International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, Vol. 2, No. 3, May 2012 Linguistic Features in the Online Discussion Forums Z. A. Kadir, M. Maros, and B. A. Hamid In a synchronous setting, electronic interactions take place Abstract—Due to the revolution of technology in in real time. Some systems are designed to facilitate communication, a unique form of communication has emerged communication between at least two users or several users, involving the use of new word forms, structures and style of e.g. IRC. The scenario of two people talking in parallel and at expression. Therefore, this study examined the linguistic a length while gaining full mutual understanding is features used in a discussion forum among the e-distance learning students in Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia. The inconceivable. With multiple interactions, the situation may data of this study were collected from messages posted by the be potentially confusing as it is difficult to know how many students to their friends and lecturers. The online forums are people are involved, who they are and what they are talking platform for the students in this program to communicate with about. This type of setting is mainly associated with their fellow classmates, lecturers and other e-distance learning nicknames-system. Clashes of nicknames never occur. students. The study indicates students use linguistic features Topics normally obsolete very quickly and it is not easy to such as rebus writing, internet specific acronyms, reduplication of letters when communicating with their friends. This study keep track of conversation after some time [2],[3]. also hopes to enrich the knowledge on the study of Online discussion forum is also a type of asynchronous computer-mediated communication and to motivate other setting of communication whereby the sender can leave and researchers to conduct further studies in this area. expect responses to his/her messages. In other words, the users are not only able to discuss and share information, but Index Terms—About four key words or phrases in also exchange ideas and opinions. The discussion forum alphabetical order, separated by commas. allows communication with many participants’ structure. The discussion forums can be divided into three different components which actually depend on the display format; I. INTRODUCTION non-threaded, semi-threaded and fully-threaded. The Computer-mediated discourse is the communication non-threaded forum function is similar to notice bulletin produced when human beings interact with one another by board as it does not encourage discussion or reply to transmitting messages via networked computers. The study messages. The messages are normally display in of computer-mediated discourse is a specialization within the chronological order. The semi-threaded online discussion broader interdisciplinary study of computer-mediated forums, on the other hand display the initial messages on top communication, distinguished by its focus on language and and allows other users to reply to the messages. The replied language use in computer networked environments, and by messages will then line up under one another below the initial its use of methods of discourse analysis to address that focus message which is normally in chronological with the most [1]. It encompasses all kinds of interpersonal communication recent messages display below or vice-versa. Finally, the carried out on the Internet, e.g. by email, instant messaging, fully threaded online discussion forums enable other users to web discussion boards, and chat channels. reply to the initial messages. The basic layout is similar The Internet allows people to engage in a multi-party between the semi-threaded and fully-threaded online conversation online, either synchronously, in real time or discussion forum. However, users in fully-threaded asynchronously, in postponed time. Such interactions take discussion forums are allowed to response to the replies of place in various forms of Internet communication such as the initial messages which later on can develop into a string chatgroups, newsgroups, usergroups, chatroom [2],[3]. In of discourse. This format draws the closest to face-to face asynchronous setting, users are not required to log on at the discussion that supports turn-adjacency. same time in order to receive and send messages as their messages are sent to a central computer address and inserted into a permanent refreshing screen along with contributions II. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY from other users. The online members of the group see their contributions appear on screen after they make them and E-learning, a type of learning that is considered important hope for a prompt response [1], [2],[3]. The group members in the emerging knowledge of society. Hence, communicate for various reasons such as interest in a computer-mediated communication has been adopted in most particular subject matter, entertainment or communication. e- learning setting. Computer-mediated communication The groups may comprise of people from various fields; refers to any form of communication enabled through the use academic, professional, governmental, commercial or social of computers. In the computer-mediated communication [2],[3]. literature, the term generally refers to communication modalities dependent on computer-based networks or meta-networks, particularly the Internet and commercial Manuscript received February 25, 2012; revised April 5, 2012. Zaemah Abd Kadir is with the Academy of Language Studies, UiTM online services. Language plays an important role in the Shah Alam.(e-mail: [email protected]). communication activities in the computer-mediated M.Maros and B. A. Hamid are with the School of Language Studies and communication. Due to the revolution of technology in Linguistics, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UKM. 276 International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, Vol. 2, No. 3, May 2012 communication, a unique form of communication has messages was calculated using the standard Microsoft word emerged involving the use of new word forms, structures and count function. Based from the investigations, Thurlow style of expression. asserts that each individual does not have one style of The online discussion forum, an asynchronous mode of language in any environment, instead, she/he will have a communication, is a platform for Universiti Teknologi repertoire or a range of style to suit different context. The MARA students who are in the e-distance learning program following common patterns were found; to discuss academic and non academic matters with their • shortenings (missing end letters), e.g. ‘lang’ for learning facilitators and classmates. The forum has no ‘language’. moderators, but the students are expected to abide to the • Contractions (missing middle letters), e.g. ‘gd’ for ethical code published online (politeness and respect for ‘good’ others). Each course has its own discussion forum designed • ;g’ clipping (final letter missing, e.g. ‘goin’ for them. All students who are studying part time, full time or for’going’ e- distance learning at the Universiti Teknologi MARA are • Other clippings, e.g. ‘hav’ for ‘have’ taught in English. Therefore, these students who are taking • Acronyms and intialisms, e.g. ‘v’ for ‘very’ English courses are expected to use English language either • Letter/number homophones, e.g. ‘1’ for ‘one’ in offline or online communication. However, an interesting • Non-conventional spelling, e.g.’sum’ for ‘some’ phenomenon seems to appear in the online discussion forum • Accent stylization ( speaker tries to represent a among the e-distance learning students; that is particular pronunciation, for example regional code-switching and the use of paralinguistic features. It speech), e.g. ‘wivout’ for ‘without’ appears that these students use various linguistic features • Non-alphabetic symbol when they write their messages online in spite of the fact that • Emoticon the discussion forums are designed for English courses and (page 19) should be written in English. Therefore, the main objective of Based on the above findings, Thurlow concludes that a this study is to examine the linguistic features used in the number of sociolinguistic maxim or triggering factors are discussion forum. required to explain some of the features above: • Speed-txters have to speed up their pace of communication, so they need to take short cuts. III. LITERATURE ON LINGUISTIC FEATURES IN • Brevity-txters have only limited space for their COMPUTER-MEDIATED COMMUNICATION communication, so they need to omit any elements In computer-mediated communication, writers have to use that are not strictly necessary for understanding other manipulation of written signs in order to accomplish • Paralinguistic restitution-txters need to find ways to replace the aspect of physical communications such pragmatic work that could be achieved through phonological as body language that are absent variation, prosody, gesture and other cues in ordinary spoken • Phonological approximation-txters want to build in conversation. Segerstad [4] examined the linguistic feature in ways their readers to ‘hear’ their voice, so try to computer-mediated communication found that writers use all change the written language to represent this. capital letters, repetition of words, emoticons, asterisk, symbol replacing words to as paralinguistic cues in the Although research conducted by Thurlow was based on interaction. In addition, Crystal [5] in his book, Internet mobile