Magister Artium - MA / Contemporary research has pointed to the importance of social media in the lives of young people today. This project aims to explore the emerging discourse conventions and generic structures of chat conversations on social networking media applications such as MXit, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) and WhatsApp. The data for this project was acquired from undergraduate students between first- and third-year of study at the University of the Western Cape across four years (2010-2012 and 2014). The data is of three types: instant messaging chats which were collected from 2010 to 2012, and questionnaires and a focus group interview which were conducted in 2014. The main theoretical frameworks used for this project are genre and register theory by Martin and Rose (2003), Eggins and Slade (1997), Chandler (1997), Eggins (2004), Halliday and Hasan (1985). Bock (2013) and Spilioti (2011) were also used for the chat analyses. In this project I argue that although generic structures in instant messaging (IM) are conventionalised they still show a great amount of hybridity and fluidity. One of the main findings illustrates how different participants choose to begin and end their chats, whether it is with or without a greeting, and although they may be flouting the conventions of IM chatting they are not necessarily considered to be impolite. Furthermore, the findings of this project explores how the evolution and advancement of technology has contributed to the style of chatting as well as the norms of instant messaging as a genre.

Magister Artium - MA / South Africa is a diverse, multilingual country with a majority of its youth owning or using cellular phone technologies. The cell phone interaction between multilingual individuals from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds suggests that a range of multilingual styles are being developed in the electronic domain, particularly when sending SMSes (Short Message Service messages). This study uses the Systemic Functional Linguistics Perspective (SFL) to analyse how English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa are being transformed through the medium of text messaging at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). In using methods such as thematic analysis and SFL this research is interested in the linguistic choices individuals make when engaging in SMS/Mxit messages to express themselves. The study aims to look at the effects of concepts such as globalization, stylization, polylingual languaging and transidiomatic practices on text messaging itself; and in turn to see how these text messages are typified by the mixing and blending of languages and their multimodal aspects are then considered to be a coherent and cohesive social practice among the youth. In addition, considering new developments in language studies, particularly the notions of language as social practice and hybrid languaging practices, it also looks at SMS/Mxit messages and examines them against the ‘traditional’ monolingual concepts of codeswitching and code-mixing. The linguistic analysis of this text based data presents a framework for exploring how members of the youth portray their identities as it allows the researcher to deal with interpersonal dimensions of language in texts in a systematic manner. These interpersonal dimensions view the relationships between participants in relation to their performance of identity. Drawing on SMS/Mxit data from 60 third year university students, the focus of this thesis is to investigate if the languages used during SMS/Mxit interactions are being modified and transformed by this medium of communication. It simultaneously looks at these student communicators performing a range of identity options. The study concludes that English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa are not used as separate language entities but are instead used as one language resource. It highlights how speakers use features of any language as linguistic options for a communicative event. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that SMS speak is not seen as an alternative language used within a third space but has instead become a norm in terms of language practices among the youth.

The aim of this study is to explore and describe late adolescents' experiences of using Mxit as a source of peer–support during their Grade 12 year in order to provide a broader and more realistic understanding of their support preferences and needs. The classic text of Gestalt Therapy theory in conjunction with current literature provided an overview of the theoretical underpinnings of this study, including the key tenets of Gestalt theory, the core Gestalt theoretical assumptions, Mxit as a social networking application, peer–support and late adolescence. A qualitative research approach with an instrumental case study of eight Grade 12 learners from one public high school in the Northern suburbs of Johannesburg was implemented. The research findings indicated that the affordability, accessibility and non–threatening nature of using Mxit as a source of peer–support made it a viable resource during stressful periods. Although face–to–face peer–support was preferred owing to the limited existential dialogue and lack of trust that was experienced while communicating over Mxit, the adolescents perceived a need for the development of peer–support groups and one–on–one counselling over Mxit as a result of the lack of supportive others experienced during Grade 12 that frequently led to depressive symptoms and/or suicidal thoughts. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The aim of this study is to explore and describe late adolescents' experiences of using Mxit as a source of peer–support during their Grade 12 year in order to provide a broader and more realistic understanding of their support preferences and needs. The classic text of Gestalt Therapy theory in conjunction with current literature provided an overview of the theoretical underpinnings of this study, including the key tenets of Gestalt theory, the core Gestalt theoretical assumptions, Mxit as a social networking application, peer–support and late adolescence. A qualitative research approach with an instrumental case study of eight Grade 12 learners from one public high school in the Northern suburbs of Johannesburg was implemented. The research findings indicated that the affordability, accessibility and non–threatening nature of using Mxit as a source of peer–support made it a viable resource during stressful periods. Although face–to–face peer–support was preferred owing to the limited existential dialogue and lack of trust that was experienced while communicating over Mxit, the adolescents perceived a need for the development of peer–support groups and one–on–one counselling over Mxit as a result of the lack of supportive others experienced during Grade 12 that frequently led to depressive symptoms and/or suicidal thoughts. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the frequency and type of bullying behaviours experienced in a Pretoria private high school in the past six months. The aim was to determine how factors such as gender, age and ethnicity influenced the frequency and type of bullying experienced. The different types of bullying behaviours were categorised into physical, indirect, verbal and cyber-bullying. A quantitative method was applied and a self-report questionnaire was administered to 367 learners ranging from ages 12 – 18 (Grade 8 to Grade 12). The results of the study indicated that indirect bullying (such as malicious gossip) was the highest form of bullying reported in the study and occurred equally throughout the grades. However a high amount of bullying in all categories was found in the grade 9 group. Females reported higher frequencies of indirect bullying than males but no differences were found with regards to gender and the other types of bullying. No differences were found between the ethnic groups and physical violence as well as cyber-bullying. Caucasians seem to experience higher frequencies in bullying behaviours when it came to indirect bullying compared to African and Asian learners. Indian learners were also more prone to experience indirect bullying than Asians. Caucasians were also more likely to experience verbal bullying than Asian learners. It was found that racial bullying might occur in the school but that it does so at a minimal level. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Psychology / unrestricted