Internet Relay Chat-based computer-mediated communication provides a distinct space for social interaction and cultural contact, with new and inventive forms of language generated. Research has not fully investigated the specifically creative aspects of language in online interaction, and even less in communication between bilingual and multilingual speakers of English and other languages. Based on a 20,000-word corpus of private ICQ ('I Seek You') data and as evidenced in extensive examples of online communication, this article explores the linguistic creativity of a group of bilingual English-Cantonese speaking university students from Hong Kong. The study reveals the emergence of a bimodal, 'hybrid' spoken-written variety of English embracing an essentially informal, speakerly style that is produced in intimate, collaborative and synchronic contexts. The linguistic creativities in this variety, evidenced, in particular, by code-switching, loan translation and relexicalization, as well as by acoustic and graphical wordplay, represent an e-discourse repertoire that is used to achieve both specific interactional purposes and to articulate a dual cultural identity. The article argues that this form of creative computer-mediated literacy practice has a significant impact on the ways in which interactive and expressive meanings are conveyed.
Bechar-Israeli, H. (1995) 'From (Bonehead) to (cLoNehEAd): Nicknames, Play and Identity on Internet Relay Chat', Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication1(2), available online at http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/voll/issue2/bechar.html (accessed 20 December 2004).
2.
Biber, D. (1988) Variation across Speech and Writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
3.
Cadas, S.J. and Coron-Cadas, S. (2002) 'A Sociolinguistic Analysis of the Language Preference of Adolescent Bilinguals: Shifting Allegiances and Developing Identities', Applied Linguistics23(4): 490-514.
4.
Carter, R. (1999) 'Common Language: Corpus, Creativity and Cognition ', Language and Literature8(3): 195-216.
5.
Carter, R. (2004) Language and Creativity: The Art of Common Talk . London: Routledge.
6.
Carter, R. and McCarthy, M. (2004a) 'If You Ever Hear a Native Speaker, Please Let Us Know!', in A. Pulverness (ed.) IATEFL 2003 Brighton Conference Selections, pp. 116-23. Kent : IATEFL.
7.
Carter, R. and McCarthy, M. (2004b) 'Talking, Creating: Interactional Language, Creativity, and Context', Applied Linguistics25(1): 62-88.
8.
Cheng, K.K.Y. (2003) 'Code-switching for a Purpose: Focus on Pre-school Malaysian Children', Multilingua22: 59-77.
9.
Cheung, Y.S. (1984) 'Conflicts in the Uses of English and Chinese Languages in Hong Kong', Language Learning and Communication3(3): 273-87.
10.
Cook, G. (2000) Language Play, Language Learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
11.
Crystal, D. (1998) Language Play. Harmondsworth : Penguin.
12.
Crystal, D. (2001) Language and the Internet. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
13.
Danet, B. (1995) 'General Introduction: Playful Expressivity and Artfulness in Computer-mediated Communication', in B. Danet (ed.) Journal of Computer-mediated Communication (Special issue on Play and Performance), available online at http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/voll/issue2/genintro.html (accessed 20 December 2004).
14.
Danet, B., Ruedenberg, L. and Rosenbaum-Tamari, Y. (1997) 'Hmmmm ...Where's That Smoke Coming From?', Journal of Computer-mediated Communication , available online at http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol2/issue4/danet.html (accessed 20 December 2004).
15.
Ferrara, K., Brunner, H. and Whittemore, G. (1991) 'Interactive Written Discourse as an Emergent Register ', Written Communication8(1): 8-34.
16.
Fisher, D.R. (2001) 'On Utopias and Dystopias: Toward an Understanding of the Discourse Surrounding the Internet', Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication6(2), available online at http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol6/issue2/fisher.html (accessed 20 December 2004).
17.
Fung, L. and Carter, R. (2007) 'Cantonese E-discourse: A New Hybrid Variety of English', Multilingua26(1): 35-66.
18.
Grumpert, G. (1990) 'Remote Sex in the Information Age', in G. Grumpert and S. L. Fisher (eds) Talking to Strangers: Mediated Therapeutic Communication , pp. 143-53. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
19.
Gupta, A.F. (1995) 'Singaporean English: Pragmatic Particles', Speech and Hearing Association (Singapore) Newsletter , December, available online at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/english/staff/afg/shastxt.html#Three (accessed 20 December 2004).
20.
Herring, S.C. (1996) 'Introduction', in S.C. Herring (ed.) Computer-Mediated Communication: Linguistic, Social and Cross-cultural Perspectives, pp. 1-10. Amersterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
21.
James, G. (2001) 'Cantonese Particles in Hong Kong Students' English E-mails', English Today67(17/3): 9-16.
22.
Kachru, B.B. (1986) The Alchemy of English: The Spread, Functions and Models of Non-native Englishes. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
23.
Kachru, B.B. (1995) 'Transcreating Creativity in World Englishes and Literary Canons', in G. Cook and B. Seidlhofer (eds) Principle and Practice in Applied Linguistics, pp. 271-88. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
24.
Koch, P. and Osterreicher, W. (1990) Gesprochene Sprache in der Romania. Tübingen: Max Niemeyer Verlag.
25.
Kozar, S. (1995) 'Enduring Traditions, Ethereal Transmissions: Recreating Chinese New Year Celebrations on the Internet', Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication1 (2), available online at http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/voll/issue2/kozar.html (accessed 20 December 2004).
26.
Kramsch, C. (1998) Language and Culture. Oxford : Oxford University Press.
27.
Law, A. ( 2002) 'Cantonese Sentence-final Particles and the CP Domains ', available online at www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/PUB/WPL/02papers/law.pdf (accessed 20 December 2004).
28.
Law, S.P. (1990) 'The Syntax and Phonology of Cantonese-final Particles ', PhD thesis, Boston University, available online at http://www.bu.edu/asllrp/sam-po.html (accessed 20 December 2004).
29.
Lee, C.K.M. (2002) 'Literacy Practices in Computer-Mediated Communication in Hong Kong', The Reading Matrix2(2): 1-25. Available online at http://www.readingmatrix.com/articles/lee/articles.pdf (20 December 2004).
30.
Lubart, T. 1. (1994) 'Creativity', in R. J. Sternberg (ed.) Thinking and Problem-solving, pp. 289-332. San Diego, CA: Academic.
31.
Luke, K.K. (1990) Utterance Particles in Cantonese Conversation. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
32.
Luke, K.K. and Richards, J.C. (1982) 'English in Hong Kong: Functions and Status', English WorldWide3: 147-64.
33.
Matisiff, J.A. (1991) 'Areal and Universal Dimensions of Grammaticalization in Lahu', in E. C. Traugott and B. Heine (eds) Approaches to Grammaticalization , Vol. 1, pp. 83-454. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
34.
Matthews, S. and Yip, V. (1994) Cantonese: A Comprehensive Grammar. London: Routledge.
35.
Nickerson, R.S. (1999) 'Dimensions of Thinking: A Critique', in B. F. Jones and L. Idol (eds) Dimensions of Thinking and Cognitive Instruction: Implications for Educational Reform, Vol. 1, pp. 495-509. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
36.
Pang, T.T.T. (2003) 'Hong Kong English: A Stubborn Variety?', English Today74(17/2): 12-18.
37.
Ricciardelli, L.A. (1992) 'Creativity and Bilingualism', Journal of Creative Behaviour26(4): 242-54.
38.
Schulze, M. (1998) 'Substitution of Paraverbal and Nonverbal Cues in the Written Medium of IRC', available online at http://www.linguistik.unierlangen.de/~max/Tree/iada98 (accessed 20 December 2004).
39.
Snyder, 1. (ed.) (1998) Page to Screen. New York: Routledge.
40.
Sridhar, S.N. (1983) 'Non-native English Literatures: Context and Relevance ', in B. B. Kachru (ed.) The Other Tongue: English Across Cultures, pp. 291-306. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
41.
Thurlow, C., Tomic, A. and Lengel, L. (2004) Computer Mediated Communication: Social Interaction and the Internet. London: Sage.
42.
Warschauer, M., El Said, G., and Zohry, A. (2002) 'Language Choice Online: Globalization and Identity in Egypt', Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication7(4), available online at http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol7/issue4/warschauer.html (accessed 20 December 2004).
43.
Werry, C.C. (1996) 'Linguistic and Interactional Features of Internet Relay Chat', in S. C. Herring (ed.) Computer-Mediated Communication: Linguistic, Social and Cross-cultural Perspectives , pp. 47-64. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
44.
Woolard, K. (1988) 'Codeswitching and Comedy in Catalonia', in M. Heller (ed.) Codeswitching: Anthropological and Sociolinguistic Perspectives, pp. 53-76. The Hague: Mouton de Gruyter.
