Gamespeak for n00bs A linguistic and pragmatic analysis of gamers‟ language Diplomarbeit zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades einer Magistra der Philosophie an der Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz vorgelegt von Jasmin FUCHS am Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik Begutachterin: Ao.Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Phil. Hermine Penz Graz, 2013 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 5 2. The multiplayer game Counter-Strike: Source .................................................................. 7 2.1. Gameplay ................................................................................................................... 7 3. Language and the Internet .................................................................................................. 8 3.1. Computer-mediated communication .......................................................................... 9 3.2. Types of computer-mediated communication .......................................................... 10 3.3. Synchronous communication ................................................................................... 11 3.4. Asynchronous communication ................................................................................. 12 3.5. Computer-mediated communication tools used in games ........................................ 12 3.5.1. TeamSpeak ......................................................................................................... 13 3.5.2. Mumble .............................................................................................................. 14 3.5.3. Steam .................................................................................................................. 15 3.5.3.1. Computer-mediated communication tools provided by Steam ................... 15 3.5.3.1.1 Steam in-game voice .............................................................................. 15 3.5.3.1.2 Steam in-game chat ................................................................................ 16 4. Netspeak ........................................................................................................................... 17 4.1. The seven Internet situations .................................................................................... 18 4.1.1. E-mail ................................................................................................................. 19 4.1.2. Chatgroups ......................................................................................................... 19 4.1.3. Virtual worlds ..................................................................................................... 21 4.1.4. World Wide Web ............................................................................................... 22 4.1.5. Instant messaging ............................................................................................... 22 4.1.6. Blogging ............................................................................................................. 24 5. The Language of Gamers ................................................................................................. 26 6. Methodology and data ...................................................................................................... 28 6.1. Private conversations ................................................................................................ 28 6.2. Chat logs ................................................................................................................... 28 6.3. In-game screenshots ................................................................................................. 29 7. Analysis of Gamespeak .................................................................................................... 29 7.1. Phonological features ............................................................................................... 29 7.1.1. Vowel and consonant deletion ........................................................................... 29 7.2. Orthographic features ............................................................................................... 30 7.2.1. New spelling conventions .................................................................................. 30 7.2.2. Decapitalisation .................................................................................................. 32 7.2.3. All-capitalisation ................................................................................................ 32 2 7.2.4. Omission of punctuation .................................................................................... 33 7.2.5. Exaggeration of punctuation .............................................................................. 34 7.2.6. Omission of apostrophes .................................................................................... 34 7.3. Paralanguage ............................................................................................................ 35 7.3.1. Emoticons/Smileys ............................................................................................. 35 7.3.2. Imitating sounds ................................................................................................. 40 7.3.3. Imitating actions ................................................................................................. 41 7.4. Grammatical features ............................................................................................... 42 7.4.1. Morphology ........................................................................................................ 42 7.4.2. Word formation processes .................................................................................. 43 7.4.2.1. Abbreviations .............................................................................................. 43 7.4.2.1.1 Acronyms ................................................................................................ 43 7.4.2.1.2 Initialisms ............................................................................................... 45 7.4.2.2. Backformation ............................................................................................. 45 7.4.2.3. Blending ...................................................................................................... 47 7.4.2.4. Clipping ....................................................................................................... 48 7.4.2.5. Compounding .............................................................................................. 49 7.5. Pragmatics ................................................................................................................ 51 7.5.1. Speech act theory ............................................................................................... 52 7.5.1.1. Representatives ........................................................................................... 53 7.5.1.2. Directives .................................................................................................... 53 7.5.1.2.1 Imperative verb forms and clauses ......................................................... 53 7.5.1.2.2 Modal and auxiliary verb constructions ................................................. 54 7.5.1.2.3 Directive interrogatives .......................................................................... 54 7.5.1.3. Commissives ............................................................................................... 55 7.5.1.4. Expressives ................................................................................................. 57 7.5.1.5. Declarations ................................................................................................ 59 7.6. Leetspeak .................................................................................................................. 60 7.6.1. What is Leetspeak? ............................................................................................. 61 7.6.2. Features of Leetspeak ......................................................................................... 62 7.6.2.1. Orthography ................................................................................................ 63 7.6.2.2. Common transliterations ............................................................................. 64 7.6.2.3. Morphology ................................................................................................. 65 7.6.2.4. Grammar ..................................................................................................... 65 7.6.2.5. Vocabulary .................................................................................................. 67 7.6.2.5.1 Vocabulary related to illegal activity ...................................................... 67 7.6.2.5.2 Vocabulary related to gaming ................................................................. 68 3 7.6.2.5.3 Other, non-specific context related terms ............................................... 69 7.6.3. Leetspeak versus Chatspeak ............................................................................... 70 7.6.4. Leetspeak as a dying „language‟ ........................................................................ 71 7.7. Leetspeak in online multiplayer games .................................................................... 72 7.7.1. Gamers‟ nicknames ...........................................................................................