Computer-mediated communication acts in non-native English speakers' electronic mail exchanges

Abstract

The basic aim of this study is to examine the Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) acts of Turkish non-native speakers of English (NNSsT), native speakers of English (NSs) and non-native speakers of English in different countries (NNSsO) within online e-mail exchanges in English on preset topics between February 2008 and May 2008. This study explores whether NNSsT‟ CMC acts resemble or differ from NSs‟ and NNSsO‟ CMC acts. The study examines what types of CMC acts NNSsT use in their e-mail exchanges when they address NNSsO or NSs in the study. Besides, the perceptions of NNSsT about the contribution of CMC to their cross-cultural communication, understanding and their foreign language learning are discussed. Computer-Mediated-Discourse Analysis (CMDA) was conducted with respect to qualitative e-mail exchanges in the e-mail group. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data generated by the CMC acts of all groups. The analyses reveal that the difference between the frequencies of NNST and NNSO CMC acts is not statistically significant. However, there is a statistically significant difference between the frequencies NNST and NS CMC acts. In addition, NNSsT‟ CMC acts addressed to NNSsO or NSs are not statistically significant. NNST regard the use of e-mails as a beneficial tool for Foreign Language Education and intercultural understanding. The findings of this study offer a pragmatic view of foreign language education to develop linguistic, social and cultural competencies in the target language and show how to combine CMC tools and foreign language learning.