Abstract
Arguing that the discourses in which we write also write us, this essay examines some language-related regulating mechanisms that function in online forums supported by wide-area networks (WANs). In particular, it examines one online forum conventionally defined as open, the LISTSERV discussion list TECHWR-L, and considers some positionings and restrictions that both validate and invalidate participants' conversational topics. This essay broadly considers the question of democracy as it relates to electronic conversations, contending that what often delimits the boundaries of appropriate discussion in online forums includes not just software and hardware features but a wide range of discursive conditions.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 269-291 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| Journal | Computers and Composition |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 1996 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Computer Science(all)
- Language and Linguistics
- Education
- Linguistics and Language