Age, Culture, and Communication: Contextualization and Framing in a Playful Online Forum

ABSTRACT This paper analyzes frame shifting between playfulness and seriousness and contextualization cues in an extended playful thread in an online Chinese forum. This study takes culture as a necessary complement to computer-mediated discourse analysis, endeavoring to provide a perspective from which to analyze both the linguistic and social dimensions of online communication. CMC acts were classified as bona fide and non-bona fide communication, and categories of contextualization cues were identified. The findings show that in this online environment, frames and contextualization cues can be identified and play a significant role in determining the tone and the expected development of participants’ messages. Specifically, contextualization cues help participants identify a certain frame of expected content, and the identified “playful” or “serious” frame directs participants to respond playfully or seriously. In this process, cultural nationality has a stronger effect than participant age.