A Rhetorical Model of Punctuation Mark Function in Computer-Mediated Communication
Rhetorical Model of Punctuation Mark Function in Computer-Mediated Communication

Summary/Abstract: Punctuation marks perform a variety of functions in computer mediated communication (CMC). In this paper, a rhetorical model for under standing these functions is delineated. According to the model, punctuation marks can function in three rhetorical capacities. First, they can build or damage the credibility of the writer. Second, they can clarify messages in a number of ways: They can elucidate the grammatical relationships between written ideas, provide conversational implicature, and clarify illocutionary force. And third, they can convey emotional and relational meaning. This model is explanatory, and it can also be used as a guide for analysis.

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