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Explicating Textisms in Mediated Communication: A Codebook for Analyzing Nonverbal Cues in Text Messages

Sun, May 28, 12:30 to 13:45, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Floor: 4 (Sapphire), Exhibit Hall - Rear

Abstract

Text messages facilitate interaction across interpersonal, organizational, intergroup, small-group, and mass media contextual levels of communication. Though some people compose formal text messages using proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation, others integrate non-standardized textual cues such as emoticons, intentional misspellings, exaggerated capitalizations, abbreviations, and acronyms. Several studies describe and organize these emergent cues within labels such as cyberlanguage (Christopherson, 2011), textual adaptations (Cingel & Sundar, 2012), textese (Drouin & Driver, 2012), textisms (Kemp, 2010; Kemp & Bushnell, 2011; Powell & Dixon, 2011), and computer-mediated communication cues (Vandergriff, 2013). Yet, with many different labels, it becomes difficult to accurately track and describe this phenomenon. This study posits that the label textism can be used to unite this grouping. The goal of this paper is to explicate textisms and outline a coding scheme that can be used to expand research on how they function in mediated communication.

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