From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npois!ucbvax!ARPAVAX:bradr
Newsgroups: net.general
Title: Sociolinguistics of Computer Communication
Article-I.D.: ucbarpa.1340
Posted: Mon May 17 02:29:22 1982
Received: Tue May 18 01:56:20 1982

I am doing a project on the sociolinguistic aspects of communication
over computer links, both interactive (like UNIX "write") and batch
(like this newsitem).  I am looking for:
* Accounts of interesting interactions (as opposed to interesting
  content) over computer links.
* Descriptions of conventions used during interactive communication
  at various installations.  (e.g. at Berkeley, we use "-o-" as a
  turn-taking convention to mean "I am through talking, now it's
  your turn").
* What, to you, constitutes inappropriate or unsophisticated
  use of the medium (e.g. Are there circumstances under which you
  consider it rude for someone to initiate an interactive discussion?
  When reading a message, does its structure (as opposed to content)
  give you any clues as to how "computer-wise" the writer is?)
* Jargon you use particular to the medium (e.g. "cul" for "see you
  later" when terminating a conversation).
* Any pointers to literature on this topic you may know about.

Of course, I have combed a lot of news articles for this type of stuff,
but collecting interactive conversation is more difficult, because
of the obvious ethical problems of monitoring other people's
interactions (It would be wiretapping really, just easier to program).
So I am depending on voluntary contributions.  If you have any
information you would like to share, please send it to me via reply
mail.		  Thanks.
			   Brad Rubenstein,
			   ucbarpa!bradr,
			   bradr@berkeley