From Statistical Panic to Moral Panic: The Metadiscursive Construction and Popular Exaggeration of New Media Language in the Print Media

Abstract

As a way of tracking popular framing of CMC, this article critically reviews an international corpus of 101 print-media accounts (from 2001 to 2005) of language-use in technologies such as instant messaging and text messaging. From the combined perspective of folk linguistics and critical discourse analysis, this type of metadiscourse (i.e., discourse about discourse) reveals the conceptual and ideological assumptions by which particular communication practices come to be institutionalized and understood. The article is illustrated with multiple examples from across the corpus in order to demonstrate the most recurrent metadiscursive themes in mediatized depictions of technologically or computer-mediated discourse (CMD). Rooted in extravagant characterizations of the prevalence and impact of CMD, together with highly caricatured exemplifications of actual practice, these popular but influential (mis)representations typically exaggerate the difference between CMD and nonmediated discourse, misconstrue the ''evolutionary'' trajectory of language change, and belie the cultural embeddedness of CMD.

The affordances of reading/writing on paper and digitally in Finland

“…Regarding writing, for instance, Thurlow (2006) brings out an important issue: while it is perhaps true that text-messaging and typing damage formal writing, the criticism often targets old linguistic practices that are actually no longer used. Other studies have specified that the impacts of digitalization on writing are perhaps not particular devastating.…”

R u txting? Is the Use of Text Speak Hurting Your Literacy?

“…For example, Barker (2007) claims that secondary school teachers are seeing textisms (text abbreviations) in school assignments. However, despite the media headlines that suggest that use of text speak in written assignments is becoming commonplace, there is no sound empirical evidence that textisms are, in fact, surfacing in students' formal written communication (Thurlow, 2006). On the other hand, there is also no evidence that textisms aren't surfacing in formal environments, that students differentiate between the two registers (text speak and SE), or that students think text speak is inappropriate for formal written communication.…”

“…These studies have mainly used discourse analysis techniques to measure the prevalence of text speak in adolescents' (Tagliamonte & Denis, 2008) and college students ' (Baron, 2004;Thurlow, 2003) written communication within interactive peer forums. Although these researchers all found that the written communication within their groups contains relatively little text speak and is quite rich linguistically, they still agreed that a new written language has emerged (see also review by Thurlow, 2006). Moreover, media sources suggest that this new written language has begun to surface in more formal communication as well.…”

NetWrite: A New Breed of Communication

“…In this situation, while it is unlikely that papers will be read out loud, verbal concerns such as rhythm and flow still need to be considered as rhetorical components and elements of writing style. Thurlow (2006) synthesizes a number of extenuating factors that affect communication by IM. These include time spent online, participants' levels of motivation, and the relationship of the conversationalists (Thurlow, 2006).…”

“…Thurlow (2006) synthesizes a number of extenuating factors that affect communication by IM. These include time spent online, participants' levels of motivation, and the relationship of the conversationalists (Thurlow, 2006). These factors would not translate well to a more permanent piece of writing, such as an academic essay or report.…”