Chapter 1 Introduction 1
1.1 A profile of research background 3
1.2 Towards an understanding of e-discourse 6
1.2.1 A note on terminology and definitions 6
1.2.2 A note on taxonomies 9
1.3 Aims and objectives 12
1.4 Data and methodology 14
1.5 Theoretical framework 17
1.6 Organization of the thesis 18
Chapter 2 An Overview of Previous Studies 22
2.1 Introduction 22
2.2 Social scientific perspective 23
2.2.1 Relationships-lost view revisited 24
2.2.2 Relationships-found view revisited 29
2.2.2.1 SIP theory 31
2.2.2.2 SIDE model 34
2.2.3 Discussion 38
2.3 Linguistic perspective 43
2.3.1 Comparison between e-discourse，speech and writing 45
2.3.2 Two basic forms of e-discourse 48
2.3.2.1 Synchronous e-discourse 48
2.3.2.2 Asynchronous e-discourse 49
2.3.3 Channel effects on e-discourse 52
2.3.4 E-discourse research in China 56
2.3.5 Discussion 58
2.4 Summary 61
Chapter 3 Theoretical Foundations 67
3.1 Introduction 67
3.2 SFL：a functional model of language 68
3.2.1 System and structure 69
3.2.2 Modeling stratification of language in context 70
3.2.3 Functional diversification：intrinsic and extrinsic functionality 73
3.2.3.1 Intrinsic functionality：metafunctional diversification 74
3.2.3.2 Modeling interpersonal meaning 78
3.2.3.3 Extrinsic functionality：contextual diversification 84
3.2.3.4 Context of culture 95
3.3 Summary 97
Chapter 4 E-discourse in the AT Forum：A Sociocultural Background 100
4.1 Introduction 100
4.2 General cultural background of the AT Forum 101
4.3 Situational background：identifying five major situation types 109
4.3.1 The self-introducing situation 112
4.3.2 The rule-breaching situation 113
4.3.3 The help-seeking situation 114
4.3.4 The information-disseminating situation 115
4.3.5 The discussion-eliciting situation 116
4.3.6 Quantitative verification 117
4.4 Context of situation and material situational setting 119
4.5 E-discourse in the AT Forum 122
4.6 Summary 126
Chapter 5 Negotiation in E-discourse：Articulating Role Relationships 130
5.1 Introduction 130
5.2 Mood patterns as indicators of role relations 131
5.2.1 Mood patterns：basic resources for negotiation 131
5.2.2 Mood patterns as markers of power relations 136
5.2.2.1 Mood patterns：encoding power exercised by managerial members 137
5.2.2.2 Mood selections：construing relative power exerted by help providers 166
5.3 Speech functional patterns and role relations 176
5.3.1 Speech function：semantic resource for negotiation 177
5.3.2 Speech functional choices：encoding power difierence and social distance 180
5.4 Summary 187
Chapter 6 Involvement in E-discourse：Encoding Affiliation and Affinity 189
6.1 Introduction 189
6.2 Naming 191
6.3 Epistolary devices 203
6.4 Grapho-phonemic manipulations 208
6.4.1 Abbreviations 208
6.4.2 Emoticons 212
6.4.3 Written paralinguistic and prosodic surrogates 215
6.5 Slang 219
6.6 Swearing 222
6.7 Technicality 226
6.8 Quoting 230
6.9 Code-switching 233
6.10 Summary 236
Chapter 7 Conclusion 240
7.1 Introduction 240
7.2 Summary of the study 240
7.3 Implications of the study 250
7.4 Suggestions for future research 251
7.5 Concluding remarks 252
References 254
Appendices 283
Appendix 1 Some Oft-cited AT Forum Rules and Guidelines 283
Appendix 2 The Links of the One-month Data Set 292
Appendix 3 The Original Version of the Texts Cited 299
Appendix 4 The Rule-breaching Data in the One month Data Set（Adapted Version） 333
Appendix 5 A Sample Coding Sheet for Mood Analysis of the Rule-breaching Data（Thread G-09） 346
Appendix 6 A Short List of Netcronyms 349
Appendix 7 Two Lists of Emoticons 351