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Understanding the multi-modal affective expression of net language in computer-mediated communication

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Abstract

The fast development of technology and the popularity and prevalence of social media are constantly changing people’s way of living especially their communication patterns. Computer-mediated communication facilitates human contact. Meanwhile, net language becomes widely accepted by computer-mediated communicators. Originating from the text-based form, net language evolves into a multi-modal physical form with a combination of texts, symbols, emojis, pictures and other forms of messages. The multi-modality of net language gives rise to difficulties for hearers or readers of the computer-mediated communication to understand the hidden message due to the ambiguous and polysemic nature of symbols. To clarify hearer’s understanding and ensure the smooth conduct of computer-mediated communication, the conceptual blending theory will be useful in processing the multi-modal net language. With a four-space network and three operation mechanism, the emergent meaning will be constructed.

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The authors thank all reviewers and editors who participated in this research.

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The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: The National Key Research and Development Program of China under the 2018YFC1604000 grant.

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Correspondence to Xia Sun or Liqun Liu.

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Editors: Anna Belardinelli (Honda Research Institute Europe, Offenbach), Keping Yu (Guest-editor; Waseda University, Tokyo); Reviewers: Yanwei Zhou (Shaanxi Normal University), Ashok Kumar Das (IIIT, Hyderabad), and a third researcher who prefers to remain anonymous.

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Sun, X., Liu, L. Understanding the multi-modal affective expression of net language in computer-mediated communication. Cogn Process 24, 275–288 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-022-01115-z

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