The Genre of the FB Post...

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It is 'old news' that a new language is emerging out of the technological saturation of this generation; text speak or txt spk is a cultural phenomenon that makes many lovers of the English language cringe, or simply look perplexed. Facebook and other social networking sites, being generally free to use, do not apply the character restraints or challenges in typing that played a big part in creating txt spk, but other factors combine to create yet another emerging style of language which could be classed as its own genre, according to the definition supplied by Ariella Van Luyn in her lecture this week: "Genre is when texts or cultural products...are grouped into classes based on similarities and shared conventions."

In this blog I would like to look at some of these shared conventions, the similarities that define a genre of communication that does not necessarily possess a great deal of value in terms of its sophistication or literary contribution, but does inform us about an exceedingly prevalent cultural phenomenon, and therefore should not be overlooked. I have included here the first three posts that appear on my facebook page (the best way, I concluded, to choose from the seemingly infinite examples available):

So pleased with the video that Tamlyn acted in...
I'd like to invite you to have a look if you haven't already.
Thanks to all who taken a view so far. 
I think I've now resolved the thumbnail issue I was having with You Tube...(hmmm...)

Check out the piece my dear friend Tamlyn wrote! I am sure those who know me know who Tam is talking about when she says "two men who met that day, spontaneously holding hands and skipping across Sheridan Street, one in a corporate suit <me!>, the other barefooted and strange-hair-ed <kyle of course>" Anyway thanks Tam for the image credit as well!! :D

Uni assessment requiring me to write about social networks prompts me to start posting what precious little content I have accrued, creating an 'online identity' called 'Artist'... Yay? or Nay?

(taken from https://www.facebook.com/tamlyn.magee)

Firstly, because all relevant information can be easily linked into each post, authors have no need to describe what they are talking about, but can assume the reader will investigate the link if they are interested. It is rarely questioned that the average post will contain incomplete sentences, spelling mistakes and shorthand expressions of emotion (:D). There is not necessarily a single common topic for the content of posts in the 'facebook genre' (to generalise) but most posts could be grouped into either a)promotional b)confession-ism or c)commentary. The nature of social networks means that in posting material, authors assume to a large extent that readers or viewers will understand the content, or they wouldn't be visiting the page in the first place, a phenomenon also present in blogging:

"Taking as common ground or "shared and non-controversial knowledge" (Grundy, 2000:10) what they assert, presupposing expressions draw upon the speaker's assumption that her adressees share her worldview or experiences" (McNeill, p320.).

This may not be sufficient information to prove the existence of a new genre of communication - but here are some links; you make up your own mind.

Living and Learning with New Media: Summary of Findings from the Digital Youth Project. Retrieved from http://digitalyouth.ischool.berkeley.edu/files/report/digitalyouth-WhitePaper.pdf

Perez-Sabater, C. The linguistics of social networking: A study of writing conventions on Facebook. Retrieved from http://www.linguistik-online.de/56_12/perez-sabater.pdf

References

McNeill, L. (date not given). Diary 2.0? In Rowe, C & Wyss, E. L. (Eds.), Language and new media: Linguistic, cultural and technological evolutions (313-325). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, Inc.

Van Luyn, A. (2013). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, week 6 notes. [Powerpoint slide]. Retrieved from http://flashstream1.jcu.edu.au/camrelay/Ariella%20van%20Luyn/BA1002%20Week%206%20Genre%206.1/BA1002_Week_6_Genre_6.1_-_iPad_-_20130902_10.43.47AM.mp4