Lecture 8: Computer-Mediated Communication

The wonders of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) are immense. It facilitates long distance communication more easily and brings communication to another level. You can chat with friends from overseas, update each other on social networking sites and even play games while socializing with friends at the same time.

Talk about video-conferencing a decade ago, and people might still feel skeptical about it. Yet, nowadays, it turns out to be the norm. Projects discussions, meetings and socializing are often done online. Online role-playing games have made the issue more pertinent due to online gaming addiction amongst youths.

I do agree as to what was discussed in class yesterday on the hybrid nature of CMC between speech and writing. This hybrid language has more or less become a distinct feature of CMC. As brought up in class, I do not think that the prolonged use of netlingo will result in a drop of standards in the English standards of a person. I guess the use of netlingo is due to the speed and ways of typing. Normally, shortcuts are used to facilitate the conventions or styles of typing. Even in the case of sms-ing using handphones, shorter abbreviations are used because: 1) difficulties in typing, 2) words limit and 3) typing in a rush.

An important thing to take note of is the potential influences of these netlingo on children. We cannot deny that without a basic foundation in English, one might be influenced by these netlingo which will inevitably cause a drop in their English standards.

Although there have been arguments on the lack of human touch or emotions in using CMC, the use of emoticons and certain conventions have proved us wrong.

Emoticons help to lessen the tension in messages over online platform. This is because, the recipient is unable to see the facial expression of the sender. A simple message like “Hello”, might be regarded as a dry reply. However, a message like “Hello J” indicates to the receiver that the sender is smiling and is happy to see the recipient online.

Similarly, to overcome the lack of physical touch, people do use things like *hugs* or *pat on your back* to show certain actions that the sender would do to the recipient if they are communicating face-to-face.

Thus, CMC might not be as “cold” as some of us may feel. Instead, it offers us an alternative platform to further and maintain real world relationships.