Conversational analysis of
chatroom talk
by
Terrell Neuage
BA (Journalism), Bachelor of Arts with Honours
(Children’s Literature), MA (English Literature)
A
thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
PhD
2004
Chairperson of Supervisory Committee:
Professor Claire Woods
Date Saturday,
Conversational analysis of chatroom talk
1.1
Evolution of language from early utterances to chatroom utterances
1.2
Internet-based communication systems
1.2.1
E-mail, discussion forums
1.3.1
Print to computerization
1.4
Purpose of examining on-line conversation
1.5.1
Problems of researching on-line
1.6 Are Chatrooms Public or Private?
1.8 Personal interest in researching on-line conversation
2.2 Technology of conversation
2.2.2.1 CMC
and on-line talk-texting
2.2.2.2
Analysing electronic textual data
2.2.2.3
On-line writings on CMC
2.2.2.3.3
Role playing chat sites
2.3 Analysing on-line conversation
2.3.1.1
The Reader as interpreter
2.3.1.2
The assumed or implied reader
2.3.1.3
The background of the reader (“mosaic of multiple texts”)
2.3.1.4
The role of the reader
2.3.3 Symbolic
activity in chatrooms
2.3.4
The language/action approach
3.4 Protocol of a transcription methodology
CS
1.0.1 Reason for choosing this chatroom
CS
1.0.2 Background to Hurricane Floyd
CS
1.2.1.1 Skills of shared language
CS
1.2.1.2.1 Knowledge and skills of discourse structure and organization
CS
1.2.1.2.2 Metalinguistic knowledge and skills
CS
1.2.1.3.3 Phenomenological approach to reading
CS
1.3.1 Two readings of a chatroom
CS
1.3.1.2 Three different Hurricane Floyd discussion strands
CS
2.0.1 Choosing an IM chatroom
CS
2.1 Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC)
CS
2.2.1 Is electronic talk comparable to verbal talk?
CS
3.3.1.2 3D virtual chats and ikons
CS
4.0.2 Why I chose this chatroom
CS
4.2.1 Speech situations as speech events