Abstract
The article deals with the pragmalinguistic research of English internet relay chat as a type of mass computer mediated communication in which disembodied distant interlocutors exchange text messages online. The main aim of this study is to identify the structural, formal and functional features of the English chat, which determines the corresponding research objectives: to describe chat-communication as the implementation of a phatic function in the language; to determine the specifics of its anthropocentre. Thus, the study focuses on one of the components of internet chat communication, namely, its anthropocentre. Chat communication is seen as polylogical interaction with different chatters initiating interaction technically on end. Our research found that phatic motivation and absence of face-to-face contact of chatters alongside with fast tempo of communication and short period of text product existence create its specific structural and language features. Chat communication is seen as a prototypical type of phatic computer mediated communication with the help of which chat users realize the playful behaviour impulse of communication, ambition to experience emotionally rich and carefree chatting. The research sample comprised chat logs that saw decency violation both in terms of topics discussed and modes of expression. Emotionally charged obscene vocabulary was vastly used in a number of chat logs, too. The research into the reasons of it showed that chatters resorted to obscene talk in order to get rid of emotional stress and psychological frustration. Chat discourse is largely composed of phatic and metacommunicative remarks where all chatters can enjoy the function of both the addresser and the addresee. A number of logs saw practically no exchange of factual information.
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