Japanese BBS Websites as Online Communities: (Impoliteness Perspectives

要旨

This article combines two approaches to analysing linguistic features in online communities that are argued to complement one another: computer‑mediated discourse analysis (Herring 2004 and wakimae or discernment (Ide 1989. A structural analysis was conducted of four threads on two open‑access Japanese bulletin board system (BBS websites in terms of politeness or honorifics and possible determinants of particular linguistic characteristics were explored. The study finds that discussion topics are relevant to choices of politeness levels and that overall linguistic styles are linked to the norms of each community. On one of the BBS linguistic features reveal widespread impoliteness yet participants seem to share a strong sense of community. Watts' (2003 concept of contextually appropriate politic behaviour is invoked to reconcile the puzzling coexistence of impoliteness and sense of community.

主題