (for example, Nimphaibule, 1996; development (Suraratdecha, 2003: 67). English Sertthikul, 2004), mixing of English in Thai and consequently became a mark of the royals and the language attitudes as related to different social elite. An expansion of English and attestations of classes and occupational backgrounds (for example, switching and borrowing between Thai and English Dhithiwattana, 1996; Boonkongsaen, 1999), and were first witnessed during this period (Warie, 1997: perceptions of code-mixing in mass media (for 25, cited in Suraratdecha, 2003: 67). Although this example, Kannaovakun and Gunther, 2003). These foreign language is now neither an official language earlier studies focused on real speech interaction in of the country, nor is it given any special position which English is used in Thai contexts. This gap will in terms of language policy, it is set as a compulsory pave a challenging way for further investigation in course for education. The integration of English into virtual communities, in which language features are the curriculum is evidence of its importance. rather speech-like, but it remains largely unexplored. In recent years, the growth of English has Having observed written utterances in English been further accelerated by a startling expansion in and international chat rooms on particular Thai the quantity and speed of the international websites, the researcher witnessed the seemingly- communication and tourism industries. Advertisements intended alternation between Thai and English, even in English are widely heard and seen everywhere in simple words or phrases, leading to intriguing promoting products ranging from canned soft drinks questions. Why do Thai bilinguals alternate between to T-shirts. Thai people mostly believe that knowing two languages? What are the crucial effects or factors English is advantageous as it opens new horizons in involved? Are there any special features characterizing the spheres of education and employment which lead on-line code-mixing? With this linguistic curiosity, to a better life in society and have great instrumental the researcher set out to systematically examine Thai value in business, as if one is fluent in English, one and English code- mixing in the Internet chat rooms, can automatically gain a higher position. Under such hypothesizing that the findings could be somehow circumstances, there is a great effort to be proficient different from those in spontaneous speech situations. in English. Prevalence of English thus generates Some linguistic aspects in Thai styles as reflected in eagerness in learning mainly for economic, social, this cyber territory may reveal a language variety and cognitive benefits. Mathias (2007: 72) supported concerned with communicative functions and identity 480 «. ‡°…µ√»“ µ√å ( —ß§¡) ªï∑’Ë 32 ©∫—∫∑’Ë 3 markers. It can hopefully suggest implications for the changing the topic of conversation. Referring to the English proficiency of Thai people and the quality ùcode-switchingû concept, sentences from the two of language learning in the present curriculum. distinct grammatical systems are shifted within the same speech situation. Generally defined, code- OBJECTIVES mixing involves intra-sentential switching, and code- switching inter-sentential switching (Kannaovakun This study aimed (1) to explore and describe and Gunther, 2003: 67). Some researchers may the linguistic characteristics of mixing Thai and employ the term ùcode-mixingû to cover these two English in the English-dominant utterances at intra- alternations (Dulay et al., 1982: 115). In the present sentential and inter-sentential levels in synchronous study, code-mixing means the linguistic phenomenon chat rooms, and (2) to investigate the possible in which the Thai chatters alternately between Thai functions of mixing, factors involved, and new and English, either within one English sentence or textual identities built by language mixing. in the same speech situation. SIGNIFICANCE Functions, motivations, and attitudes Factors that bring about the mixing are The study will give a finer understanding of numerous and various. The first is for communicative the mixing of English and Thai, particularly shifting needs. In Liûs (2000: 317-318) study of Cantonese to Thai in English-dominant utterances, in the and English switching in Hong Kong, he found that Internet chat rooms. The findings can be useful for English is much more preferable since it is shorter foreign language learning in Thailand in terms of and thus requires less linguistic effort as compared alternative teaching tools and activities and a to the Cantonese equivalent. This study yields curriculum design most effective to fulfill the Thai support to Holmes (1992). Since the students learn learnersû communicative needs. Also, it might be of the vocabulary of economics, linguistics, or physics interest to those who are interested in other aspects in English, they do not know particular words in of a language variety influenced by digitally- Cantonese. When discussing their studies, they mediated communication to create new, virtual spontaneously switch to English (Holmes, 1992: 44). identities. Similarly, in the study of the mixing of English and Thai in Thai television programs, English mixes LITERATURE REVIEW often occur in high-technology fields and in the electronic world even when Thai equivalents exist Definitions and concepts of language mixing (Kannaovakun and Gunther, 2003: 76). The importance In fact, the ability to shift languages is known of English can be attributed to the fact that it is a among bilinguals who can make irregular use of a world language in science and technology, as well second language or have considerable skills in a as in international trade and commerce, and so the second language. While speaking with another use of English for discussing such topics will always bilingual, the bilinguals may alternate from one give an impression of authority, credibility, and language to another language, leading to code authenticity (Kannaovakun and Gunther, 2003: 67). ù-mixingû or ù-switchingû. Some researchers take a Whatûs more, language shifting can be further step to distinguish between them. According related to the social values of a particular root.

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