Reflections on CMD in Ben Affleck’s character monologue from the movie “Clerks” (1994)

http://web02.gonzaga.edu/orgl/coml509/509Videos/JSB-Nerds.html

In character, Affleck uses some examples of computer mediated discourse (CMD) lingo as defined by Herring to be the study of which languages are being used on the net, and even more interestingly, how these languages are being used (Thurlow, 2004).  Examples of CMD terminology, or netspeak, used in this movie include “buzz” and “net-nerds”, and the usage of these terms leaves the two subjects that Affleck’s character is addressing with puzzled looks on their faces.  Clearly they were not part of the very group that Affleck was disparaging, although Affleck seemed to be a card-carrying member himself. 

References:

Thurlow, C., Lengel, L., Tomic, A.  (2004)  Computer Mediated Communication; Social Interaction and the Internet.  Sage Publications, London.