Online Chat

Abstract

Online chat has become a prevalent form of communication in an electronically connected society. Chat is a popular application on social networking sites, as a complement for Internet phones, for distance education programs, in language-learning labs, and as a theme-based leisure activity in online chat rooms. Besides discussing some of online chat's uses, this article also examines some of its characteristics: How does the speed affect output by chatters and how does online chat compare to spoken and written language? In addition, this article points to probable reasons as to why chatters choose to behave as they do.