Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!usc!apple!limbo!taylor
From: a684@mindlink.UUCP (Nick Janow)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Email: (adding inflection and body language)
Message-ID: <1016@limbo.Intuitive.Com>
Date: 19 Jul 90 18:21:41 GMT
Sender: taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Lines: 25
Approved: taylor@Limbo.Intuitive.Com

James G. Smith writes:

> Of course, email doesn't have the same potential for inflection and body
> language as real presence, but then, the reverse is also true.  A lot 
> depends on the creativity and vitality of the writer, which is also true 
> of speakers...

As email becomes more prevalent, new methods of including inflection will
arise.  There's the smiley face.  There's also methods to emphasise words:
capitalization, _underlining_ (or full underlining if your terminal has that
capability), reverse video, different fonts. etc.

I also find myself using brackets (to make an aside comment), quotation marks
to signify words not using the "regular" meaning (not always by the proper
rules), these marks '<>' to contain body or facial language <jumping with joy>
and '...' to signify "follow this line of thought": "Just as he finished
smoothing the fresh concrete, someone let the dog out..."

I think these new styles of adding information to writing will become more
popular as more people encounter them.  I expect they'll also affect the
writing in areas other than email.  I keep wanting to put smileys on things I
write, but realize that few people outside of the bbs community would
understand it...yet.  :)

Nick Janow