The Language of E-mail PDF

The language of e-mail - At one level, it is extremely easy to define the linguistic identity of e-mail as a variety of language; at another level, it is surprisingly difficult. With over 800 million people using e- mail by 2000,1 and 100 million or so being sent each day, a consensus seems unlikel...

The language of e-mail - At one level, it is extremely easy to define the linguistic identity of e-mail as a variety of language; at another level, it is surprisingly difficult. With over 800 million people using e- mail by 2000,1 and 100 million or so being sent each day, a consensus seems unlikely, especially when age, sex, and cultural differences are taken into account. Structural elements An individual e-mail consists of a series of functional elements, for which terminology varies somewhat, all of which are similar in purpose to those found in traditional letters and memos. Headers The underlying format of the header contains four core elements: The e-address - to which the message is being sent (following To:), typed in full manually or inserted automatically by typing a prompt which calls up a character-string from an address-book (either the full e-address or a more memorable short form, or nickname); this is an obligatory element. The e-address from which the message has been sent (following From:) - inserted automatically; this is also an obligatory element; A brief description of the topic of the message (following Subject:) - inserted manually; this is an optional element, but the software will query its absence. The date and time at which the message is sent (following Date:) - inserted automatically by the software. In addition, several optional elements are available within the header area: A space for addresses which are to receive a copy of the message - Inserted manually or automatically; here too, short and full forms of an address are available, the latter usually being placed within angle brackets; the message’s prime recipient is informed that these copies have been sent; A space for addresses which also receive a copy of the message (following Bcc:, for blind carbon copy) - without the prime recipient’s knowledge; A space in which a symbol (such as a paper-clip) appears if an attachment has been added to the message; - this also appears along with the summary in the Outboxand Sent folders, and appears on the recipient’s screen; A space in which a symbol (such as an exclamation mark) appears if a priority is to be given to the message when it is received  - Low, normal, and high priorities are usually recognized. Although the header is formally distinct from the message area below, it is not always functionally separate. Greetings and farewells - What is interesting is the extent to which it is preceded by a greeting (or salutation, opening) and followed by a farewell(or signature,closing). Several types of e-mail have no greeting at all. Some messages include an automatically derived ‘Dear X’ or ‘Hi, X’ in their openings, often with bizarre results. Automatic junk-greetings in my case have included ‘Hi, Professor D’, ‘Hello, Crystal’, and ‘Dear Mr Wales’. Farewells display fewer possibilities for variation, but the same points of principle arise. Two elements are available: - a pre-closing formula (of the Best wishes type) and the identification (ID) of the sender. The farewell element has two important functions in e-mails, as distinct from traditional letters. - it acts as a boundary marker, indicating that further scrolling down is unnecessary. There may indeed be additional automatically generated material on the screen, such as an advertisement for a mail server company, a notice saying that the message has been checked for viruses, or a statement of confidentiality - The farewell has an extended identity function. Obviously it identifies the sender to the immediate recipient (typically providing information which is not present in the header, especially useful if the e-address is opaque), but it also makes this fuller identification available to others who may eventually see the message, in the case of forwarded or attached mail. E-mail guidebooks present a much more standardized picture, and in their recommendations reduce the range of options quite considerably. - there are many ways to express oneself and different contexts to consider, guidebooks often condense this complexity into a simpler, more uniform style. This can be helpful for consistency and clarity but may also stifle creativity or the personalization that some situations might require. One of them is unequivocal in its support for first-name-only ‘Start the message with the person’s first name if you’re communicating with a person you know on that basis. It is equally opposed to what it calls ‘outdated or gender-specific forms, such as Dear Sirs or Gentlemen, from traditional business correspondence’. It is equally opposed to what it calls ‘outdated or gender-specific forms, such as Dear Sirs or Gentlemen, from traditional business correspondence’. - the guideline strongly discourages using old-fashioned and gender-specific greetings like "Dear Sirs" or "Gentlemen." These terms are seen as outdated because they exclude many people and don't reflect the diversity of today’s workplace. Instead, the guideline promotes more inclusive and modern ways to address recipients, which helps everyone feel respected and acknowledged in professional communication. E-mail has become a routine part of social life. - Already many people use it as a more immediate and practical way of sending formal letters and greeting cards The body of the message Five rules in using e-mail Write as though mom is reading - Write it as like you're having the widest audience and if the email is too personal or confidential it is important to write is in generically way. Think big picture -As a writer of the message we should always provide a brief summary at the beginning of the document to point out what was the reason and main focus of the letter. Keep an eye on spelling, grammar and punctuation - The reader can notice and it is important to finalize first the letter before sending it, it is important to check and re-read it first before sending. Don't use e-mail to let off steam - Think wisely, never use email into offensive, abusive language Don't send to the world - don't spam, we should always respect others electronic space, as they respect ours.  The Body of a message should be entirely visible within a single screenview, without any need for scrolling. - People use e-mails for a brief and rapid conversational exchanges, fitting a message into a single screen. Some said that e-mails can fir within 16-line depth and the screen makes available for first sight of incoming messages and it is recommend that special attention is paid to the information which appears on the opening screen – providing a strong first paragraph or a summary. The clarity of the message on the screen is a dominant theme of e-mail manuals. - because effective communication is essential in digital correspondence. Clear messages help avoid misunderstandings, ensure the intended tone is conveyed, and enhance readability. Additionally, well-structured emails improve engagement and responsiveness, making it easier for recipients to grasp key points quickly Clarity in this context involves both legibility and intelligibility. - Legibility refers on how the text can easily be read, factors like font choice, size and formatting contribute to legibility. If the email is hard to read the message can lost, leading to frustration or miscommunication. Intelligibility involves clarity and coherence even if the text is legible, if the ideas in the context is poorly organized the recipient may struggle to understand the message. A common problem is for the line-length settings - the sender’s tterminal is reproduced with a highly erratic sequence of long and short line-lengths on the receiving screen, or fails to wrap aroundat all (requiring an awkward repeated right-scrolling manoeuvre), or is processed so that the end part of each line is simply left out. The pressure to maintain a message’s intelligibility - might be thought to be no different from that encountered in any other communicative domain. But the speed and spontaneity with which e-mails can be written and sent makes it more likely that the processes of reflection normally used with written language will not take place. The style manuals differ over the question of just how much editing should take place: - they are anxious to maintain their belief in the medium’s informality; on the other hand, they are driven by their awareness that, the more idiosyncratic behaviour departs from the norms of standard English, the greater the likelihood of unintelligibility. Most of these manuals, written with a business readership in mind, end up paying lip-service to an informality-induced deviance and coming down hard on the side of the orthodoxrules of the standard language. For every grammar mistake in an e-mail message there are an average of three spelling mistakes - Misspelled words jar your reader’s concentration by diverting attention away from the idea you are expressing. Not only are misspellings annoying and confusing, they also cause the reader to question your credibility. Misspellings make you look sloppy or, worse yet, incompetent. More important, in relation to intelligibility, is the question of a message’s coherence, arising out of the inherently dialogic character of e-messaging - Although some e-mails are sent without any expectation of a response, the vast majority do expect a reply – and get one. Accordingly, the communicative unit, as in everyday conversation, is the exchange. The dialogic character of the body element in an e-mail is made totally explicit when the ‘Reply to Author’ option is activated, and respondents add reactions which refer directly to the whole of a received message. - The process is facilitated by the software, which makes a clear typographic distinction between original message and reaction. following selection of opening sentences: Yes, I think you’re right [about what?] No, I won’t be there [where?] Fine by me [what is?] Indeed – couldn’t have put it better myself [put what?] He’ll meet you at the station [who he?] In opening sentence it is important to be more specific to the main point of our messages, as a writer of the message we should never let them confused in what we are talking about. Message can begin with an acknowledgement Thanks for your message Many thanks for your thoughts Sorry for the delay in replying - the majority of the messages without any acknowledgement were very short often one line or one word in length. This is understandable: it would be anomalous to add an acknowledge- ment which would be longer than the meat of the response. Table 4.2 paragraph lengths picture page 115** - This table shows us how long the text in an email's body is on average. Relatively speaking, the higher percentage of lines in paragraph in personalized incoming messages indicates that they have more body than institutional incoming messages, which have a lower percentage indicating that their message is more succinct and direct. Consequently, the outgoing messages also have a lower percentage, indicating that in certain email correspondence, personalized incoming messages have a higher percentage of lines in paragraph when it comes to the body of the correspondence. (1) I hope to be there by six, though everything depends on the trains. Will you be coming by train yourself, or are you driving this time? I know Fred is bringing his car. (2) >I hope to be there by six, though everything depends on the >trains. Will you be coming by train yourself, or are you driving >this time? I know Fred is bringing his car - The process is facilitated by the software, which makes a clear typographic distinction between originalmessage and reaction. After early experiments using indention, standard practce is now to insert a right-pointing angle bracket (sometimes a colon or vertical black line) at the beginning of each line of the original message (including the paragraph-separating lines-of-white), so that (1) becomes (2): The reaction may then be added, in any of three locations: above the whole of the received message, below it, or within it – repeatedly, if necessary. Above Within Below reply >received message >extract from >received message reply received message >extract from reply received message reply >extract from received message - All three methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Putting the reply first gets to the point straight away, but the receiver often has to scroll down to be reminded of what the person is reacting to often necessary, if time has passed since sending the original message. Putting the reply at the end avoids this problem, but forces the receiver to scroll through a message which may be totally familiar as it would be if it had been sent only a few minutes before. reply above or below – never within – the riginal message. '>I hope to be there by six, though everything depends on the >trains. I know – remember last time? >Will you be coming by train yourself, or are you driving this >time? Car >I know Fred is bringing his car." - Some usage manuals don't like it when you reply within a message. They say you should add your reply above or below the original message, not within it. However,  it is actually pretty common for people to reply within a message, especially when there are multiple points to address. For example, if someone says they hope to be somewhere by six, but it depends on the trains, you might reply within the message by saying, "I know - remember last time?" This type of within-message commenting is used when different points need to be addressed individually. So, it's okay to reply within a message if it helps to keep the conversation organized and clear. ">I hope to be there by six, though everything depends on the >trains. >Will you be coming by train yourself, or are you driving this >time? I know Fred is bringing his car. I know – remember last tim I know – remember last time? Car >I hope to be there by six, though everything depends on the >trains. Will you be coming by train yourself, or are you driving >this time? I know Fred is bringing his car." To make either intelligible would require major rewriting. - The statement emphasizes that in business communication, especially with long documents, clarity is crucial. If a message is not clear, it may require significant rewriting to connect ideas better. "(3) With reference to your points A, B, and C I think P, Q, and R respectively. (4) >Point A Point P >Point B Point Q >Point C Point R" - most interpersonal e-mail, (3) is simply not an option, because of the rewriting (and rethinking) which would be involved. Message intercalation of the type illustrated by (4) is a unique feature of e-mail language, and a property which could only succeed in an electronic medium. "(5) There are still several loose ends for the Tuesday. We’ve had a lot of people wanting to contribute, and our original proposals for timing seem to be out. Do you think it would work having two sessions in the afternoon? It would mean cutting down on the tea-break, and maybe even timing dinner a half-hour later than usual. That in turn would push the evening session on a bit, but I don’t see any problem there, as everyone is staying the night. (6) >Do you think it would work having two sessions in the >afternoon? Good idea" - The longer a sender’s paragraphs, the more likely the recipient is to respond in this way. The result has been described as framing, because of the way in which the quoted text is demarcated typographically, either through an angle-bracket or a vertical line Framing is a consequence of the ease with which people can cut and paste from an original message. - Framing can significantly influence how messages are interpreted, especially in an age where it's easy to cut and paste content. When someone copies text from an original email, they might unintentionally change its context or meaning by removing surrounding information. Framing has both strengths and weaknesses. - It is a convenience, in that a series of points can be responded to rapidly and succinctly, either in the order in which they were made or in some fresh order much as we can strategically recapitulate a series of points made by an interlocutor in a face-to-face discussion. ">B’s extract from A’s message >>A’s ex tract from B’s message >>>B’s extract from A’s extract..." Deliberate out-of-context quotation may seem a strange concept to people expecting the e-mail or chatgroup worlds to be inhabited by polite, well-mannered.  - deliberate out-of-context quoting can undermine constructive communication. While many expect emails to foster polite dialogue, some individuals may intentionally misquote to provoke conflict or score points in disagreements. Framed message is certainly a most unusual object, not like anything else in language use. - framed message in email is quite unique compared to other forms of communication. When we cut and paste text from previous messages whether our own or someone else’s it creates a style of writing that’s unlike anything else. This process can result in paragraphs that are physically close to each other but semantically disconnected, permanence of e-writing is only a superficial impression - permanence of e-writing is only a superficial impression. Although asingle piece of text may be preserved throughout a thread of messages, via forwarding or replying to author, each screen incarnation gives it a different status and may present it in a different formeither through electronic interference from the software or editorial interference from the new user. Linguistics has yet to devise ways of capturing such dynamic characteristics in its stylistic descriptions. - Linguistics struggles to fully capture the dynamic nature of email communication. Unlike traditional letter writing, which conveys the writer’s personality through elements like notepaper and formatting, emails often lack these nuanced indicators. Choices in presentation can significantly affect how the recipient perceives the sender, especially in contexts like job applications or references Features such as screen structure, message openings and closing, message length, dialogic strategies, and framing are central to the identification of e-mail as a linguistic variety. "Am I asking too much? Does this seem workable to you? Can you get to it, do you think? Do you ∗ want ∗ to get to it?!" - In emails, questioning often feels more intense compared to traditional letters or even spoken conversations. In emails, questioning often feels more intense compared to traditional letters or even spoken conversations. How would you like to win... ? Why wait? What could be more addictive than both Pokemon and pinball... except for a blend of both? Catch ’em early by pre-ordering for just £22.99. "Have you ever wanted to see... if it’s sunny in San Francisco? if there’s new snow at Vail? what traffic is like on Interstate 10 in Phoenix? Well, you can!" - Rhetorical questions are particularly common in emails, especially in advertising, where they mimic the engaging style of commercial broadcasting rather than traditional print advertising "Will Mary turn up? I doubt it, after last time. Who knows? Not Jim, anyway" - These impressions need to be supported by some detailed survey-work before they can be proposed as distinctive features of the variety. The usual range of punctuation expressiveness may be seriously extended: "Yes!!!!!!!! WHAT????? You’ve got a ∧&∗! cheek" - The passage explores how punctuation and symbols enhance emotional expression in digital communication. It illustrates this with examples like "Yes!!!!!!!!" and "WHAT?????", showing how punctuation can intensify feelings in a message. Caution in Email Communication: - Email, unlike face-to-face conversations, lacks immediate feedback and can easily lead to misinterpretations. It's essential to consider the potential impact of your words before hitting send. - Example: A sarcastic comment intended for a close friend might be misconstrued as offensive by a colleague. Before sending, ask yourself: "Would I feel comfortable saying this directly to this person?" International Communication Challenges: - Global communication via email presents challenges due to differences in time zones, date formats, and cultural norms. - Example: A deadline set for "7/3/00" could be interpreted as July 3rd in the US or March 7th in the UK. Always clarify time zones and use a consistent date format. Evolution of Email Style: - Explanation: The perception of email as solely informal is shifting. Professional settings demand a more formal and concise approach. - Example: Instead of writing "Hey, what's up?" use a more professional greeting like "Good morning,." Avoid slang and focus on delivering your message clearly and efficiently. Email as a Professional Tool: - Email is a valuable tool for building and maintaining professional relationships. It offers convenience, efficiency, and a platform for clear communication. - Example: A well-written email introducing yourself to a potential client can leave a positive impression and foster a strong professional connection. Importance of Careful Communication: - Careful communication in emails is essential for building trust, avoiding misunderstandings, and conveying your message effectively. This involves choosing your words carefully, considering your tone, and being mindful of the recipient's perspective. - Example: Instead of simply stating "I disagree," provide a thoughtful explanation of your viewpoint, using respectful language and a constructive tone. Writers repeatedly draw analogies between e-mail and other forms of communication, in order to locate it in communicative 'space'. (a cross between a conversation and a letter, email is as fast as a telegram and as cheap as a whisper, a telegraph, a memo, and a palaver rolled into one, faster than a speeding letter, cheaper than a phone call, a strange blend of writing and talking). Slide1: Analogies between e-mail and other forms of communication, in order to locate it in communicative 'space'. * This means that writers compare e-mail to other communication methods—like letters, phone calls, or memos—to better understand and define what e-mail is. By using familiar concepts, they clarify its role and function in our communication landscape. These analogies help position e-mail among other forms, highlighting its unique characteristics and advantages. Communicative Space * Is a concrete or virtual spaces to conduct dialogues about significant issues affecting their lives and make plans to overcome the constraints together. To further elaborate, Homer Simpson has it explained to him in this way: Slide 2: Homer: What's an e-mail? Lenny: It's a computer thing, like, er, an electric letter. Carl: Or a quiet phone call. Slide 3: Analysis 1. e-mail have elements of the memo 2. Informal Letter uses greetings and farewells - Incorporates informal writing features - Telephone Conversation allows for dialogue to develop over time. Noted for its low cost. 3.Telegrammatic Style - Some e-mails exhibit a concise, direct format. *4..Overall Consensus - E-mail is ultimately unique, both formally and functionally, distinct from other communication forms. Slide 4: E-mail does not duplicate what other mediums can do. Eliminating 'Telephone tag' Explanation: E-mail allows for direct communication without needing both parties to be available at the same time, making it more efficient for certain exchanges. Telephone tag repeated message to call me back Slide 6: E-mail for getting quick replies e-mail is more effective than traditional letters for getting quick replies, especially for inquiries. However, it's not suitable for all situations. Exp: letters are more appropriate for sensitive topics, like ending a relationship or sharing bad news, as they convey seriousness and thoughtfulness. Additionally, phone or face-to-face conversations are preferred in these cases because they allow for vocal tone and emotion, which are important for communicating complex feelings accurately. Slide 7: People self disclose on computer Explanation: On the other hand, it has been noted that people have a greater tendency to self- disclose on the computer, compared with telephone and face-to-face conversation, a factor which, some think, partly accounts for the growth in e-romances. Slide 8: Email emerge as means of communication where nothing is easily available before * For professionals * For Parents and Students * For Long Distance Relationship (LDR) couple Exp: e-mail has become an essential communication tool in situations where other methods were previously lacking. Professionals, E-mail allows them to communicate when it's convenient, without needing to be available at the same time. For Parents and Students, helps parents stay in touch with their children who are away at college, providing a quick and easy way to connect. LDR, maintain their relationship, making it easier to share thoughts and feelings. Slide 9: E-Mail Usage Serves functions of traditional letters * (CVs, job applications) but not for all purposes (e.g., legal documents). * Documents: Wills, property deeds. Explanation: email has taken over some functions traditionally performed by physical letters, like sending CVs and job applications. However, it hasn’t replaced conventional mail for important matters like contracts due to concerns about privacy, security, and legal traditions. Certain documents, such as wills and property deeds, hold a unique status that physical copies confer, which email can’t replicate. Additionally, differences in software can affect the formatting of critical documents, making email less suitable for legal or commercial use where layout is essential. Slide: Limitations of E-Mail * Still being discovered * No way controlling email once sent Explanation: The limitations of e-mail, as a communicative medium, are in fact still being discovered. There is no way of controlling an e-mail, once it has been sent; nor is there any way of knowing who will eventually see it or edit it. Explanation: highlights some key limitations of email as a communication tool. Once an email is sent, the sender loses control over it; they cannot prevent others from accessing or forwarding it. Additionally, the sender cannot determine who might eventually view or alter the content of the email. This lack of control raises concerns about privacy and security, as well as the potential for miscommunication or misuse of information Slide 6: Conclusion E-mail is a unique medium with specific strengths and weaknesses. Continues to evolve, revealing new limitations and potentials in communication practices.