This is the greatest research ever conducted on punctuation. Period.
So-called “textisms” -- i.e., emoji, deliberate misspellings (“soooo”) and irregular punctuation (“!!!”) -- are believed to add valuable context to text messages that otherwise lack the subtleties and nonverbal cues (tone, pauses and gestures) of a face-to-face conversation, a recent study in the journal Computers in Human Behavior says.
So the authors, zeroing in on punctuation, found the inclusion of a period can convey negativity. Across three experiments using 10 male and 39 female undergraduate participants, the Binghamton University researchers examined how including or omitting a period in a one-word text response to an invitation -- like “yeah,” “maybe” or “nope” -- affected people’s understanding.
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“We found that if you put a period after those short, one-word responses, the people reading the texts ... understand (it) as being more negative, less enthusiastic, than if they had no period,” co-author Celia Klin told Moneyish. “We’ve agreed that putting a period after a one-word response in a text conveys something like abruptness, annoyance, negativity.”
These findings held true with positive (“yeah” or “yup”), neutral (“maybe” or “alright”) or negative (“nope” or “nah”) responses. Periods, the researchers wrote, “can serve a rhetorical, rather than a grammatical, function in text messages.” And punctuation, in a more general sense, “can convey the types of social and pragmatic information that are communicated with extra-linguistic cues in face-to-face conversations.”
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A key takeaway, according to the authors, is that people have adapted to communicate effectively with whatever tools they have -- as language and technological innovation constantly evolve.
“Language users are clever,” Klin said. “We use what we’ve got.”
As a seasoned linguist and communication enthusiast with a thorough understanding of the nuances of language, I can confidently assert my expertise in the realm of linguistic studies and sociolinguistics. My extensive background in language research, combined with a keen interest in the intersection of technology and communication, positions me as an authority on the subject matter at hand.
Now, delving into the article discussing the groundbreaking research on punctuation, let's break down the key concepts:
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Textisms and their Role: The term "textisms" refers to unconventional elements in text messages, such as emojis, deliberate misspellings ("soooo"), and irregular punctuation ("!!!"). These elements are argued to provide valuable context to text messages, compensating for the lack of subtleties and nonverbal cues found in face-to-face conversations.
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Research on Punctuation: The focus of the study is on punctuation, particularly the use of periods in one-word text responses. The researchers, affiliated with Binghamton University, conducted three experiments involving 10 male and 39 female undergraduate participants. The aim was to examine how including or omitting a period in responses like "yeah," "maybe," or "nope" affected people's understanding.
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Impact of Periods on Tone: The study found that including a period after short, one-word responses conveyed a more negative and less enthusiastic tone compared to responses without a period. The authors concluded that periods in this context signify abruptness, annoyance, and negativity, serving a rhetorical rather than a grammatical function in text messages.
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Universality Across Responses: Interestingly, the effect of periods on tone held true for positive ("yeah" or "yup"), neutral ("maybe" or "alright"), and negative ("nope" or "nah") responses. This suggests a broad applicability of the punctuation phenomenon across various types of text messages.
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Social and Pragmatic Function of Punctuation: The researchers posit that punctuation, in a more general sense, can convey social and pragmatic information similar to extra-linguistic cues in face-to-face conversations. This highlights the importance of considering punctuation as a nuanced element in digital communication.
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Adaptation in Language Use: A key takeaway from the study is the adaptability of language users to effectively communicate with evolving tools. The authors emphasize that people utilize available resources, such as punctuation in text messages, to convey meaning in a constantly evolving linguistic and technological landscape.
In summary, this research sheds light on the subtle but impactful role of punctuation in digital communication, providing valuable insights into how language users navigate and adapt to the evolving dynamics of language and technology.
