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Anyone Speak Spanish?

Language Encounters in Multi-User Virtual Environments and the Influence of Technology

Department of Technology and Society, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden, asax{at}mot.chalmers.se

Åsa Abelin

Department of Linguistics, Göoteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden, abelin{at}ling.gu.se

Ralph Schroeder

Department of Technology and Society, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden, ralsch{at}mot.chalmers.se

In this study we investigated how people using different languages interact and communicate in an internet-based virtual environment, Active Worlds. The focus was on situations where a new language is introduced in a conversation held in another language. With this we wanted to establish an understanding of: (1) the intentions of introducing a new language; (2) the response to this language introduction; (3) the consequences of language introduction; and (4) the factors influencing rejection or acceptance of language introduction. We found that the response to language introduction depends mainly on: (1) type of language; (2) character of the setting; and (3) perceived intention of language introducers. We found that non-English speakers and regular English-speaking users in less public, ‘themed’ settings are most tolerant to other languages. Apart from national languages, we also studied encounters between users familiar with ‘insider’ jargon - as against users not familiar with it.

Key Words: computer-mediated communication (CMC) • intercultural communication • internet • language encounters • social interaction • user-oriented design • virtual environments

New Media & Society, Vol. 5, No. 4, 475-498 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/146144480354002


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