Cyberlines 2.0

Book excerpt: As one of the most significant and original cross-cultural analyses of the distinctive language and culture of the internet, this book offers an exciting and original critique of the futuristic synthesis of the linguistic, visual, spatial and digital dimensions which characterise the world of the internet. Recognising that information technology and languages and cultures of the internet continue to expand almost exponentially, the authors provide a timely analysis of the themes and key concepts necessary for understanding the new languages of the internet. The book is organised around four interrelated themes: ‘The languages of cyberspace’, ‘New literacies’, ‘Gaming and socialising’, and ‘Culture and communities in cyberspace’. The authors build on the new tech-discourses and tech-cultures of the internet. Internationally acclaimed authors examine the cultural dimensions of cyberlanguage, screen reading and critical literacy, negotiating the web, literacy and technology, pedagogy of ‘edu-tainment’, children and CD-Rom technology, identity and mobile phones, cyberself and identity on the internet, and the new literacies of blogging and SMS messaging. This insightful and provocative study demonstrates the profound effects of information technology on the evolving global cultures and subcultures, caused by these new forms of thinking, perceiving and communication. Cyberlines 2.0: Languages and cultures of the internet is an essential text for teachers, students, IT professionals, media analysts, and marketing directors.