Language and the Internet
In this first book-length consideration of the Internet by a  linguist, Crystal, whose Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language and  over 40 other books have established him as a leading authority  on language, begins with the idea that the Internet is not just  a technological revolution but a social one as well. The author  reasons that language is central to the revolution and explores  the role of language in the Internet and the effect of the  Internet on language. In four central chapters, he details the  significant linguistic features at work in the four major  "situations" of the Internet: e-mail, chatgroups (including  listservs and discussion groups), virtual worlds, and the web.  He concludes that Netspeak (his word for the language of the  Internet) is a new medium, "neither spoken language nor written  language nor sign language, but a new language  dimension computer-mediated language." Crystal sees Netspeak  creating huge opportunities for the expansion and enrichment of  language. This is only the first snapshot of an amazingly  dynamic new field, but it provides some of the groundwork  indispensable to future research. Recommended for larger public  libraries and all academic collections. Paul D'Alessandro,  Portland P.L., MECopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.