Internet Language

why do we need to study the internet?

• It allows people from all over the World to communicate
• It has created a completely separate society to that which is not "on line"
• It contains a language that combines words, acronyms, pictures (i.e.smilies) and symbols to create one holistic language, understood by all of its users.
• It is a fantastic phenomenon which Professor David Crystal suggests will lead to "the biggest development of the English Language since the invention of the printing press".
• There is little literature that looks at the how's, why's, and who's of usage of the Internet, yet it is one of the main ways of communicating, and accessing information in contemporary society.
• Within these web pages, I intend to look at the development of an "internet language" and assess how such a language has come to exist, and how it exists in different circumstances. I then aim to look at Professor David Crystal's claim, and see whether it is confirmed by my research.

My Internet Language Pages

The history of the internet
Chatroom language
Website language
Instant Messaging language
E-mail language
Formal internet language
Internet language: Universal?
Internet language: Good or bad?

If there is any information that I have not included that you feel would be helpful to my website, please feel free to e-mail me and I will do my best to include all your suggestions :)