Ce travail de recherche propose une description du discours numérique tel qu’il apparaît dans l’environnement numérique qu’est Facebook. Il s’appuie sur l’étude des souhaits d’anniversaire, en montrant comment leur forme finale peut être influencée par la préconstruction technolangagière du site. La première partie, donne un aperçu de l’évolution des recherches sur le discours numérique, en décrivant d’une part le contexte d’apparition du web 2.0 et des bouleversements épistémologiques et discursifs qu’il a pu provoquer. Et d’autre part les spécificités linguistiques connues du discours apparaissant dans les environnements numériques. La deuxième partie, montre que l’avènement du web social a changé les choses dans les recherches sur le discours numérique, demandant une approche pluridisciplinaire. Cette réflexion nécessite de décentrer le regard des énoncés pour s’intéresser à leur environnement de production et aux affordances qu’il offre aux locuteurs. Ce nouveau positionnement épistémologique permet de repenser la description de Facebook, non plus comme une plateforme communicationnelle mais comme un environnement discursif complexe mettant en question les notions d’identité, d’intimité et de liens socio-affectifs. Enfin, la troisième et dernière partie de cette thèse, présente les problématiques liées à l’étude d’un cas concret d’écriture nativement numérique. La description et l’analyse des souhaits d’anniversaire sur Facebook et des outils méthodologiques et théoriques adaptés aux environnements numériques utilisés à cette fin. La description et l’analyse des souhaits d’anniversaire sur Facebook permettent de dégager deux aspects technolangagiers dans ce type de discours. Le premier est l’action environnementale sur la production langagière, c’est le cas notamment de la préconstruction technolangagière mais aussi de la prise en compte de l’exposition du message par les locuteurs (redéfinition du lien socio-affectif). Le second est l’intégration de la technologie à l’intérieur même des formes discursives, générant de nouveaux technogenres comme le discours par bouton ou des énoncés augmentés comme les hashtags. / This research provides a description of the digital discourse as it appears in the digital environment that is Facebook. It is based on the study of birthday wishes, showing how their final shape may be influenced by technological influence site. The first part provides an overview of developments in research on digital discourse, describing on one hand the context of emergence of Web 2.0 and discursive and epistemological changes that it has caused. And also known linguistic specificities of the speech appearing in digital environments. The second part shows that the advent of the social web has changed things in research on digital discourse, demanding a multidisciplinary approach. This reflection requires an interest in that production environment and affordances that provides speakers. This new epistemological positioning allows to rethink the description of Facebook, not as a communicative platform, but as a complex discursive environment by questioning the notions of identity, privacy and socio-emotional ties. The third and final part of this thesis presents the issues related to the study of a concrete case of natively digital writing. The description and analysis of birthday wishes on Facebook and methodological and theoretical tools adapted to digital environments used for this purpose. The description and analysis of birthday wishes on Facebook show two technolinguistic aspects in this type of discourse. The first is environmental action on language production, it is the case of technological preconstruction but also taking account of exposure of the message by the speakers (redefinition of socio-emotional bond). The second is the integration of technology within the same discursive forms, generating new technological genders as the discourse by button or statements increased as hashtags.

Master of Arts / Department of Communication Studies, Theatre, and Dance / Nicole M. Laster / Goffman (1959) suggests that it is through communication that we are able to form impressions of self and express our identity to society. With the emergence of computer-mediated communication and social network sites we’ve witnessed a new form of communication online, and as a result, the traditional forms of impression management used to construct and display identity have shifted to include not just speaking or writing our identity, but displaying who we are through photographs online. This research investigates the connection between the use of a particular social network site, Facebook, and the pattern of impression management techniques through the management and addition of photographs on the site. A two-month ethnography of 16 participants was conducted followed by 3 interviews. Results indicate that digital natives (individuals who have grown up heavily in the presence of technology) tend to convey a variety of conflicting online identities through images, resulting in a “no consequences” generation that, while concerned with privacy, are more concerned with communicating an impression that fits within their primary social roles.

The evolution of computer networks and the Internet has transformed the world. Digital communication technologies offer exciting options and new challenges for Open and Distance Learning (ODL). This dissertation presents a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) training pilot* in order to investigate and critique the use of Learning Management Systems distance-driven teacher development programmes. Globally, English language learning is in high demand. Conventional contact training is unable to reach sufficient numbers of aspirant teachers to ensure quality and to promote access. The study uses design-based research as a means of unravelling the complex relationships between theory, best practice, and implementation in both ODL and TEFL. It concludes by recommending foundational institutional changes as the most appropriate means to effective distance and computer-assisted education. / English Studies / (M.A. (English))

The purpose of this study is to gain in-depth knowledge of how the members of online communities form impressions of organisations that use online communities in their communication activities. Online impression formation has its peculiarities and in order to succeed companies need to better understand this phenomenon. In order to appreciate and evaluate an interaction, those involved in it must know their own identity. Hence, individuals as well as companies engage in identity production by trying to project a favourable impression. The process of identity production can take place in both the offline and the online world. This study focuses on the online world, more specifically on online communities, by investigating how online community members form impressions of companies that produce their identities in online communities. Technology has changed customer behaviours dramatically. People have embraced the Internet to meet and interact with one another. This behaviour is in line with the postmodern assumption that there is a movement towards re-socialisation. Online communication platforms connect people globally and give them the possibility to interact and form online social networks. These platforms are interactive, and thus change the traditional way of communication. Companies therefore have to embrace those interactive ways of communication. In the online world consumers are quick to react to communication weaknesses. Inappropriate corporate communication activities can affect the image they have formed of the company in question.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since its birth in the early 1960's the Internet has been growing exponentially in all areas and it is predicted that by the year 2002, 490 million people around the world will have Internet access. Similarly, a rapidly increasing number of people are finding themselves working and playing on the Internet, using computer mediated communication (CMC) to converse, exchange information, debate, court, and show compassion. As a result CMC has become a new way for people to find or meet each other via social Internet tools and form and develop personal relationships. Malcolm R. Parks (1997) compiled a theory of relational development, incorporating seven dimensions along which the nature of interaction changes as relationships develop or deteriorate: 1. Interdependence (influence on each other), 2. Breadth (variety of interaction), 3. Depth (intimacy of interaction), 4. Commitment (expectations that a relationship will continue), 5. Predictability and understanding (familiarity with each other), 6. Code change (creating own linguistic forms and culture) and 7. Network convergence (introducing each other to respective online contacts and social networks). This study investigated the relational development reached in interpersonal relationships initiated and maintained online via social Internet tools. As mainly South Africans responded, results provide first time information about South African Web users' online relationships. Results show that the majority of online relationships reached above average levels of relational development as measured by elevated scores on most of the seven dimensions. The results also show significant differences between the levels of relational development reached in online friendships as opposed to online romantic attachments. The results are consistent with past research and could be used as a point of departure for further investigations into South African's Internet social practices and relational development in online settings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Internet het, sedert sy oorsprong in die vroee 1960's, eksponensieel gegroei tot die mate dat, teen die jaar 2002, 'n voorspelde 490 miljoen mense wereldwyd Internet toegang sal he. Daar is net so 'n dramatiese toename in die hoeveelheid mense wat die Internet begin gebruik ten einde te werk en te speel, deur CMC (computer mediated communication) te gebruik om te gesels, te debatteer, inligting uit te ruil, mekaar die hof te maak en ondersteuning te verleen. As gevolg hiervan is CMC 'n nuwe platform waar mense mekaar ontmoet deur sosiale Internet instrumente in te span en op hierdie wyse persoonlike verhoudings te begin. Malcolm R. Parks (1997) het 'n teorie van relasionele ontwikkeling saamgestel, waarvolgens hy die sewe dimensies wat verander soos verhoudings groei of disintegreer, inkorporeer. Die dimensies is: 1. Interafhanklikheid (invloed op mekaar), 2. Breedte (variasie van interaksie), 3. Diepte (intimiteit van interaksie), 4. Verbintenis (verwagting dat die verhouding sal hou), 5. Voorspelbaarheid en begrip (bekend wees met mekaar), 6. Kode verandering (nuwe taalvorme en idiome) en 7. Netwerk konversie (om mekaar bekend te stel aan elektroniese en ander kontakte). Hierdie studie het die relasionele ontwikkeling ondersoek wat bereik is deur interpersoonlike verhoudinge wat deur middel van 'n sosiale Internet instrument ge'inisieer en onderhou is. Hoofsaaklik Suid-Afrikaners het deelgeneem en vir die eerste keer is statistiek oor Suid- Afrikaanse Internet gebruikers se elektroniese vehoudings beskikbaar. Resuitate toon dat die meerderheid van die verhoudings hoer as gemiddelde vlakke van relasionele ontwikkeling bereik het, 5005 gemeet deur die sewe dimensies. Die resultate wys ook dat daar 'n betekenisvolle verskil is tussen die relasionele ontwikkeling van elektroniese vriendskappe en romantiese verbintenisse. Die resultate stem ooreen met vorige studies en vorm 'n stewige grondslag vir verdere navorsing oor Suid-Afrikaners se sosiale Internet praktyke en verhoudings.

In recent years, social networking sites have become a prevailing communication technology in the evolution of the digital era for today’s Internet users (Ipsos Insight 2007). As more and more marketers attempt to harness the power of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) in social networking sites (Williamson 2006), rigorous investigation of determinants that lead to consumers’ engagement in eWOM via the social networks is becoming critical. A central question to answer is what factors influence eWOM behavior in social networking sites and what are the underlying processes of eWOM communications in this new social medium. This study focuses on five social relationship variables: social capital, tie strength, homophily, trust, and consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence that are all related to eWOM behavior in social networking sites. An online survey with a sample drawn from a large southwestern university was conducted to examine predictors of eWOM in social networking sites. Results from a series of multiple regression analyses indicate that certain social relationship variables are significant predictors that relate to social networking site users’ eWOM behavior. Out of the five relationship variables, social capital, homophily, trust, and interpersonal influence were found to significantly relate to users’ engagement in eWOM communications, whereas no effect was found with regard to tie strength. My dissertation research provides a theoretical understanding of consumers’ use of social networking sites as a vehicle for eWOM and contributes to the literature on computer-mediated communication with specific emphasis on online social media. Managerially, findings from this research could provide marketers with valuable information to establish their long-term relationships with consumers and use beneficial eWOM to promote selected brands. In conclusion, examining social relationships in social networking sites could contribute to our understanding of the determinants of consumer engagement in eWOM, which in turn influences the extent and pattern of eWOM and enables companies to deliberate their product diffusion strategies. / text

The present study provides a comparison of face-to-face and mediated hurtful communication in close relationships. Drawing on previous studies on hurtful communication and computer-mediated communication (CMC), an escalating hypothesis was posited that mediated hurtful messages would be perceived as more controllable, intentional, and hurtful than face-to-face (FtF) hurtful messages. Study 1 tested these predictions. Survey responses from college students who were randomly assigned to report either mediated or face-to-face hurtful interaction with a friend or romantic partner confirmed higher perceived controllability (i.e., being more deliberate on crafting hurtful messages) in the CMC than the FtF condition. Although intent and hurt were not different between the two contexts in the full sample, higher intent was found in CMC than FtF in romantic relationships. Thus, Study 2 was conducted, focusing on a comparison of FtF and text messaging in romantic relationships. Also, perceived face threat and relationship aspects—distancing effect of hurtful interactions and the effect of relationship satisfaction—were assessed. Face threat was posited to be lower in CMC than FtF context since Study 1 suggested that self-focused appraisals (e.g., humiliation) were lower for mediated hurtful messages. This difference in face threat was considered to result in similar levels of intent and hurt between the two contexts, although perceived controllability is higher in CMC. Results of Study 2 confirmed higher deliberation in CMC but failed to confirm higher intent or hurt in CMC. Further, face threat was not different between the two contexts, and controlling for face threat did not reveal the escalating effect (i.e., higher intent or hurt in CMC). Regarding relationship aspects, higher satisfaction and lower intent were associated with less distancing effect, and relationship satisfaction was negatively related to deliberation, intent, hurt, and distancing. These tendencies were not different between CMC and FtF contexts. These results suggest that mediated hurtful communication is a complex phenomenon in which various factors should be considered. The implications of these results were discussed, and suggestions for future studies were also offered. / text

Scholars have examined a variety of dimensions and models of interactivity in an attempt to articulate a comprehensive definition. Outcome Interactivity Theory (OIT) considers interactivity to be the result of a communication event involving the successful integration of three predictive dimensions: the presence of actual interactive technological features, the presence of similarly reactive content elements, and relevant user experiences that empower the user to employ these interactive elements within the communication event toward a desirable outcome. This dissertation accomplishes three major objectives: clarify the literature relating to the interactivity construct; introduce Outcome Interactivity Theory as a new theory-based conceptualization of the interactivity construct; and test Outcome Interactivity Theory using a pre-test post-test control group full experimental design. The study tests the impact of interactivity on knowledge acquisition and satisfaction student learning outcomes. In addition, the OIT model itself is tested to measure the effect of interactivity on knowledge acquisition and satisfaction. Finally, this study presents a new set of highly reliable interactivity measurement scales to quantify the influence of specific individual dimensions and elements on interactivity as defined by the OIT model. Results are described, and limitations and practical implications are discussed.

本文為「現象學操作」在電腦中介傳播上的範例。

The present study investigates the use of hedging devices in the readers’ comment section of the newspaper The Guardian Online. Two comment sections were chosen for the contrastive study: ‘Politics’ in the subsection ‘Comment is free’ and the series ‘Problem solved’ in the subsection ‘Life and style’. The corpus-based analysis of the frequency of hedges has revealed that the incidence of hedging devices in comments on personal issues is higher (by 19.2%) than on political articles. Three of the most frequently occurring hedging devices, namely, might, SEEM and I (don’t) think underwent further contextual analysis: the utterances containing these items were classified according to their illocutionary force, applying Bach’s (2003) classification of illocutionary acts. The most commonly hedged speech act types, characteristic of each section, were revealed.  Subsequently, an attempt was made to account for these findings from the perspective of ‘face’ and ‘facework’ as represented by Brown and Levinson (1987), Lim and Bowers (1991), MacGeorge, Lichtman and Pressey (2002), Ting-Toomey and Kurogi (1998). Since hedging is considered to be an effective strategy in minimizing ‘threats’ to the face of the addressee, it has  been possible to conclude that in discussions of personal issues participants are more concerned to ‘save’ the addressee’s face than in the case of political matters where the comment writers’ ‘self-face seems to be in the forefront.