INTRODUCTION
Statement of the problem
Language is a dynamic domain for linguistic researchers, continually evolving as users adapt it to express their needs English, in particular, is used variably across different regions worldwide For example, the British prefer the phrase "at the weekend," while Americans say "on the weekend." Similarly, Australians refer to "sunnies," which are known as "sunglasses" in British and American English As a cultural facet, language serves as a communication system in speech and writing for specific communities, highlighting how English is shaped by shared linguistic habits.
Facebook, one of the world's most popular social networks, raises the question of whether its users will create a new form of English Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, stated that the platform is "helping to define a brand-new language for how people connect." He noted that the existing vocabulary is limited, suggesting that by adding nouns and verbs, users can express a wider range of ideas and connections Consequently, Zuckerberg has encouraged Facebook users to enjoy the process of creating this new language.
Many Vietnamese learners of English are utilizing Facebook as an effective platform to practice their language skills by engaging with native speakers The growing trend of Vietnamese users sharing their statuses in English enhances their communication abilities and fosters language learning through social interaction.
1 language (n.d.) In Oxford Advanced Learners‟ Dictionary (8 th ed.) Retrieved from http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/language
The article discusses the prevalence of English usage on Facebook among Vietnamese users, highlighting their tendency to use English to effectively communicate their thoughts It raises questions about the type of English employed, questioning whether users prefer the Standard English learned in educational institutions or a more colloquial, created version Notably, it points out the lack of research addressing these questions, indicating a gap in understanding the linguistic practices of Vietnamese Facebook users.
Thus, the present study has been carried out to investigate the trendy features of English used by Vietnamese learners of English on the social network Facebook.
Objectives of the study
Facebook statuses and comments exemplify asynchronous communication, where authors and readers engage at different times (Yus, 2011) This contrasts with synchronous communication, enabling users to construct messages selectively (Duthler, 2006), allowing for greater planning, reviewing, and control over their texts compared to real-time chats As a result, asynchronous online communication can foster a more formal writing style The study's objectives will focus on these aspects.
1) To examine online English writings on Facebook to find out the trendy features of this language when used by Vietnamese learners of English
2) To investigate the degree of formality/ informality followed by Vietnamese learners of English on this social network site.
Research questions
The study aims at seeking answers to the following questions:
1) What are the trendy features of English language used on Facebook by Vietnamese learners of English?
2) What is the degree of formality/ informality of English followed by
Vietnamese learners of English on Facebook?
Significance of the study
This paper explores an under-researched topic related to Facebook and its impact on Vietnamese graduates of English The findings aim to provide valuable insights for Vietnamese English learners and teachers, as well as for Facebook users globally.
Vietnamese learners of English are the primary beneficiaries of this study, as it helps them distinguish between Facebook English and more formal varieties such as academic and business English While Facebook English tends to be informal, academic and business English are characterized by their formality and standardization This awareness enables learners to choose appropriate English for various contexts, particularly when preparing formal documents like reports, business letters, and research papers.
For many Vietnamese undergraduates lacking a solid foundation in English, relying on Facebook English can be detrimental This habit may lead them to unintentionally incorporate incorrect language from social media into their academic work, resulting in frequent mistakes The findings of this study aim to inform Vietnamese English teachers about the unconventional language forms their students might use, which they may perceive as errors By understanding these issues, teachers can identify the root causes and develop effective strategies to address them.
The research offers valuable insights into the use of English among Vietnamese Facebook users, enhancing understanding and communication among users on the platform Additionally, this study serves as a useful reference for researchers in related fields, paving the way for further exploration and in-depth analysis.
Scope of the study
A significant portion of Facebook users in Vietnam are under the age of thirty-four, as reported by Vietnam's Youth Magazine in 2012 Additionally, English graduates in Vietnam tend to utilize English on the platform, making users aged twenty-three to thirty-three the ideal participants for this study.
Facebook offers various communication tools for users, including private and public messaging, status updates, comments, notes, chat, and voice and video calls However, some of these features are challenging to analyze linguistically, leading to a focus on status updates and comments for this study Consequently, written English is a key variable in the research While English encompasses numerous fields, this study specifically examines morphology and syntax, the fundamental components of grammar, alongside punctuation, to better understand written English usage.
English encompasses various dialects, including British, American, Australian, and Canadian English The concept of "Global English" remains a topic of debate, necessitating the selection of a Standard English for comparison with Facebook usage According to Huddleston and Pullum (2002), Standard English serves as the language of government, education, and public discourse In the twenty-first century, it can be categorized primarily into British and American English However, the researcher focuses solely on British English due to its significant influence on the global English discourse and the British awareness of the need to monitor its evolution (Anderman, 2005).
3 30,8 triệu người Việt Nam sử dụng Internet (2012, Oct 19) Retrieved from http://nhipsongso.tuoitre.vn/Nhip-song-so/516689/308-trieu-nguoi-Viet-Nam-su-dung-Internet.html
Design of the study
The study includes three parts:
Part one is the Introduction of the study which states the problem, the research questions, objectives, scope, significance and the design of the whole paper
The Development section comprises two chapters: the first chapter outlines the theoretical framework relevant to the topic, while the second chapter details the research methodology, including study subjects, data collection instruments, and procedures Additionally, it presents the findings, encompassing data analysis and results, followed by a comprehensive discussion.
The conclusion of this investigation summarizes key findings, highlights the contributions of the research, offers practical recommendations for future studies, and acknowledges important limitations.
DEVELOPMENT
Facebook serves as a platform for both spoken and written communication, yet this study specifically focuses on the applications of status updates and comments, highlighting the investigation of written English.
Written language is characterized by a more deliberate and structured approach, often resulting in longer sentences compared to spoken language (Huddleston & Pullum, 2002, p.13) Contemporary newspapers, magazines, and books exemplify standard written English To craft precise sentences, writers must have a strong command of grammar, which includes morphology, syntax, and punctuation.
Morphology is the study of word structure (Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech & Svartvik,
Words have an internal structure made up of smaller units known as morphemes For instance, the verb "looked" is composed of the morpheme "look" and the grammatical ending "-ed." Similarly, the noun "notebook" consists of the morphemes "note" and "book," while the adverb "beautifully" is formed from "beautiful" and the suffix "-ly." Understanding morphemes is essential for grasping the complexity of word formation.
A word is a significant linguistic unit that stands alone, being larger than a morpheme yet smaller than a phrase According to grammatical theories by Quirk et al (1987) and Huddleston (2002), words can be created through various morphological processes.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Written English
Facebook serves as a platform for both verbal and written communication; however, this study focuses specifically on the applications of status updates and comments, highlighting the examination of written English.
Written language is characterized by a medium that allows for more deliberate sentence planning, resulting in longer sentences compared to spoken language (Huddleston & Pullum, 2002, p.13) Standard written English is commonly found in modern newspapers, magazines, and books To achieve clarity and precision in their writing, authors must have a strong command of grammar, which includes understanding morphology, syntax, and punctuation.
Morphology is the study of word structure (Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech & Svartvik,
Words possess an internal structure made up of smaller units known as morphemes For instance, the verb "looked" is formed from the verb-stem "look" and the grammatical ending "-ed." Similarly, the noun "notebook" is composed of the morphemes "note" and "book," while the adverb "beautifully" consists of "beautiful" and the suffix "-ly."
A word is a distinct linguistic unit that carries meaning, positioned between a morpheme and a phrase in size According to grammatical theories by Quirk et al (1987) and Huddleston (2002), words can be created through various morphological processes.
• Affixation – the formation of words by adding a prefix or a suffix to the base, e.g predict, presidential , informal
• Conversion – the word formation process of changing word-classes without affix, e.g import (used as a verb or a noun), abstract (used as a noun or an adjective)
• Compounding – the process of forming words from two or more bases, e.g greenhouse from green and house, desktop from desk and top
Back-formation, also known as back-derivation, is the linguistic process of creating a new word by removing a part of an existing word, which often alters its part of speech or meaning For example, the verb "opt" is back-formed from the noun "option."
- Clipping – the formation of a word by shortening but still keeping its meaning and part of speech, e.g phone from telephone, photo from photograph, and flu from influenza
- Acronym – the process of forming a word from its initial letters of a series of words, which is itself pronounced as a word, e.g UNESCO
// (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), NASA / / (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), UNICEF // (The United Nations Children's Fund)
- Initialism – the process of forming a word from its initial letters of several of words or parts of a word, which is itself pronounced letter by letter, e.g
TV // (television), UFO // (Unidentified Flying Object)
• Blending – the word formation from two separate forms, e.g motel from motor and hotel, smog from smoke and fog
• Reduplication – the process of forming words from two or more wither identical or slightly different elements, e.g goody – goody, tick – tock, tip – top
• Coinage – the process of inventing a completely new word, e.g aspirin, heroin, Google, zipper
Borrowing is a linguistic process where words from one language are adopted into another, enriching the vocabulary of the borrowing language Examples include "mammoth," derived from Russian, referring to a large, hairy extinct elephant; "gung-ho," originating from Chinese, which describes an overly enthusiastic attitude, particularly in contexts of conflict; and "tycoon," a term that denotes a wealthy and powerful businessperson.
Japanese - a person who is successful in business or industry and has become rich and powerful)
Sound imitation involves creating words that mimic the sounds related to the objects or actions they describe For example, the term "kiwi" refers to a flightless bird from New Zealand that produces a sound similar to its name, while other words like "click" and "clink" also exemplify this phenomenon.
In traditional grammar, words are classified into eight parts of speech: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction and interjection
However, in the theories by Quirk et al (1987, p.18), two more parts of speech are added, namely article and demonstrative
Parts of speech are categorized into two main groups: closed-system and open-class The closed-system consists of a fixed set of functional words that cannot be expanded with new additions This group includes articles like "a," "an," and "the," demonstratives such as "this" and "that," pronouns like "I," "you," and "her," as well as prepositions including "in," "at," and "on," and conjunctions.
Words such as conjunctions (e.g., and, when, although) and interjections (e.g., oh, ah, well) are mutually exclusive, meaning that words of the same part of speech cannot coexist within the same structure For example, one can say "a pen" or "the pen," but not "the a pen." Furthermore, this closed system is also reciprocally defining, indicating that the meaning of each individual item must be understood in relation to the other elements within the system.
The significance of a student's third-place finish in a contest can vary greatly depending on the context, such as whether it is among four participants or forty This illustrates how the interpretation of rankings can change based on the size of the competition.
The open-class group is infinitely expandable and includes notional or lexical words such as nouns (e.g., Jack, book, work), verbs (e.g., do, have, play), adjectives (e.g., happy, attractive, big), and adverbs (e.g., very, really, quickly).
In the open-class category of language, new words can be continually formed, such as deriving nouns from adjectives (e.g., "happiness" from "happy") and adjectives from verbs (e.g., "attractive" from "attract") Furthermore, the various parts of speech within this group can be combined with each other and with the closed-class system, creating diverse structures.
The phrase is the combination of article a, adverb really, adjectives beautiful and
Syntax focuses on how words combine to create phrases and sentences (Huddleston & Pullum, 2002, p.4) Notably, clauses can function as standalone sentences or as components of larger sentences; therefore, this paper will specifically address phrases and sentences.
As a grammatical unit smaller than a clause,
The term "phrase" refers to a longstanding grammatical unit that usually consists of two or more words, yet it does not encompass all the elements found in a complete clause.
4 clause (n.d.) In Oxford Advanced Learners‟ Dictionary (8 th ed.) Retrieved from http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/clause
For example, a noun phrase consists of a noun and its complement, as in the sun, an intelligent student and something new
Since the 1940s, linguists have identified a broader range of phrases than previously acknowledged, including noun phrases (e.g., "a good book"), verb phrases (e.g., "has been looking for the keys"), and adjective phrases.
English phonemes
This paper focuses on the study of written English language, particularly within informal contexts such as Facebook, where users often blend spoken language into their writing This phenomenon leads to unique language creations influenced by the phonetic system As a result, the study will analyze English phonemes to gather relevant data for a comprehensive understanding.
A phoneme is the smallest sound unit in a language that can differentiate between words (Roach, 1998, p.36) The English phonetic alphabet includes twenty-four consonants and twenty vowels, which are illustrated in the accompanying chart.
Bilabial Labiodental Dental Alveolar Plato-alveolar
Table 1 - Chart of English consonant phonemes
Besides the consonants are twenty vowels including five long vowels /, , ,
, /, seven short vowels /, , , , , , / and eight diphthongs /, ,
Long vowels are typically longer in duration than short vowels when used in similar contexts A diphthong consists of a transition from one vowel sound to another, functioning similarly to long simple vowels.
Informal English
In this study, informal English is defined as the language used in everyday situations, encompassing colloquialisms, slang, and non-standard language patterns that often deviate from traditional grammatical structures.
Colloquialism, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, refers to words or phrases commonly used in conversation but not in formal writing or speech Examples include terms like "ain't" (am not), "reckon" (suppose), and "yonder" (over there) Linguists, such as Zuckermann (2003), differentiate colloquialisms from slang, highlighting their unique roles in language.
Slang refers to informal (and often transient) lexical items used by a specific social group, for instance teenagers, soldiers, prisoners, or surfers…
Colloquialism refers to informal language used in everyday speech While it can encompass slang, the term is more specific and does not always include slangisms Although slang is commonly found in colloquial speech, not every colloquial expression qualifies as slang.
Native speakers are more familiar with colloquialisms, which can be differentiated from slang by consulting updated dictionaries Due to their widespread use, many colloquialisms are now included in dictionaries, often labeled as informal language.
The study explores the dynamic nature of language on social media, focusing on the continuum of slang and colloquialisms among Vietnamese users on Facebook While many slang terms are fleeting, the pool of non-slang colloquialisms continues to expand This research aims to identify the emergence of new slang and colloquial expressions within this popular social networking platform.
5 colloquialism (n.d.) In Oxford Advanced Learners‟ Dictionary (8 th ed.) Retrieved from http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/colloquialism
Conversations
Most of the time, conversation consists of two or more participants taking turns, and only one participant speaking at any time
It is worth noting that status is posted aiming to report or update something about the Facebook user‟s feelings, emotions or daily activities It can be considered a
„topic-raising‟ statement expecting others‟ feedbacks or in other words, it is the very beginning of a conversation Meanwhile, comment is the application for other
Facebook users to freely give their opinions related the „topic sentence‟ or status, which makes a real successful conversation
Facebook's asynchronous nature allows users to post without time pressure, resulting in long pauses between comments This indirect, non-restrictive communication style enables anyone to engage at any time without overlaps, thanks to the platform's time management However, this freedom in turn-taking often leads to adjacency pairs in conversations that are not contiguous or orderly.
Review of related studies
With spectacular growth and popularization of social networking sites 6 , many studies have been conducted concerning the use of languages on SNSs
The study "Intercultural Internet Chat and Language Learning: A Socio-Cultural Theory Perspective" by Pasfield-Neofitou (2007) explores the experiences of five advanced Australian learners of Japanese engaging in intercultural online chats with their Japanese peers This research highlights the impact of socio-cultural interactions on language acquisition, demonstrating how digital communication fosters language learning and cultural exchange Through these interactions, learners not only enhance their linguistic skills but also gain deeper insights into Japanese culture, emphasizing the importance of social context in language education.
6 Social Networking Reaches Nearly One in Four Around the World (2013, June 18) Emarketer Retrieved from http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Social-Networking-Reaches-Nearly-One-Four-Around-
This study investigates Japanese-English intercultural Internet chat through the lens of Socio-cultural theory, analyzing ten chat logs collected over a month alongside follow-up interviews The research focuses on various linguistic and interactional features, including turn-taking, language characteristics, and the impact of computer literacy and chat experience The findings reveal that sociocultural factors significantly influence the language used in these discussions, highlighting that chat platforms offer valuable opportunities for authentic language interaction with native speakers.
Concerning the same issue, Nguyễn, D T T, Nguyễn, T T T & Nguyễn, T T H
(2008) carried out “a study on the impact of @-language on the mother tongue”
A recent study conducted among high school students in Da Nang, Vietnam, reveals a significant prevalence of @-language, a form of communication favored by the younger generation for online chatting The research indicates that 65.3% of participants are drawn to the novelty of this language, while 49% prefer its abbreviated expressions for time-saving purposes Additionally, 14.28% of students use @-language to stay current with teenage trends, and 8.16% utilize it to obscure their conversations from parents The study ultimately warns that the widespread use of @-language may hinder young people's appreciation and understanding of their native language.
In short, both of the two linguistic studies, as many others by Milroy (1987), Young
(2009), Morris, Cunliffe & Prys (2012) and Vũ, N N K (2012)…, mainly target to chat language in the SNSs in general
The rise of Facebook has sparked interest among researchers in the unique language characteristics of this social networking site Following Mark Zuckerberg's encouragement for users to enjoy language creation, linguists have increasingly focused on the unconventional aspects of English on Facebook Notably, Pérez-Sabater (2012) conducted a study titled “A Study of Writing Conventions on Facebook,” which examined the formality and informality of online communication in English, comparing native and non-native speakers This quantitative research involved a cohort of university students from Europe (non-native speakers) and the United States (native speakers), analyzing 300 comments posted on official university Facebook pages The study emphasized the etiquette and protocol in online writing, particularly in greetings and closings, as indicators of orality and informality The findings revealed significant stylistic variations in comments, suggesting that Facebook usage within a university context lacks conventionalization Furthermore, the study indicated that non-native English speakers tend to communicate more formally than their native counterparts in the academic sphere on Facebook.
Some other linguists concerning the Facebook language are Ellison, Steinfield & Lampe (2007), Pugh (2010), Blattner & Fiori (2009), Bonds-Raacke & Raacke
(2010), Terantino & Graf (2011), Blattner & Lomicka (2012) and Anwaruddin (2012)…
Despite Vietnam having the highest growth rate of Facebook users at 146% within six months of 2012, there is a notable lack of research focused specifically on Vietnamese Facebook users Additionally, Vietnamese authors tend to conduct their studies on social networking sites (SNSs) primarily in their native language.
These gaps intensified the significance of the study which aims to investigate the trendy features of English on Facebook pages of Vietnamese graduates of English
7 30,8 triệu người Việt Nam sử dụng Internet (2012, Oct 19) Retrieved from http://nhipsongso.tuoitre.vn/Nhip-song-so/516689/308-trieu-nguoi-Viet-Nam-su-dung-Internet.html
THE STUDY
Methodology
The participants are a cohort of thirty Vietnamese learners of English who have their own Facebook accounts Their average age is 28, with an age range from 23 to
33 All of them are college/ university graduates majoring in English Thus, despite their various proficiency levels of English, the participants are believed to have basic background knowledge of the English language However, the Facebook platform allows users to decide what information about themselves they want to share with others; it is not to change identities but to present the best part of the user to the others (Baron, 2008, p.82) Therefore, the selection of participants is mainly based on the authentic relationship between them and the researcher
The study is conducted mainly on Facebook pages of the participants Its corpus has been collected by the author during 2012 and 2013, comprising 112 statuses and
185 comments posted to the Facebook pages of the Vietnamese graduates of English
This study aims to explore the characteristics of English used on Facebook by Vietnamese graduates, employing a descriptive methodology as the most fitting approach It utilizes participant observation and unstructured interviews as primary research instruments, while also incorporating analytic, comparative, and contrastive methods to evaluate the data The research seeks to identify similarities and differences between Facebook English and Standard English, utilizing the X-bar model and tree diagrams as key linguistic analysis tools.
To achieve the study's objectives, each observation sheet features a table with six columns: site of information, Facebook user, updated time, content, uncommon language elements, and type of language phenomenon Additionally, the table includes two rows labeled status and comment.
• Site of information – this column is to indicate whether the expressions are observed from status or comment
• Facebook user – name of users on the site
• Updated time – the time when the statuses and comments were posted
• Expressions – what are posted in statuses and comments
• Uncommon language element – this column is to point out whether there is any strange language element in the observed expressions
• Type of language phenomenon – this column aims to sort the uncommon language phenomena found in the observed expressions
To explore the unique uses of English on Facebook, the researcher conducted unstructured interviews to gather insights from users These informal discussions typically involve one or two questions aimed at clarifying the meanings behind obscure abbreviations and phrases like "sr," "plz," and "wassup." The information obtained from these interviews is essential for enhancing the observation sheets and understanding the language phenomena on the platform.
During this phase, the researcher implemented a survey research design by creating a personal Facebook account to engage actively on the platform Participants were carefully chosen based on specific criteria and invited to join the researcher’s friend list Additionally, an observation sheet was developed to facilitate data collection.
The study involved daily observation of participants' Facebook pages over a year to analyze the evolving characteristics of English in their statuses and comments Data collected during this period was documented in an observation sheet, and unstructured interviews were conducted as needed to clarify any linguistic phenomena that were difficult to interpret.
After that, with the collected findings, the researcher analyzed and synthesized all the data to find out the answer for the two research questions
When discussing free access and privacy issues, it's important to note that while these sites offer free access, no genuine private information is disclosed in the examples used in this study Any personal details found in statuses and comments have been altered to protect privacy, yet they retain similarities to the original content to demonstrate the authenticity of the written material.
The observation sheet data were utilized to analyze participants' English usage on Facebook Language phenomena collected through observation were categorized to facilitate the analysis process The findings were then presented in charts, tables, and diagrams Subsequently, the researcher compared and contrasted the English used on Facebook with Standard English to identify the trendy features of the language on the platform.
Findings and discussion
In order to seek the answer for the research questions, the study bases on what have been collected through the observation together with the supplement of unstructured interview
This linguistic study focuses exclusively on grammar, specifically examining morphology, syntax, and punctuation The collected data is analyzed through these three grammatical aspects.
Morphologically, the findings show that the abbreviated form of expressions and the frequent usage of colloquialisms are the most outstanding linguistic phenomena on the Facebook status and comment
A study revealed that 27 out of 30 participants frequently used abbreviated expressions in their Facebook statuses and comments, with 64% of former users and 81% of latter users employing such forms The participants demonstrated various manipulations of abbreviated words, phrases, and clauses, categorized into four types: Sound-based substitution, Initialism, Clipping, and Sound imitation The preferences for each type of abbreviation are illustrated in the accompanying chart.
Figure 1 - The preference of each abbreviated form
The data indicates that abbreviated expressions are more frequently used in comments than in statuses, with 73% of comments featuring these expressions compared to 56% in statuses This trend suggests that participants have a stronger preference for sound-based substitutions in their comments.
Vietnamese learners of English infrequently utilize sound imitation for expression shortening, as evidenced by only 22 out of 185 comments and three statuses incorporating this technique In contrast, initialism is employed in 34% of statuses and 36% of comments, while clipping is used in 41% of statuses and 45% of comments, indicating a similar level of interest among users Overall, regardless of the abbreviation type, Vietnamese learners tend to shorten their expressions when posting statuses and comments on Facebook.
This paper aims to analyze various Facebook statuses and comments to explore existing abbreviations, providing a comprehensive list of these shortened forms By doing so, it offers readers an in-depth understanding of this unique linguistic phenomenon on Facebook, particularly focusing on sound-based substitutions.
This process of forming words has not been mentioned in the previous works
Sound-based substitution refers to the practice of replacing a longer expression with a shorter equivalent, such as a word or letter, that closely resembles the original in pronunciation Importantly, this substitution does not maintain any semantic connection between the substitute and the original expression.
Vietnamese learners of English on Facebook predominantly use sound-based substitution in their statuses and comments, as highlighted in the accompanying table.
Sound – based abbreviation Sound Meaning u // you ur // your urs // yours r // are n // and coz // cause bcoz // because b4 // before wassup // What‟s up
Table 2 - List of Sound-based Substitutes on Facebook
The research indicates that the most commonly used sound-based abbreviations in participants' Facebook statuses and comments are "u," "ur," "urs," and "r." This prevalence can be attributed to the communication-focused nature of social networking sites like Facebook, where the second-person pronoun "you" and its conjugation "are" frequently appear Examples of statuses and comments utilizing these sound-based substitutions further illustrate this trend.
- U have changed a lot…or even changed too much…!
- Look!!! U r now too far, too different from ur sound self…
- U also have lost ur sense of self, havent u?!
- I‟m on the way though, do u want to eat anything i‟ll buy for u!
At first glance, these sentences may seem nonsensical, but when spoken or read silently, their pronunciation reveals their intended meaning By utilizing words with similar sounds, Vietnamese learners of English can reduce the character count of their Facebook posts, ultimately saving time while typing.
Table 3 shows the list of initialisms which are used by Vietnamese learners of English on Facebook status and comment
Initialism Full form bf boyfriend btw/ BTW by the way fb/ FB facebook plz/ pls please sth something sr sorry
Table 3- List of Initialisms on Facebook
Initialisms, formed by the first consonant of each syllable, can have multiple meanings, such as "bf" representing either "boyfriend" or "best friend." In conversations, the context and semantic meaning of these terms are crucial for effective communication For example, understanding the intended meaning of "bf" can significantly impact the clarity of the dialogue.
Status : Plz stop any questions about my bf I‟m totally single at the moment Ok?
In a Facebook status, the user employs the initialism "bf," which could initially suggest "best friend." However, the inclusion of the word "single" in the following sentence clarifies that "bf" actually refers to "boyfriend." This shift in context highlights the importance of understanding abbreviations based on surrounding content.
The term "single" refers to an individual who is not currently in a romantic relationship, while "bf" typically denotes "boyfriend" rather than "best friend." Understanding these distinctions allows Facebook users to engage in meaningful conversations by providing relevant comments that align with the topic of love and relationships.
In short, despite the widespread use, initialisms still need to depend on their semantic roles to meet the expected meanings c Clipping
Vietnamese learners often shorten words in their Facebook statuses and comments, notably using the term "pic" as a clipped form of "picture." This trend is prevalent due to the abundance of images shared on the platform (Bonds-Raacke & Raacke, 2008), leading to the near absence of the full word "picture" in online interactions Instead, "pic" has become the preferred term, as illustrated by various examples from different Facebook users that highlight the dominance of this clipping in everyday communication.
- just a few pics of a small town near the Swiss Alps, …
- just some random pics taken by my iphone
Everything fell perfectly into place at the right moment, from the flag and the statue to the wind This stunning scene was beyond my own creative ability; it truly felt like a divine arrangement.
- Look at that pic then miss u so much bro Minh Ming!
Other clippings are gathered in Table 4 as follow
Clipping Full form bro brother
Congrats Congratulations pic picture sis sister
Table 4 - List of Clippings on Facebook d Sound imitation
Vietnamese learners of English on Facebook show a low preference for sound imitations in their word formation According to the data presented in Table 5, only two instances of sound imitations were identified in the analyzed statuses and comments: "zzz," indicating sleepiness, and "shhh," used to request silence.
CONCLUSION
Limitations of the study
Despite considerable devotion of time and efforts, the study cannot avoid some shortcomings which can be noted as follow
Firstly, if the study had been implemented with more participants in a wider range of age, the results would be more popularized thus more valid
The M.A thesis is limited in scope, focusing primarily on the key components of grammar: morphology, syntax, and punctuation (Huddleston & Pullum, 2002) Consequently, the research can only provide a brief overview of the topic.
In short, the limited time, scope and participants, to some extent, impede the validity of the research.
Suggestions for further study 43 REFERENCES I ENGLISH I VIETNAMESE IV APPENDIX
Other researchers who also delve into the English language on Facebook may further look into the issue from different angles
First of all, if time allows, researchers can investigate other kinds of participants, teenagers or undergraduates, for instance
Numerous researchers, including Clark & Gruba (2010), Morris, Cunliffe & Prys (2012), and Vũ, N N K (2012), have explored the language used by individuals on social network sites, and ongoing studies are likely to yield intriguing insights.
In addition, apart from status and comment, a further study can be extended to other applications on Facebook such as message, note or chat room
Last but not least, other researchers may concern other fields of linguistics like semantics and pragmatics in order to have a deeper insight into English language used on Facebook
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