چکیده:
The present study sought to examine the linguistic and discoursal features in the language of the text messages created by Iranian EFL learners. To this end, 400 text messages were collected from both genders. The contents of the collected data were analyzed in terms of linguistic features as well as discoursal features. The results highlighted the important role of gender in linguistic and discoursal features of text messages created by Iranian mobile phone users. More specifically, females’ use of complex sentences, formal opening and closing, and expression of thoughts, feelings, and emotions in their messages were much higher than men who created simple, short and to the point messages. The findings of this study highlight the role of text messages as a pedagogical tool since they are widely used to send or receive learning or information contents.
خلاصه ماشینی:
Linguistic and Discoursal Features of Text Message Language Created by Iranian Male and Female SMS Users Mahsa Heidari Ahmad Alibabaee Sheikhbahaee University Sheikhbahaee University mhs_heidari@yahoo.
Several studies have followed this research trends and suggested that text messaging and mobile phone calls can develop social bonds (Eldridge Grinter, 2001; Fortunati, 2000; Ling Yttri, 2002; Pertierra, 2005; Rheinglod, 2003; Thurlow Brown, 2003).
According to Bodomo and Lee (2004), the Hong Kong texters use letter/ number homophones like 88 “bye bye” (in English resembles the pronunciation of “8” in Cantonese) or 99 stands for “nite nite” means “ good night” in their text messages which showed the inevitable changes occurred in the language specially writing.
So this study attempts to contribute to the related literature through investigating such linguistic features as Initialization, Truncation, Alphanumeric homophones, Logographic emoticons, Punctuation, and such discoursal features as opening, closing, message complexity, use of English words and abbreviations of text messages created by Iranian males and females in Iranian academic context.
Accordingly, the following research question is addressed in the present study: What are the linguistic and discoursal features of text messages language created by males and females in Iranian academic context?
The second part of the results of this study comprise the analysis of using discoursal features as message complexity, opening, closing, use of English words and abbreviations in the content of text messages created by Iranian males and females.