The discourse studies of computer-mediated communication genres development in modern linguistics

communication computer-mediated discourse

Modem communication space has undergone major changes due to the rapid spread of the Internet and mobile communication. The nature of human communication has been significantly influenced by the development of digital technologies. Digital communication undoubtedly continues to change our experience of social interaction. However, the most significant qualitative changes in digital communication are the transfer to the public area rather than private space, expanded opportunities for self-expression and self-identification offered by digital media, and the always-on nature of devices and networks. `People can make communication more visible in more ways than in any time in history, yet they have far less control over how (and by whom) that communication is viewed' [17]. In addition, online users not only produce texts and share them with extraordinary ease, but also receive feedback, making people active creators. Interactive writing spaces, such as blogs and social networking sites, enable different forms of social interaction than traditional conversation and written texts [17]. The researchers can draw on a wide variety of socially oriented language disciplines whose methods and research tools can be helpful in conducting empirical research.

M. BeiBwenger expressed their views on the need of creating a structured catalog of existing speech genres used in computer communication, and classify them according to the degree of complexity [1]. Analyzing the features of computer-mediated communication in computer discourse, A. Mason and C. Carr described the communication in a computer-mediated discourse as an object of study, where the linguistic and textual features of scientific network discourse are described [13, p. 244].

The purpose of this article is to review modern approaches to studying the computer-mediated communication discourse and analyze recent scientific works on modem genres development and classification.

Presenting main material

From the point of view of J. Walther, the discourse of computer-mediated communication is a sequence of statements, which can affect the patterns of a personal experience, ideas, and beliefs. The discourse is characterized by the sequence of statements caused by external and internal factors [19, p. 11].

S. Herring suggested that computer-mediated discourse is a broad concept covering the language system and speech activities, as well as the text. Language as an abstract system is realized through discourses. Consistently, since communication always takes place in a specific social sphere, we are faced with the analysis not of discourse in general, but any specific discourse: public discourse, political discourse, social discourse, personal discourse, etc. [10, pp. 26-31].

In the J. Danowski model, computer-mediated discourse is just an analytical way of solving certain problems. At the same time, they identify the following aspects of discourse as linguistic characteristics of discourse (syntax and style); semantics; pragmatics (typological features of possible discourse recipients and creators, goals and statements objectives);

discursive reflection. The author proposes to consider computer-mediated discourse in the system of its main parameters and meanings. Discourse modeling will make it possible to highlight the specific features of institutional discourse [6]. As for the varieties of computer-mediated discourse, the differences between them are rather arbitrary.

Recently, the researchers increased their interest in scientific discourse for special scientific fields. The product of a scientific discursive act is a scientific text associated with a certain level of scientific achievements in a particular scientific field, as well as with the genre. The creators of scientific discourse are the researchers participating in academic communication as any representative of the scientific community, who express their doubts, argue, and criticize any scientific statements. The main goals of scientific discourse include the following: 1) problem identification and the subject of study determination; 2) the issue analysis; 3) a hypothesis and the purpose of the study formulation; 4) the choice of methods and research material justification; 5) building of a theoretical model; 6) the results of observations and experiments presentation; 7) the study results comments and discussions; 8) the study expert assessment; 9) the area of the practical application of the obtained results determination; 10) the presentation of the results in a form acceptable to specialists and non-specialists [19; 20]. The scientific discourse genres traditionally include a scientific article, a monograph, a dissertation, a scientific conference report, a technical report, a review, an abstract, annotation, theses, etc. Nowadays, the genre system of scientific discourse is significantly influenced by computer communication, which erases the boundaries of formal and informal discourse. A scientific text is implemented at several levels of textual organization: typological (implementation of traditional genre forms; structural and semantic; speech inclusions of various types from other scientific texts [20].

The scientific discourse can be closely connected with pedagogical discourse, implemented in the system of higher education [5]. Due to some similarities in functions of scientific and pedagogical discourses, they can be considered as a single paradigm of specialized scientific and educational interaction. The characteristic features of scientific texts of various genres include harmony, consistency, objectivity, use of terminology, and unbiased. Unlike scientific texts, educational scientific texts are designed to solve learning problems, develop the scientific system of knowledge, and generally accepted scientific concepts and laws. Such texts are distinguished by clarity, availability, presented information accentuation, and assessment addressed to readers with a certain level of academic competencies. Academic communication can be described as a creative discourse characterized by content transparency and predictability [5, p. 373].

Nowadays, scientific interaction is increasingly carried out through the Internet. Among the Internet technologies most frequently used by academic network communities, we can mention electronic forums, chats, Internet conferences with further discussion of the posted articles, electronic journals, electronic libraries, etc. [9]. Communication in electronic discourse is rather artificial as electronically mediated communication differs from direct communication. However, it expands the scope of academic interaction through opportunities for higher interactivity.

The genres of computer-mediated communication are described mostly on the material of English resources. The features of the English-language Internet communication, the language means involved, as well as extralinguistic aspects of the communication are considered in the work of L. Chong [4]. The structure elements and the language tools classification of the texts of Internet forums and their functional specifics are described by C. Carr [3].

Y. Tang and K. Hew explore the features of electronic lexicographic hypertext, revealing the role of hypertextuality and interactivity in the functional-style and genre [16]. J. Walther suggests a strategy for the features of an electronic textbook, stating that a special type of text has been formed, i.e. emergent register or genre. The electronic textbook is considered the background of the genre in the scientific style and computer-mediated communication [19].

The second direction in the computer discourse study is represented by the development of genre classifications in computer-mediated communication. The description of computer-mediated communication genres suggested by E. Lee is analogical to the genres of traditional communication and includes general genres and new ones presented in electronic media, as well as scientific, educational, and special data genres, artistic and literary genres; entertainment genres; business and commercial genres [12].

A. Meier and L. Reinecke attributed the Internet information space to such groups as advertising, professional information, and free information created by enthusiasts. The authors suggested considering e-mail, bulletin boards, chats, online conferences and forums, online-offline conferences and forums, blogs, WIKI, and online literature as the main genres [14]. T. Erickson expressed an idea to regard all currently existing computer-mediated communication genres corresponding to their media and functional aspects. The classification of computer-mediated communication genres takes into account the genres in different Internet resources. The functional classification considers the main function of genres in the process of communicative interaction and includes information genres for presenting or receiving some information; social genres for satisfying communication needs; directive genres for encouraging the addressee to act; presentation genres for self-expression; aesthetic genres for the realization of the artistic and creative potential and an impact from a virtual reality; entertainment genres for enjoying the performance in the virtual world [7, p. 10].

One of the directions of digital genre theory is the development of models for digital genre description. In the work of J. Walther, the characteristic of electronic genres is determined by a set of parameters, which cover thematic feature, communicative goal, communication spheres, author-reader image, mode of synchronous/asynchronous interaction, objectification form or proximity to oral or written text, dialogue/polylogue, composition, linguistic features. The thematic attribute consists of the subject selection for information exchange, depending on the communication purpose, status-oriented or personality-oriented communication. The image of the author-reader depends on the principle of user interaction many to one, one to one, one to many, or many to many. The synchronous/asynchronous interaction highlights messages that approximate the written form of the language and simulated spoken dialogue. A virtual dialogue or polylogue depends on the number of conversation participants. Subjectivity, assessment, and non-standardization belong to linguistic features [19].

According to A. Mason and C. Carr, the classification of the electronic communication genres should take into account the characteristics of hypertextu- ality (the text comprehension and hyperlinks type); the possibility of poly code texts creation; the environment interactivity, leading to the genres hybridization and polygenre appearance; synchronous/ asynchronous communication; information update frequency; electronic text addressee; text author; Internet resource location [13].

In our opinion, the most detailed model for digital genre classification is the algorithm developed by C. Jebari, who suggested using media, pragmatic, structural-semantic, and lingo-stylistic parameters at describing the computer-mediated communication genres. Media parameters represent the genre design, hypertextuality, multimedia, synchronism, interactivity, the number and explication of communicants; pragmatic parameters include the addressee, author, purpose, and scope of communication; structural and semantic parameters describe the topic development and text units; the lingo-stylistic parameters of a genre are the linguistic means used in the text of this genre [11, pp. 83-89].

The controversial areas of the digital genre studies are unclear definitions of the digital genre, the correlation between paper and digital genres, the degree of technical environment influence on the new genres' appearance, and the modification of paper genres transferred to electronic communication [11] since the technological progress is a background in the process of new genres development: the way of the genres' development depends on the technical means determining the communication format.

Conclusions

We have considered some approaches to the study of the computer-mediated communication discourse and described the main characteristics of modern electronic discourse, which in the academic and educational environment is mainly understood as a standardized type of communication, due to a certain type of communication participants' activities and regulated by the genre forms and content.

The plurality of positions regarding the principles of classification of computer-mediated communication genres and approaches to their description is explained by the fact that the theoretical and methodological background for the genres' development description in the electronic environment is formed simultaneously with the genres, and technological progress is significantly ahead of linguistic studies. A promising direction in the study of the computer-mediated communication genres is in combination with the entire genre diversities, intra-genre variation, and the new genres development.