Computer-mediated communication (CMC) has provided its users with a quick and easy interaction with each other over far distant time and space. As technology has advanced, various means and platforms of communication have evolved. Video gaming is one of the platforms that is nowadays used extensively and globally. People from different parts of the world can play together, watch others play, or share interests in one or more teams. However, anonymity, which is one of CMC features, might affect the language used in the online communication leading to a varying degree of impoliteness (Graham and Hardaker, in press). In other words, it enhances a sense of freedom from being held accountable from inappropriate online behavior. With the increasing
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For instance, Culpeper (2010: 254) referred to impoliteness as a “negative attitude toward specific behaviors occurring in specific contexts. It is sustained by expectations, desires and/or beliefs about social organization, including, in particular, how one person’s or group’s identities are mediated by others in interaction.” Put in another way, impoliteness within a specific community of practice is employed when participants’ behaviors do not meet the expectations, wants, or norms of one or many participants of that community which might trigger specific emotional reactions such as anger or fear and might cause offence. Drawing on Culpeper’s (2011) definition of impoliteness, this paper intends to identify some patterns of impoliteness occurred within player interaction in a live real-time strategy game called League of Legends (LoL) hosted by Twitch.tv. The stream of this game involves the live gameplays, open chats, and video feeds of gamers’ plays. For the purpose of this paper, the patterns of impoliteness are identified by observing the chatters’ comments that conflict with one of Twitch.tv rules of conduct which states that the use of language that expresses “racism, sexism, homophobia, or other hate speech” is prohibited and would lead to suspension of one’s account or channel. In particular, I will focus on impoliteness patterns occurred in a female streamer’s channel that is affected by gendered
For instance, Culpeper (2010: 254) referred to impoliteness as a “negative attitude toward specific behaviors occurring in specific contexts. It is sustained by expectations, desires and/or beliefs about social organization, including, in particular, how one person’s or group’s identities are mediated by others in interaction.” Put in another way, impoliteness within a specific community of practice is employed when participants’ behaviors do not meet the expectations, wants, or norms of one or many participants of that community which might trigger specific emotional reactions such as anger or fear and might cause offence. Drawing on Culpeper’s (2011) definition of impoliteness, this paper intends to identify some patterns of impoliteness occurred within player interaction in a live real-time strategy game called League of Legends (LoL) hosted by Twitch.tv. The stream of this game involves the live gameplays, open chats, and video feeds of gamers’ plays. For the purpose of this paper, the patterns of impoliteness are identified by observing the chatters’ comments that conflict with one of Twitch.tv rules of conduct which states that the use of language that expresses “racism, sexism, homophobia, or other hate speech” is prohibited and would lead to suspension of one’s account or channel. In particular, I will focus on impoliteness patterns occurred in a female streamer’s channel that is affected by gendered