An Analysis On Microblog Language Based On Register Theory

Microblog comes from the abbreviation of micro and blog, is a type of blog whose content is confined within140characters. Its users can browse and write microblogs through computer and mobile phone. As a new tool of communication, the microblog is briskly entering into peoples’life and has exerted great influence on the whole society. The Microblog language belongs to Internet language which is an important research object in the field of sociolinguistics. This thesis takes the language used on Sina microblog as its research target, attempts to study the microblog language from the perspective of sociolinguistics, and adopts Halliday’s register theory to analyze the linguistic features of microblog language in terms of field, tenor and mode.The microblog language differs from other language used on Internet for that it has more fixed group of microblog users, and more inclusive style of language. As far as the author knows, very few researches are conducted into the microblog language even though the microblog has become so popular. The microblog language, as a special variety, aims to provide a new research angle and help the users to have a better knowledge of microblog language and participate in the communication with other microblog users.Sina microblog, a corner of Internet, enables its users to interact with others or participates in the discussion of certain topics which may be the latest news, a popular movies or public affairs. Actually, the microblog can be referred as a virtual speech community. The language used on it has its own unique linguistic features. Relying on the special field, tenor and mode, microblog language has been applied and developed at a rapid space. So the author thinks it is of great necessity to study the microblog language.Chapter One briefly introduces the features of Netspeak and the background of microblog. Meanwhile, the research significance and data collection of this thesis are also briefly introduced. Chapter Two makes a literature review of the previous studies on Netspeak abroad and at home, and Halliday’s register theory. Chapter Three explores the unique features of microblog language with register theory in terms of field, tenor and mode; Chapter Four conducts a typical case study with the application of register theory to analyze the roles, social status and the relationships among the participants in the discourse, and different linguistic features of participants would be analyzed. Chapter Five explains the major social factors which influence the feature of microblog language. Chapter Six offers the summary of the present study and points out its limitations and recommendations for the future relative study on microblog language.