Computer-mediated communication: Linguistic, social and cross-cultural perspectives Ed. by Susan C. Herring (review)

420 LANGUAGE, VOLUME 74, NUMBER 2 (1998) mational grammar, government-binding theory, dependence grammar, and other directions ('Neuere Sprachwissenschaft',31-61). The second part ofthis essay includes listings of Niemeyer publications according to areas such as suprasegmental phonology, morphology, syntax, psycholinguistics, semantics, language acquisition, sociolinguistics, etc. (47-57). Hans Fromm' s 'Zur Geschichte der Textkritik und Edition mittelhochdeutscher Texte' (63-90) is a balanced discussion of the problems presented by the various kinds ofmanuscript transmission ofmedieval literature. Any kind of meaningful historical linguistic research can only be based on reliable critical editions, and Fromm outlines important and often conflicting considerations for evaluating such attempts . Kurt Baldinger reviews Romance linguistics as reflected in the establishment of Romance language departments at German universities and in many hundreds of Niemeyer publications (161-91). Hans Sauer provides a similar discussion for English studies (193-203), which had also just begun to emerge as a discipline at German universities at the time of Niemeyer's founding, and Karl Horst Schmidt outlines Celtic studies (204-10). In each discipline, definitive grammars and (historical) anthologies appeared and scholarlyjournals were founded. For Germanic and Romance languages and literatures, bibliographies unsurpassed in scope and reliability have been initiated and continue to appear. Niemeyer 's role in each of these fields is substantial. Contributions on literary criticism, humanities, philosophy, and history reflect the spectrum of the publisher which reaches far beyond linguistics in any narrow sense. The index ofover 500 names (253-66) reflects the breadth and depth ofthis volume; pictures of some 40 scholars (alas, all are male) provide a new look at some very familiar names. The Gesamtverzeichnis lists approximately 2900 titles from 1950 on that are still in print, and some 325 no longer available. Monograph series (nearly 80) and periodicals (25) are listed alphabetically, followed by indices by author and by book title. Unfortunately , the series begun before 1950 are listed incompletely. Thus the Verzeichnis is little more than a publisher's list and has quickly become outdated, attesting anew to Niemeyer's continued productivity. [John M. Jeep, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.] Computer-mediated communication: Linguistic, social and cross-cultural perspectives. Ed. by Susan C. Herring. (Pragmatics and beyond, 39.) Philadelphia : John Benjamins, 1996. Pp. vi, 324. This collection of articles is centered around analyses ofthe linguistic content, social implications, and cross-cultural differences of computer-mediated communication. Computer-mediated communication is defined m the book' s introduction as 'communication that takes place between human beings via the instrumentality ofcomputers' (1). The wide range of perspectives presented is admirable and demonstrates the range of impact electronic communication has on human communication in general. It also indicates the potential that the topic presents as an area of investigation. Of the three perspectives addressed, the 'Linguistic perspectives' section contains the most articles with the most quantitatively-based analyses . Articles in the section on 'Social and ethical perspectives' take a theoretical approach, describing the social implications of our burgeoning use ofcomputers to communicate interpersonally. 'Cross-cultural perspectives' includes three articles that address a range of questions, their commonality being the addition of some ethnic group other than 'American' to the soup. The final section is an overview of computer -mediated communication and group interaction , a particularly relevant topic given increases in the use of computer conferencing in business, education , and other settings that involve group decisionmaking The volume is published as part of the Pragmatics and Beyond series, which indicates one niche that computer-mediated communication will occupy as a topic of linguistic inquiry. Such positioning is entirely appropriate, and this particular volume contains several articles that demonstrate the breadth of topics such research encompasses. For example in her article on 'cyberfeminism', Kira Hall addresses the 'reality ofgender in cyberspace' , including analyses of 'liberal cyberfeminism', 'radical cyberfeminism ', and 'talking penises'. In doing so, Hall attempts to delineate the varieties of cyberfeminism that exist and those that are purported to exist, concluding that the Utopian imaginings of 'cyborg feminism' are overshadowed by the realities of male harassment on the Internet. The article is an interesting read and contrasts nicely with the more quantitative articles (e.g., Milena Collot & Nancy Belmore) that open the volume. Other articles address social psychological issues that...