Language & Speech
Netiquette: Online Behaviour and Communication
Asburn Pinnock, Ed.D
President, the Mico University College
President, the Mico University College
With social media language finding its way into the English language for formal, written communication, it has become necessary for us to pay some attention to the concept of netiquette.
This is very important, for even as we reduce face-to-face teaching and learning and other interactions to the online environment, we must maintain order, discipline and values and attitudes in communication.
The chief value of language is communication and even the social media language has its place. So the discussion among two friends could be: “Hi Suzie, how r u? Saw the most hilarious sight yesterday. DWL. Tell u more when I see u. Ttyl.” That conversation has its place in the context of friends in their chat online.
This is very important, for even as we reduce face-to-face teaching and learning and other interactions to the online environment, we must maintain order, discipline and values and attitudes in communication.
The chief value of language is communication and even the social media language has its place. So the discussion among two friends could be: “Hi Suzie, how r u? Saw the most hilarious sight yesterday. DWL. Tell u more when I see u. Ttyl.” That conversation has its place in the context of friends in their chat online.
Hi Suzie, how r u? Saw the most hilarious sight yesterday. DWL. Tell u more when I see u. Ttyl.
But when that form of language and ‘words’, such as, lol and btw, find their way in formal written communication, we must take action to reconcile such variants so that the boundaries of formal and informal usage are preserved in a manner that is relevant in context and to users.
But when that form of language and ‘words’, such as, lol and btw, find their way in formal written communication, we must take action to reconcile such variants so that the boundaries of formal and informal usage are preserved in a manner that is relevant in context and to users.
"Netiquette"
Netiquette, which has several dimensions to it including the use of language, will help us to navigate the landscape of the Internet. It will help to manage the type of code switching that results in certain words ‘creeping’ into the formal form of the language, notwithstanding that language is dynamic – and changes over time.
There is a place for our Jamaican language too, just as there is, for English that is used in trade, in schools etc. There is nothing wrong with us having three, four languages but we need to consider how we use them. Time, purpose, relevance and appropriateness are key.
There is a place for our Jamaican language too.
Maybe we need to start a discussion around bringing netiquette into the formal education curriculum. In the classroom of the future netiquette would instruct on behaviour and also help students identify and understand the place of social media language, for example. That would help manage its impact on the formal, written communication.
It may be too, that the experts in linguistics need to develop a course of study around the social media language even though this could be extremely difficult, since social media language is even more dynamic than the English language. Such experts will have to grapple with developing a structure around a fast-changing language. This is a language where the meaning of dwl can be universal or mean something else to a subset, or where thanking someone can be “thx” or “tnx”. Yet it is something to think about.
It may be too, that the experts in linguistics need to develop a course of study around the social media language even though this could be extremely difficult, since social media language is even more dynamic than the English language. Such experts will have to grapple with developing a structure around a fast-changing language. This is a language where the meaning of dwl can be universal or mean something else to a subset, or where thanking someone can be “thx” or “tnx”. Yet it is something to think about.
Beyond Language
Netiquette, though, goes beyond language. Another dimension has to do with one’s dress when using a video conferencing platform like those of Zoom, Google Meets, etc. Being at home can, at times, lull one into not making the necessary mental shift required to attend a business or formal meeting over the internet. This inappropriate disposition can result in equally inappropriate choices of dress as well as a laxness of the environment and surroundings (noise background, other people walking by where the computer is stationed for the meeting, etc).
Netiquette, though, goes beyond language. Another dimension has to do with one’s dress when using a video conferencing platform like those of Zoom, Google Meets, etc. Being at home can, at times, lull one into not making the necessary mental shift required to attend a business or formal meeting over the internet. This inappropriate disposition can result in equally inappropriate choices of dress as well as a laxness of the environment and surroundings (noise background, other people walking by where the computer is stationed for the meeting, etc).
Time, purpose, relevance and appropriateness are key.
Netiquette is a form of self-management that applies to all of us including students, employers and employees. Many employers are going to find it necessary to institute work-from-home initiatives to ensure that production and productivity continues. We all should be mindful of how we use this technology so that we do not get caught in the negatives that could result from poor self management instead we should apply netiquette that will help us maximise the benefits of these online products.
2 thoughts on “Netiquette: Online Behaviour and Communication”
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Very relevant and timely information Dr. Pinnock. In addition, the website looks great! innovative, impactful and user friendly.
Dr. Pinnock, I enjoyed reading the article. Thank you for sharing valuable insights on the issue of Netiquette.