The globalization process has left an indelible mark on almost every aspect of human activity, language included which in turns, a rise the need for a fast and effective means of communication that would allow for virtually instant interaction among people anywhere in the world. The internet is one ideally meets this demand and has changed our lives. It also greatly affected the language used on this new medium. The English language, which is the most widely used language on the Internet, is undergoing considerable changes, adapting and adjusting to the specific requirements of this new type of communication. Special names have been given for the new type of linguistic medium such as Gobespeak, Netlish or Netspeak, Weblish, Syperspeak, and Webspeak.

In general, there are two attitudes toward Netspeak, Some see it as a threat to the norm, a corruptive influence on standard language, and others see it as a possibility for language innovations and new ways of expressiveness. In either case, the fact remains that it cannot be ignored because it is here to stay. Netspeak serves as a tool of information exchange and socio-emotional expression as well as to build social constructions. The kind of English that is an integral part of this communication is not any specific variety of English such as British, American or Australian, but rather a kind of international, global English because it is used not only for communication, but also as a social marker indicating the users’ belonging to a particular online community. Therefore, yes!I do agree with Baron’s findings that a new hybrid form of English is emerging from IM and text messaging.

For most people, talking is easier than writing and more convenience because writing require more detail and clarity to get a feedback. The language of text/IM is not more like talking than writing; instead, it might be more challenging than writing an essay or email. It also depends to whom you are writing this text and how close is the relationship. Especially, if one of the text senders or both of them has a second language, it can be more challenging and that’s because some abbreviations and images has different meanings in different cultures; therefore, we should be careful when sending a text/IM message globally.

The first interesting thing I found in chapter 3 is the flaming. “Walther et al.(1994) defined flaming as messages that include wearing, insults, name calling, negative affect, and typographic energy,” (Baym, 57). I, too, think that most of people are more likely to be nice than flame, and that people usually overestimate the amount of flaming because bad things are always more memorable. It also depends in the group, if the group you are interacting with is aggressive and they all its members use flame, then you will be more likely to use the same language to please your friends since this is the norm in this group, and become  more acceptable and welcomed. On the other hand, if the group is nice and none of its members use flame, you will do the same because this is the norm in this particular group. In addition, if people use flame in his or her ordinary life they would use it online because it also depends in the people’s background, personality, and the level of education.

Another interesting topic is the use of nonverbal social cues. For example, I use the acronym “LOL” a lot, but I never seen or use “ROFL,” (rolling on the floor laughing), I like it and I am going to use it from now on. Another example is the deletions (leave out pronouns, vowels, punctuation). I think everybody does that today in texting or posting in Facebook or Twitter. In Twitter, for instance, we have certain amount of words to tweet, so we have to make it short. In Facebook, I have hundreds of friends, so I really don’t have time to write a lot and in full sentences or check the spelling, grammar, and punctuation. After all, as long as we write something that everybody can understand and be there to share our thoughts and ideas it really doesn’t matter and your presence would be appreciated.

The last interesting thing in Chapter 3 is the fact that web pages can be set to appear in 32 different languages. I think this is can help us to communicate and make more business with the other part of the world. Additionally, if someone has a second language beside English why not use it to socialize online with family members and friends who can not write English. I have a Mexican friend in my Facebook page who always post in Spanish . Even though I’m not Spanish but if  a post attracted me, I can use the translator to translate it into English to understand the post and be able to share. In addition, I can use my mother language to write something for my Mom who lives overseas and can not read English.

After I read Herring (2004) andchapter 2 (Making new media make sense) by Baym, I found that the technology quality is one of the fears that people may have about the new Technology. Because of the “Internet’s ability to store and replicate information without regard to its content” (Baym, 22), people fear that content can be harmful in many ways. Just like, people used to think that Google can diminish our intelligence; today, they are confused whether Facebook and Twitter, for examples, would do the same and make us dumber.

Other concerns about the Internet is that “it will re-create political and cultural communities in cyberspace; it will bring pornographers, stalkers, and credit-card scammers into our homes, corrupting our kids and ransacking our privacy” (Baym, 28). In addition to that, people become unreal or authentic; they would lie about their name, age, and everything else. Additionally, there are fears that Internet and other new media can ruin the close relationships such as marriages, by finding another love, and cause social isolation. Finally, communication technologies have been seen as a source of stress for families, for  it is easy for people to engage in “irregular courtship” with people outside the community which can be the “wrong kinds” of age, class, and racial, in addition to the big fear of facilities to loose control over their children because of the “sexting.”

Even though some people think that the mediated interactions lacks the depth and rich of meaning, cold, and pointless, others hope that it can promote human connectivity and lead to a new relationships, and new relational opportunities. In conclusion, I agree with hearing when says that CMC tend to “Slouch toward the ordinary,” because, just like every new thing it seems in the beginning as something unusual, expensive, and unacceptable socially, but when give it the right time for people to use it can become the society norm and more acceptable, especially, if it was use in the right way it can actually have more beneficial and not as harmful as people think.

According to the Pew Internet Technology User Type Quiz and the Horrigan (2009) report I am a Desktop Veteran user. In fact, the Desktop Veteran type did not describe me very well. It is true that I use the internet several times a day and actively for information fathering and to stay in touch with others and enhance my day-to-day productivity, but I use my laptop more often. So it is not the matter of not being able to get used to using the laptop to replace the desktop, but for me, it is the matter of the availability.  So whatever is available for me I would use it without having any problem or favoring one over the other.

The other point is using the cell phone. The Desktop Veteran type assumes that the users are not heavily oriented toward the cell phone or venture into non-voice applications on their mobile devices. This point is also not true in my case because I usually use my cell phone more than the desktop or laptop for almost everything ;such as, work, entertainment, shopping, texting, and to Skype with my family members from all over the world.

The last point that states “Most of Desktop group are avid TV watchers” is not true at all. I rarely watch TV unless one of my kids invited me to watch a movie in their choice. Over all, the report did not describe me accurately, and that’s normal, because each person is different and can have different traits from each type of users. Therefore, I see myself more as a Roving Nodes type who they are mostly women, late 30s, well educated, and use their email or texting to arrange their busy lives and enhancing personal productivity; or as the Drifting Surfers users who they may skip a day of using internet without worry; or I might be like the Information Encumbered who they feel overloaded by information. We all have different feelings toward things in different situations which could affect our choices and decisions.

In the end, it is very important to learn about the other types of technology users so people from different places, languages, generations, and education can communicate  more effectively and with full of understanding and respect.

Hello Everybody,

My name is Rula, a mother of two beautiful kids, Deanna and Adam. I have 1 cat and I am a full time senior student at U of M. This course is part of my major that’s why I’m taking it. My major is Health Services Administration and I am planning to graduate on Dec.,13.
I am a wonderful cooker, I cook healthy food almost everyday. I used to play piano ever since I was 3 years old until I start going to school. It is so hard to to be both full time student and mother,so I can’t wait to finish so I can be free to do all what I want to do in my free time if I ever had any. I graduated with highest honor from Southwest Tennessee Community College last Fall and I’m planning to do the same and graduate with highest honor from the U of M. I took a lot of online classes before but I never did any logs before so, I’m looking to learn new techs in this class to improve my skills more and be more marketable when graduate, so wish me luck, and good luck to all of you :)