A Comparative Study of Computer-mediated and Spoken Conversations from Pakistani and U.S. English using Multidimensional Analysis

Present study compares four computer-mediated conversational registers – comments, FB groups, FB status and tweets – and spoken conversations from Pakistani and US English using Biber's Multidimensional Analysis framework on three dimensions of variation, i.e. (i) Interactive versus Descriptive Explanatory Discourse, (ii) Expression of Stance, and (iii) Informational Focus versus 1st Person Narrative. Spoken conversations have a high score on dimension 2, while CM conversations show register and regional variation on dimension 1 and 3. FB groups are significantly different in both regional varieties, followed by FB status, comments and tweets. Pakistani FB groups discuss self-help related topics, and appear to be slightly interactive and highly informational, while the US ones are interactive and narrative discussing community and political issues. Pakistani FB status and tweets use English mainly for informational purposes, while the US counterparts have interactive and personal orientation indicating a wider functional role of English.