Conversational Analysis of Chat Room Talk

PhD Thesis by Dr. Terrell Neuage

This PhD thesis, completed at the University of South Australia and archived at the National Library of Australia, explores the dynamics of online communication through conversational analysis of chat room talk. Dr. Terrell Neuage examines Internet Relay Chat (IRC), discussion groups, and America Online's Instant Messenger, focusing on the flow of "talk," power dynamics, and textual practices in virtual environments.

Key areas of analysis include:

• Moderated vs. unmoderated discussion groups and their impact on freedom of speech and cybernetic ethics.
• The "talk-text" dynamic in Instant Messenger, where conversations mirror traditional Conversational Analysis frameworks.
• Textual practices in IRC, including the use of abbreviations (e.g., LOL, IBE) and the challenges of interpreting unedited, error-prone text.

The thesis includes case studies and a detailed methodology, available through the navigation menu above. For the complete published version, contact the University of South Australia library.

Example Analysis: Discussion Groups

Dr. Neuage analyzes how discussion groups can deviate from their intended purpose. For instance, an academic mailing list on the psychology of the Internet, established in 1996, saw threads spiral into unprofessional exchanges, highlighting the challenges of maintaining focus in unmoderated spaces.

"Okay, everyone. I think this thread is totally out of control. We are adults, and I have been really surprised and disappointed by the name-calling and general lack of professionalism from all sides."
— Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska

This example underscores the need for moderation to prevent ideological takeovers or off-topic "talk," a key methodological concern in the thesis.

Example Analysis: Instant Messenger

The thesis examines a fragment of an Instant Messenger conversation between two acquaintances, where the dialogue shifts from spirituality to a sexual theme. The analysis highlights the interpretive complexities of IRC text, including abbreviations (e.g., LOL for "lots of laughs") and typographical errors due to rapid typing.

Below is a transcribed excerpt with notations indicating conversational flow:

1. ######: WE WERE TOGETHER IN THE HAREMS OF CHINAS THRONE, THE GOOD OLDL DAYS
2. ######: MINE
3. ******: ah...one of those past life miracles [3?1]
...
32. ######: THE WOMAN HAS FOUR ORGASIMS, A LEAST ONE VERY BIG TWO MEDIUM AND ONE OR MORE SMALL THE MAN HAS ONE BIG AND MAYBE A FEW SMALL ONES [32?31?29?10]
33. ######: THIS RATIO KEEPS THE NIGHT ALL NIGHT. [33?32?31?29?10]
34. ******: oh my god!...thats what i thought you were going to say.....but i didnt want to go there! [34?33?32?31?29?10]
            

This dialogue illustrates how IRC conversations regress, referring back to earlier exchanges, a phenomenon Dr. Neuage argues is unique to online chat compared to spoken texts.