Emojis can be ambiguous, even when used within one and the same language and geographic region, but they are also a globally accessible language in computer-mediated communication. This paper aims to examine if emoji usage across five different national varieties of English (American, English, Australian, Indian, and Nigerian), geographically located on five different continents, exhibits similar pragmatic functionality and sentiment. To achieve this aim, an analysis was made into the usage of three of the most frequently used emojis in tweets written by users from these five English-speaking countries. The number of tweets analyzed is 50 per selected emoji per selected variety of English, for a total of 750 tweets. The analytical process was to qualitatively determine the pragmatic function and sentiment the selected emoji exhibited in tweets. The results indicated that the pragmatic functionality and sentiment of the targeted emojis across the samples were generally similar, especially for Loudly Crying Face, but also for Face with Tears of Joy, whereas Sparkles showed more individual differences across the samples. A substantial finding was that it was possible to analyze facial and non-facial emojis in the same way. / Emojis kan vara tvetydliga, även inom samma språk och geografiska region, men de utgör också ett globalt tillgängligt språk inom datorförmedlad kommunikation. Syftet med uppsatsen är att fastställa om användningen av emojis inom fem olika nationella varianter av engelska (amerikansk, engelsk, australiensk, indisk, och nigeriansk), geografiskt lokaliserade på fem olika kontinenter, uppvisar liknande pragmatisk funktionalitet och attityd. För att uppnå syftet analyserades användningen av tre av de mest använda emojisarna i tweets skrivna av användare från dessa fem engelsktalande länder. Antalet tweets som har analyserats är 50 per utvald emoji per nationell variant av engelska, sammanlagt 750 tweets. Den analytiska processen var baserad kring att bestämma den pragmatiska funktionen och den attityd som de utvalda emojisarna uppvisade i tweets. Resultatet indikerade att den pragmatiska funktionaliteten och attityden hos de utvalda emojisarna var generellt sett snarlika över urvalen, speciellt för Ljudligt gråtande ansikte, men även för Ansikte med tårar av skratt, medan Glitter påvisade mer individuella skillnader över urvalen. En betydande upptäckt var att det var möjligt att analysera faciala och icke-faciala emojisar på samma sätt.

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The constitution of the Republic of South Africa has mandated government to keep in touch with the citizens, by regularly updating them on the services available for the improvement of their lives, and further to constantly report back on progress made in implementing government policies. In recent years, the country has been experiencing sporadic service delivery protests especially at the local sphere of government (municipal level). The aim of the study was therefore to examine the success of the communication and information system of the South African government in disseminating information to citizens. The area of the study was the Province of Mpumalanga which is one (1) of the nine (9) provinces constituting the Republic of South Africa. For the study, quantitative research method in the form of a survey was adopted, the hypothesis tested and the findings generalised. In creating a sample frame for the study, both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were adopted. The type of data collection instrument adopted was a structured questionnaire. Single-stage cluster sampling was adopted for heads of government communication whereas judgemental or purposive sampling technique was adopted for citizens. Data was analysed utilising data tabulation, descriptives, and data disaggregation quantitative data analysis procedures. The key findings of the study, amongst others, are: (a) That the current communication and information system being utilised by the South African government has an impact (it has improved communication with citizens); (b) That the citizens prefer government to communicate with them in their own indigenous languages (communicating in all eleven (11) official languages); (c) That the citizens prefer face-to-face communication; (d) That citizens would like to receive government messages via social media (given its immediacy and interactivity); and (e) That the low status of the communication function at the local government level denies communicators access to information to be communicated. Amongst others, the study recommends that (1) communication should be recognised as a strategic management function in all spheres of government; (2) the use of radio as the primary channel of information should be strengthened; (3) face-to-face communication with citizens should be strengthened; (4) information dissemination should be done in all eleven (11) official languages, including in Braille and sign-language; (5) social media and SMS notification should be included in the government communication policy as one of its official information dissemination channels. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication)

Online adolescent friendships and social networking among adolescents are current phenomena that have emerged, and exploded, as part of the digital age and the vast development of communication technologies. The primary aim of this study was to gain knowledge and understanding regarding the nature and quality of online friendships and social networking among adolescents. A sequential explanatory mixed method design, was put to use for the purpose of this study. The quantitative data was collected first in the form of a short survey, by utilising a self-developed questionnaire to obtain a general overview of the social network practices and the forming and maintaining of online friendships among adolescents. Twenty five participants took part in the survey. This study was followed by a qualitative study in the form of interviews, to clarify, elaborate and explain the quantitative findings. Five information rich participants were interviewed. The findings of the empirical investigation revealed that adolescents, being part of the Net Generation, base their concept of socialising with friends on digital and communication technology, especially cell phones. They are connected to their friends 24 hours a day. The sense of safety and support they experience through this constant connectedness strengthens their self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth and contributes to their identity formation. It is therefore recommended that parents and educators should accept that adolescents live in a virtual world and their new way of socialising, needs to be acknowledged. Parents and educators should adjust accordingly, by getting educated in this field themselves. The Net Generation is a generation who focuses on relationships and collaboration through technology and this should be exploited by anybody who has contact or interacts with the adolescent of today. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The researcher investigated internet usage among students at the University of Nairobi using a quantitative case study method. A questionnaire-based survey was done among 381 students and face-to-face interviews were conducted with the university‟s library staff. The research findings indicate that the students' level of awareness about the internet services offered at the university was high. The students had good basic computer and internet skills; however, they lacked more advanced skills and this negatively affected their use of internet resources. The students used the internet for various purposes, including to study, teach and do research; to communicate; and for social interaction. The major recommendations of the study include providing formal internet training and adequate facilities; implementing a better, inclusive policy on internet use; and better co-ordinated university efforts. Free internet access should be made available to all the university students, if not all members of the university community. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

Ce mémoire examine l'adoption des téléphones mobiles et l'utilisation des messages texte (SMS) par les adolescents chinois, selon la théorie des usages et gratifications et de la recherche sur la communication par ordinateur. Certains champs particuliers de l'utilisation des messages textes par les adolescents chinois, comme le contrôle parental, la circulation des chaînes de messages, la popularité des messages de salutations et l'utilisation répandue des émoticônes ont été étudiés. La fonction sociale des SMS, plus particulièrement des pratiques sociales et des relations émotionnelles des adolescents chinois, a également été explorée. Cette étude est basée sur un sondage réalisé sur le terrain auprès de 100 adolescents chinois. Elle révèle que chez les adolescents chinois, les deux principales raisons pour l'adoption du téléphone mobile sont l'influence parentale et le besoin de communication sociale. Quant à l'utilisation des messages texte, elle répond à sept usages et gratifications : la flexibilité, le coût modique, l’intimité, éviter l'embarras, le divertissement, l'engouement et l'évasion. Il a également été observé que les messages texte jouent un rôle positif dans la construction et l'entretien des relations sociales des adolescents chinois. / This thesis examined the adoption of mobile phones and use of SMS among Chinese teenagers based on the uses and gratification theory and computer-mediated communication research. Specific areas of Chinese teenagers’ SMS use, such as parental control, the circulation of chain messages, the popularity of greeting messages and the wide use of emoticons were studied. The social functions of SMS, especially in Chinese teenagers’ social-emotional practice, were explored as well. This study is based on a field survey conducted among one hundred Chinese teenagers. It reveals that, for Chinese teenagers, the two main reasons for the adoption of mobile phones are parental influence and the need for social communication; the use of SMS corresponds to seven uses and gratifications: flexibility, low cost, privacy, embarrassment avoidance, entertainment, fad and escape. SMS is also used by Chinese teenagers to build and maintain their social relationships.

Ce mémoire présente les recherches et réflexions entourant la conception d’une application à base d’ontologie dédiée au e-recrutement dans le domaine des services de dotation de personnel en technologies de l’information à l’ère du Web Social. Cette application, nommée Combine, vise essentiellement à optimiser et enrichir la Communication Médiée par Ordinateur (CMO) des acteurs du domaine et utilise des concepts issus du paradigme technologique émergent qu’est le Web sémantique. Encore très peu discuté dans une perspective CMO, le présent mémoire se propose donc d’examiner les enjeux communicationnels relatifs à ce nouveau paradigme. Il présente ses principaux concepts, dont la notion d’ontologie qui implique la modélisation formelle de connaissances, et expose le cas de développement de Combine. Il décrit comment cette application fut développée, de l’analyse des besoins à l’évaluation du prototype par les utilisateurs ciblés, tout en révélant les préoccupations, les contraintes et les opportunités rencontrées en cours de route. Au terme de cet examen, le mémoire tend à évaluer de manière critique le potentiel de Combine à optimiser la CMO du domaine d’activité ciblé. Le mémoire dresse au final un portrait plutôt favorable quant à la perception positive des acteurs du domaine d’utiliser un tel type d’application, et aussi quant aux nets bénéfices en frais d’Interactions Humain-Ordinateur (IHO) qu’elle fait miroiter. Il avertit toutefois d’une certaine exacerbation du problème dit « d’engagement ontologique » à considérer lors de la construction d’ontologies modélisant des objets sociaux tels que ceux dont le monde du recrutement est peuplé. / This thesis presents the research and reflections on the development of an ontology based application dedicated to e-recruitment in the field of Information Technologies’ staffing services, and especially e-recruitment using Social Web platforms as sources for candidates. This application, called Combine, essentially aims to optimize and enhance the field recruiters’ Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) and uses concepts from the emerging technological paradigm that the Semantic Web represents. Rarely discussed in a CMC perspective, this submission therefore proposes to study the communications issues related to this new paradigm. It presents the main concepts, as the notion of ontology, which involves the formal modeling of knowledge, and outlines the development case of Combine. It describes how the system was designed, from the requirements analysis to the prototype evaluation, revealing the concerns, the constraints and the opportunities met along the way. After this examination, the thesis stretches out to critically assess Combine’s potential to optimize the CMC in the targeted field of activity. In the end, the thesis conveys a rather favorable outcome concerning the positive perception of the field recruiters about using this type of application, and also concerning the promising benefits in Human-Computer Interactions (HCI). However, it mentions as well the exacerbation of the problem called "ontological commitment", which is to consider when building ontologies that model social objects such as those which the world of recruitment is made of.

The constitution of the Republic of South Africa has mandated government to keep in touch with the citizens, by regularly updating them on the services available for the improvement of their lives, and further to constantly report back on progress made in implementing government policies. In recent years, the country has been experiencing sporadic service delivery protests especially at the local sphere of government (municipal level). The aim of the study was therefore to examine the success of the communication and information system of the South African government in disseminating information to citizens. The area of the study was the Province of Mpumalanga which is one (1) of the nine (9) provinces constituting the Republic of South Africa. For the study, quantitative research method in the form of a survey was adopted, the hypothesis tested and the findings generalised. In creating a sample frame for the study, both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were adopted. The type of data collection instrument adopted was a structured questionnaire. Single-stage cluster sampling was adopted for heads of government communication whereas judgemental or purposive sampling technique was adopted for citizens. Data was analysed utilising data tabulation, descriptives, and data disaggregation quantitative data analysis procedures. The key findings of the study, amongst others, are: (a) That the current communication and information system being utilised by the South African government has an impact (it has improved communication with citizens); (b) That the citizens prefer government to communicate with them in their own indigenous languages (communicating in all eleven (11) official languages); (c) That the citizens prefer face-to-face communication; (d) That citizens would like to receive government messages via social media (given its immediacy and interactivity); and (e) That the low status of the communication function at the local government level denies communicators access to information to be communicated. Amongst others, the study recommends that (1) communication should be recognised as a strategic management function in all spheres of government; (2) the use of radio as the primary channel of information should be strengthened; (3) face-to-face communication with citizens should be strengthened; (4) information dissemination should be done in all eleven (11) official languages, including in Braille and sign-language; (5) social media and SMS notification should be included in the government communication policy as one of its official information dissemination channels. / Communication Science / M. A. (Communication)

Cette recherche a pour objet de comparer l’identité numérique et les particularités du langage écrit interactif dans des contextes numériques différents. Quelle est la différence entre l’identité numérique de ces deux réseaux sociaux numériques dont l’un est tellement utilisé dans le monde entier (à part quelques pays comme la Chine) et l’autre principalement par les Chinois? Et est-ce que l’identité numérique de la même personne s’exprime pareillement sur ces deux réseaux sociaux numériques ? Comment les utilisateurs s’expriment et interagissent-ils avec différents amis sur les réseaux sociaux numériques différents? Les interactions écrites dans un contexte numérique peuvent-elles manifester des aspects émotionnels? Afin d’éclairer nos questions, la recherche se focalise sur une étude comparative de l’identité numérique, des interactions écrites et des émotions exprimées dans les interactions sur les deux réseaux sociaux numériques. L’analyse des données permet de repérer aussibien les phénomènes d’ordre linguistique que ceux d’ordre social et émotionnel. Des entretiens et des questionnaires viennent éclairer l’analyse du vécu et du ressenti des sujets étudiés. Ce travail tente donc à travers la description de l’utilisation des Facebook et Renren par quatre étudiants chinois nouvellement arrivées en France de mieux comprendre les particularités de l’identité numérique et des échanges interactifs de chacun de ces réseaux sociaux numériques. / This research aims at comparing digital identity and nature of the peculiarities of interactive written language on two digital social networks (Facebook and Renren). We are interested in the difference between the digital identity of these two digital social networks, one is worldwide used (except a few countries such as China) and the other is mainly used by the Chinese. Is that the digital identity of one person is also the same on these two different social network sites? How the users interact and express vis-à-vis different friends in different digital context? Can the online interactions manifest emotional aspects? In order to respond to these problems, this research questions the digital identity and their function in the identity construction, the relational and social aspects of online interaction, the types of emotions expressed in the online interactions, and the role of emoticon in the expression of emotions of these two digital social networks. The data analysis enables to identify the linguistic, social and emotional phenomena in online interactions of the corpus of study. Interviews and questionnaires clarify the analysis of the experience and the feeling of the different actors. So throughout the description of case use of Facebook and Renren by four newly arrived Chinese students in France, this work attempts to better understand the features of digital identity and interactive exchange of these two digital social networks.