Language and the Internet

Table 2.4.

Written language criteria (see Table 2.1) applied to Netspeak

Web

e-mail

Chatgroups

Virtual worlds

1 space-bound

yes, with extra options

yes, but routinely

yes, but with

yes, but with

deleted

restrictions

restrictions

2 contrived

yes

variable

no, but with

no, but with

some adaptation

some adaptation

3 visually decontextualized

yes, but with considerable

yes

yes

yes, but with

adaptation

some adaptation

4 elaborately structured

yes

variable

no

no

5 factually communicative

yes

yes

variable

yes, but withsome adaptation

6 repeatedly revisable

yes

variable

no

no

7 graphically rich

yes, but in different ways

no

no

yes, but indifferent ways