The Application Of Communicative Principles Of Language In Text-based Computer-mediated Communication

Due to the growing popularity of Internet, more and more people begin to use Internet as a medium to communicate with each other. In face-to-face communication, conforming to some communicative principles can lead people to the achievement of different communication aims; this is true with computer-mediated communication. In the new context of Internet, computer-mediated communication has its own characteristics, which are different from that of face-to-face communication.This thesis attempts to complete the analysis of text-based computer-mediated communication on the basis of communicative principles of language. Economy principle, cooperative principle, politeness principle and turn-taking principle have been applied to analyze the text-based computer-mediated communication. From the analysis, the author finds that text-based computer-mediated communication can follow maxims of these principles, or deviate from some maxims of these principles, and even create new principles in the new communication context, such as the principle of parallel development of double-topic, the principle of recreation, the principle of quickness, the principle of impression management and the principle of freedom and equality. This study can help people have a better understanding of computer-mediated communication and make good use of it.