Comparing discourse functions and syntactic complexity between face to face communication and computer mediated communication / Faizah Mohamad, Shamshad Begham Othman and Suhaila Sulong

One of the features in today's computer assisted language learning is computer-mediated
communication (CMC) and various studies on the benefits of CMC in language teaching
and learning are widely conducted in language classrooms. The present study examines
the discourse functions and syntactic complexity in the output of English as a second language
learners (ESL) via two modes of discussion: face-to-face (F2F) and computermediated
communication (CMC). 16 participants of the study involved in two face-to face
discussions (first and fourth discussions) and two CMC discussions (second and
third discussions) at a three-week interval. The discourse functions of these four
discussions are measured by 14 categories identified by previous second language
acquisition interactionist research. Meanwhile, the syntactic complexity of these four
discussions is measured by eight categories identified by previous second language
acquisition interactionist research. This study is also meant to investigate if CMC has any
impact of the second language acquisition. The findings showed that the discourse
functions have increased in many categories of CMC. It was also found that discourse
functions decreased tremendously when the participants reverted from CMC to F2F
discussions. With relation to syntactic complexity, it has increased in many categories of
CMC discussions. Therefore, this study concluded that CMC has encouraged
communicative fluency and language complexity among ESL learners and after
conducting the CMC discussions, the learners seemed to use and acquire language better
in their face-to-face discussions.