DOCUhENT RESUME ED 350 640 CS 507 987 AUTHOR Thompsen, Philip A.; Ahn, Dong-Keun TITLE To Be or Not To Be: An Exploration of E-Prime, Copula Deletion and Flaming in Electronic Mail. PUB DATE Feb 92 NOTE 13p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western States Communication Association (63rd, Boise, ID, February 21-25, 1992). PUB TYPE Speeches/Conference Papers (150) Reports Research /Technical (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Electronic Mail; Higher Education; Language Attitudes; Language Research; *Language Styles; *Semantics; *Verbs; Writing Research IDENTIFIERS *Copula Deletion (Grammar); *E Prime; General Semantics Paradigm (Korzybski) ABSTRACT A study explored the efficacy of the general semantic technique of E-Prime (a technique for increasing awareness of abstraction through the deliberate deletion of all forms of the verb "to be") through a study of copula deletion (omission of auxiliary verbs) and flaming (the fervent exchange of emotionally charged messages) in electronic mail. A computer program was developed that administered an interactive questionnaire to 227 users of an electronic mail system at a major university. Results indicated that: (1) fewer than half of those surveyed were aware of either copula deletion or flaming in electronic mail; (2) the most frequently cited motivation for copula deletion was the desire to write messages quickly; and (3) no statistically significant relationship was found between copula deletion and flaming in electronic mail. Findings suggest that the omission of the verb "to be" does not by itself convey the advantages of E-Prime. Findings also suggest that copula deletion and flaming are not as widespread in electronic mail in a university setting as they may be in other settings, perhaps because of a greater stigma attached to nonstandard English usage. (Four charts and three tables of data are included; 27 references and the questionnaire are attached.) (Author/RS) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** To Be or Not To Be: An Exploration of E-Prime, Copula Deletion and Flaming in Electronic Mail by Philip A. Thompsen and Dong-Kenn Ahn Department of Communication, The University of Utah, Salt LakeCityB,UT 84112 A paper presented to the Western States Communicationci ation, Assoe,ois Idaho, February 1992 U.S. DEPAIVMENT OF EDUCATION O'bce of Educetiona1 Re5.5,t,h endImprovement EDUCATIONALCEERIC) RESOURCES INFORMATION Thi5 document he% been Wm:booedas PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE received from the person or orgenizatfon THIS ong.nsting if MATERIAL. HAS BEENGRANTED BY 0 Minor changes have been made fa improve febrOdubliOn guebtti a Points ol view Or opinions silted in thisdocu- rnent do nol necessarily represent °revel OERI position or policy TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES tV INFORMATION CENTER(ER1(4.- ti BEST COPY AVAILABLE To Be or Not To Be: An Exploration of E-Prime, Copula Deletion and Flaming in Electronic Mail by Philip A. Thompsen and Dong-Keun Ahn Department of Communication, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 A paper presented to the Western States Communication Association, Boise, Idaho, February 1992 Abstract dation for characterizing and understanding hu- man communication and therefore each person The efficacy of the general semantic technique of E- who finds that communication reflects -nd de- Prime was explored in this study of copula deletion fines himself or herself.In other words, the (omission of auxiliary verbs) and flaming (the fervent computer revolution is now a personal issue, an exchange of emotionally charged messages)i n issue that requires exploration, definition and electronic mail. Copula deletion and flaming have analysis. (7) been previously identified as characteristics of elec- tronic mail, while E-Prime is a general semantic Among those pursuing such "exploration, definition technique that employs a deliberate alteration of lan- and analysis" are scholars of organizational communi- guage similar to copula deletion. If E-Prime can im- cation (for example, Blackman and Clevenger, 1990; prove communication effectiveness and reduce mis- Compton, White and DeWine, 1991; Dunlap and under-standings, can copula deletion reduce the fre- Kling, 1991; Foulger, 1990; Komsky, 1991; Papa and quency of flaming in electronic mail? Or is the value Papa, 1990; Rubinyi, 1989; Rice, 1987). of E-Prime to be found in the intent to alter linguistic One of the applications of computer-mediated com- habits, rather than the alteration itself? To explore munication (CMC) in organizations is the electronic these questions, a computer program was developed mail system, in which people exchange mail messages that administered an interactive questionnaire to 227 using computer networks. Once found primarily in users of an electronic mail system at a major univer- highly specialized and technical environments, elec- sity. Results showed that less than half of those sur- tronic mail systems are becoming routine in many veyed were aware of either copula deletion or flaming kinds of organizations, as electronic mail gains in electronic mail. The most frequently cited mo- acceptance as a communication medium. (See tivation for copula deletion was the desire to write Komsky (1991) for a discussion of how -acceptance" messages quickly. No statistically significant rela- has been defined by researchers, including conceptual- tionship was found between copula deletion and izations of "routinization," "time since adoption." and flaming in electronic mail, leading the authors to "usage.") The computer industry has seized on the conclude that omission of the verb "to be" does not by rapid implementation of electronic mail systems in itself convey the advantages of E-Prime. business, with manufacturers emphasizing the benefits of electronicmailinmarketingplans;a s Schaefermeyer and Sewell (1988) point out, Introduction "computer-mediated communication has become the The application of computer technology for com- primary focus of the computer industry" (112). munication is becoming a significant area of study. In The university, in particular, has been a site for his overview of research on computer-mediated rapid growth in the implementation of electronic mail communication systems, Rice (1989) claimed that this systems.Because of the university's role as an area has received "increased attention" from a variety "information processing organization," Komsky of disciplines, and he specifically notes the interest of (1991) identified the university as "an exemplary set- scholars of communication, information science and ting for testing the efficacy and acceptance of elec- management science. The need for understanding the tronic mail as a medium of communication" (310). influence of computers on how we communicate is Shamp (1991) noted that users at nearly three thou- Oti expressed eloquently by Chesebro and Bonsall (1989): sand universities throughout the world can now ex- ...computerization is establishing an archetypal change electronic mail messages with each other. metaphor for human talk that is emerging as a Through the rapid implementation of campus-wide vl controlling philosophy, if not ideology, in the computer networks, the interconnection of university United States. Technology and communication electronic mail systems through networks such as CJ are now intimately interrelated. The terminolo- Bitnet and Internet, and a growing recognition of the gies, attitudes, and values utilized to describe a value of electronic mail for scholarly exchange, elec- technology are increasingly becoming the foun- tronic mail is becoming an important form of commu- nication in academic organizations. J Copula Deletion and Flaming in E-Mail, p. 2 Two qualities of electronic mail messages that have of Humanity and Science and Sanity are generally been reported in the literature are flaming and copula considered the seminal works in the field. Although deletion, and these two qualities represent the primary both books were published more than half a century focus of this research. Our research explored the ex- ago (the first in 1921, the second in 1933), the disci- tent of flaming in electronic mail, and attempted to pline he founded remains a vibrant area of academic identify some of the characteristics of those electronic inquiry. Johnson (1991) notes that when Science and mail users who have been exposed to flaming. We Sanity was published, it was seen by some as also explored the extent of and motivation for copula a formidable tome published privately by a deletion in electronic mail messages. And by compar- largely unknown authoran independent ing the extent of flaming and copula deletion, we scholar who lacked the "proper" academic cre- sought to test one of the premises of the general se- dentials.It didn't fit the categories revered in mantic technique of E-Prime, a technique for increas- academianot quite philosophy, or linguistics, ing awareness of abstraction through the deliberate or psychology, or logic, or neurology, or math- deletion of the verb "to be." ematicsyet borrowing from all of these and more....Somehow it inspired many populariza- A General Semantics Approach tions, over a hundred and fifty doctoral disserta- tions, and two scholarly journals, as well as This study was primarily exploratory in nature. many college and university courses,