Building on previous studies and research conducted in the conversation analysis (CA) field of repair, with special regards to repair in chat-based communication, this paper will examine the extent by which the asterisk symbol is used for repair in WhatsApp chats. Furthermore, the paper will pinpoint the environments in which it is used and try to determine patterns of usage.
As instant messaging services began to gain in numbers and importance, linguists working in the conversation analysis (CA) field started to apply the principles of CA that originally were only defined as applicable for spoken interactions onto chat-based interactions. While research initially focused more on the system of turn taking and its similarities and differences from the oral turn taking system, after the turn of the century, researchers began looking into other aspects of chat- based communication that could be analysed on the basis of CA. Among them, the aspect of repair. A very common phenomenon that occurs in online communication, and especially in WhatsApp chats, is the appearance of the little star symbol *. This symbol, called the asterisk, derived from the Greek word for “little star", serves a variety of purposes in a variety of fields, including mathematics, programming and, as we will see shortly, text messaging. While it can appear in relation to annotations, mathematical formulas and even Google search requests, in text messaging, the asterisk is most commonly used for either bolding or emphasising of words, adding information about tone or repairing a mistake that was previously made.
Table of Contents
I Introduction
II Introduction to the principle of repair in Conversation Analysis
III Introduction to previous studies on repair in chats
IV The study
IV.I Data
IV.II Participants
IV.III Method
V Quantitative analysis of results
VI Qualitative analysis of results
VI.I Environments of unmarked repair
VI.II Use of the asterisk in self-repair
VI.III Use of the asterisk in other-repair
VII Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This paper examines how the asterisk symbol (*) is utilized as a repair mechanism within the instant messaging service WhatsApp. By analyzing chat logs from various participants, the study investigates the contexts in which users employ this symbol to correct mistakes in spelling, grammar, or content, comparing these instances to unmarked repairs and identifying prevailing usage patterns.
- Application of Conversation Analysis (CA) principles to chat-based communication.
- Distinction between marked and unmarked repair strategies in instant messaging.
- Frequency and distribution of the asterisk as a self-initiated self-repair tool.
- Technical and social affordances of WhatsApp influencing repair behavior.
- Correlation between the location of a trouble source and the resulting repair strategy.
Extract from the Book
A) At the end of a message
Extract 1
15:39 Ellie: No it’s not tucked in it’s just shirt
15:39 Ellie: Short
15:39 Ellie: The jumper hits just below the belly button
15:47 Oscar: Ah okay
The above extract shows the most common environment in which self-initiated self-repair is carried out but left unmarked. In line 1, Ellie tells Oscar that “it” (presumably some type of top due to the syntactical context) is not tucked it, but simply short, however, she misspells short as “shirt”. Ellie immediately corrects herself by sending a second message that only includes the word “short” (line 2) and thus, both initiates and carries out the repair in the turn that is immediately adjacent to the turn that contains the mistake.
Summary of Chapters
I Introduction: This chapter introduces the theoretical background of Conversation Analysis and outlines the development of text messaging and WhatsApp as a dominant communication platform.
II Introduction to the principle of repair in Conversation Analysis: This section defines the foundational concepts of repair in talk-in-interaction as established by Sacks, Schegloff, and Jefferson.
III Introduction to previous studies on repair in chats: An overview of existing research applying CA principles to digital communication and the identification of repair patterns in online chats.
IV The study: This chapter describes the methodology, including data collection from five dyadic WhatsApp chatlogs and the selection criteria for the participants.
V Quantitative analysis of results: Presents the statistical findings regarding the frequency and distribution of repair types across the analyzed messages.
VI Qualitative analysis of results: Provides a detailed examination of marked and unmarked repair instances, highlighting specific environments and the use of the asterisk.
VII Conclusion: Summarizes the study’s findings, notes limitations regarding the sample size, and suggests directions for future research.
Keywords
Conversation Analysis, WhatsApp, Repair, Asterisk, Text Messaging, Self-Repair, Other-Repair, Digital Linguistics, Language Correction, Instant Messaging, Computer-Mediated Communication, Spelling Errors, Turn-Taking, Syntax, Discourse
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this research primarily about?
The paper explores the linguistic strategies used in WhatsApp chats to correct errors, specifically focusing on the use of the asterisk (*) as a marker for repair.
What are the central themes of the work?
The central themes include digital communication norms, the transfer of spoken language principles (like repair) to written chat environments, and the functional role of non-standard symbols in correcting typos.
What is the primary aim of the study?
The primary aim is to pinpoint the specific environments where users employ the asterisk for repair and to determine whether patterns of usage exist within real-world mobile text messaging.
Which scientific method is used?
The study utilizes the methodology of Conversation Analysis (CA), performing both a quantitative and qualitative analysis on collected chat log data.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical foundations of CA, a review of previous relevant studies, the specific collection and analysis of WhatsApp chat data, and a categorization of repair types.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
Key terms include Conversation Analysis, WhatsApp, repair, asterisk, digital linguistics, and Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC).
Does the location of an error influence the repair strategy used?
Yes, the data shows that users are more likely to use the asterisk for repairs occurring within a message, whereas errors at the end of a message or in single-word responses are often left unmarked.
Is the asterisk used only for self-correction?
While the study found it almost exclusively used in self-initiated self-repair, the research discusses its potential for other-initiated scenarios based on existing literature and rare data instances.
How does this study compare to previous research on World of Warcraft chat logs?
The study builds on similar findings by confirming that the asterisk serves as an innovative repair morpheme in digital English, regardless of whether participants recognize it as a formal language feature.
- Quote paper
- Marie Will (Author), 2021, The use of the asterisk symbol in repair in WhatsApp chats, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1369016
