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Mediated emotions

Emotivity in the age of information and communication technologies
  • Heike Ortner
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Emotion in Language
This chapter is in the book Emotion in Language

Abstract

The construction and sharing of emotions is one of the main functions of computer-mediated communication. This article summarizes linguistic findings on the communication of emotions and emotional communication in information and communication technologies (ICT) and computer-mediated communication (CMC). First, the main features and functions of CMC in general are explored, addressing the lack of nonverbal and paralinguistic cues in CMC and its implications for emotional communication, popular deviations from standard language, emoticons, communicative norms and multimodal aspects. A discussion of selected communicative genres (e.g. blogs) discloses different patterns of emotionality. Finally, three aspects of relationships in an online environment are referenced: managing online identities (e.g. through avatars), managing amicable and romantic relationships, and managing virtual communities.

Abstract

The construction and sharing of emotions is one of the main functions of computer-mediated communication. This article summarizes linguistic findings on the communication of emotions and emotional communication in information and communication technologies (ICT) and computer-mediated communication (CMC). First, the main features and functions of CMC in general are explored, addressing the lack of nonverbal and paralinguistic cues in CMC and its implications for emotional communication, popular deviations from standard language, emoticons, communicative norms and multimodal aspects. A discussion of selected communicative genres (e.g. blogs) discloses different patterns of emotionality. Finally, three aspects of relationships in an online environment are referenced: managing online identities (e.g. through avatars), managing amicable and romantic relationships, and managing virtual communities.

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