Title: The internet language and community: an observation

Authors: Gen-Yih Liao, Ta-Wei Shih, P. Pete Chong, Her-Kun Chang

Addresses: Department of Information Management, College of Management, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan. ' Graduate Institute of Business and Management, College of Management, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan. ' College of Management and Design, Ming-Chi University of Technology, 84 Gungjuan Road, Taishan, Taipei 243, Taiwan. ' Department of Information Management, College of Management, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan

Abstract: Language, both written and spoken, plays an important role in human culture. The internet, as a new medium, has changed the evolution of today|s language in certain ways. Martian Language (ML), as net lingo is called in Taiwan, has been viewed with disdain, but it may contain cues to future cultural development. This study looks into how communities use ML and how this net lingo is formed and distributed. Furthermore, it identifies how the hashing functions used may affect the future. This research studies samples collected from undergraduate Management Information System (MIS) students in Taiwan and classifies ML terms into six categories according to their formation. We have also detected that their usage follows a skewed distribution and that the community affects the usage pattern of the users.

Keywords: internet language; Martian language; communication; Taiwan; net lingo; information management; student behaviour; communications technology; hashing functions; higher education; universities; management information systems; MIS education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2010.029476

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2010 Vol.7 No.1, pp.100 - 111

Published online: 30 Nov 2009 *

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