"Click = Kill": textual you in ludic digital fiction

This article offers a close-reading of geniwate's and Deena Larsen’s satirical, ludic Flash fiction The Princess Murderer, with a specific focus on how the text implements second person narration and other forms of the textual "you" in juxtaposition with other narrational stances. We aim to explore the extent to which print-based narratological theories of the textual you apply to the text under investigation, and to outline new directions for research arising from the text's distinct (inter-)medial, literary/reflexive, and ludic qualities. Of particular interest will be the ways in which the reader and his/her role in the cybernetic feedback loop are constructed textually and interactionally. Specifically, we argue that current approaches to the "you" in digital fiction need to be expanded, particularly with respect to its metafictional potential

Divine intervention: Multimodal pragmatics and unconventional opposition in performed character speech in Dragon Age: Inquisition

Postponed access: the file will be available after 2022-10-11Videogames often take place in fictional worlds, yet the performed accents of game characters are real reflections of the language ideologies of a game’s creators and intended audience. This chapter demonstrates how these ideologies are at play in BioWare’s fantasy role-playing game Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014), through its linguistic differentiation of two characters, Cassandra and Leliana. Although largely presented as counter to one another, both are othered from the majority of in-game characters by way of their accented English. Videogames contain unique, medium-specific affordances; thus, using multimodal discourse analysis and procedural rhetoric, this chapter examines how Cassandra and Leliana’s accents construct social and ideological meaning, and how the performative nature of gameplay affects players’ perception of these characters.acceptedVersio

Formulaic sequences in native and non-native argumentative writing in German

Whereas there is substantial scholarship on formulaic language in L1 and L2 English, there is less research on formulaicity in other languages. The aim of this paper is to contribute to learner corpus research into formulaic language in native and non-native German. To this effect, a corpus of argumentative essays written by advanced British students of German (WHiG) was compared with a corpus of argumentative essays written by German native speakers (Falko-L1). A corpus-driven analysis reveals a larger number of 3-grams in WHiG than in Falko-L1, which suggests that British advanced learners of German are more likely to use formulaic language in argumentative writing than their native-speaker counterparts. Secondly, by classifying the formulaic sequences according to their functions, this study finds that native speakers of German prefer discourse-structuring devices to stance expressions, whilst British advanced learners display the opposite preferences. Thirdly, the results show that learners of German make greater use of macro-discourse-structuring devices and cautious language, whereas native speakers favour micro-discourse structuring devices and tend to use more direct language. This study increases our understanding of formulaic language typical of British advanced learners of German and reveals how diverging cultural paradigms can shape written native speaker and learner output

GerManC - Towards a Methodology for Constructing and Annotating Historical Corpora

Our paper focuses on the one hand on the challenges posed by the structural variability, flexibility and ambiguity found in historical corpora and evaluates methods of dealing with them on the other. We are currently engaged in a project which aims to compile a representative corpus of German for the period 1650-1800. Looking at exemplary data from the first stage of this project (1650-1700), which consists of newspaper texts from this period, we first aim from the perspective of corpus linguistics to identify the problems associated with the morphological, syntactical and graphemic peculiarities that are characteristic of that particular stage. Specific phenomena which significantly complicate automatic tagging, lemmatisation and parsing include, for instance, "abperlende" (Admoni 1980; Demske-Neumann 1990), i.e. complex and often asyndetic syntax; non-syntactic, prosodic, virgulated punctuation (Demske et al. 2004; cf. Stolt 1990), inflectional variability (e.g. Admoni 1990; Besch & Wegera 1987), as well as partly unsystematic and almost experimental allomorphic and allographic (Kettmann, 1992) diversity. Secondly, we outline a methodology which is intended to facilitate the construction and annotation of such corpora which antedate linguistic standardisation. This is informed by "conventional" and innovative tagging techniques and tools, which are evaluated in terms of utility and accuracy. Finally, we attempt to evaluate the degree to which annotation tools for specialist corpora of this kind can be developed which will substitute for manual or semi-automated annotation

Immersion in digital fiction

In this article, we profile an empirically grounded, cognitive approach to immersion in digital fiction by combining text-driven stylistic analysis with insights from theories of cognition and reader-response research. We offer a new analytical method for immersive features in digital fiction by developing deictic shift theory for the affordances of digital media. We also provide empirically substantiated insights to show how immersion is experienced cognitively by using Andy Campbell and Judi Alston’s (2015) digital fiction piece WALLPAPER as a case study. We add ‘interactional deixis’ and ‘audible deixis’ to Stockwell’s (2002) model to account for the multimodal nature of immersion in digital fiction. We also show how extra-textual features can contribute to immersion and thus propose that they should be accounted for when analysing immersion across media. We conclude that the analytical framework and reader response protocol that we develop here can be adapted for application to texts across media

A reader response method not just for ‘you’

This article contributes to empirical literary studies by offering a new reader response method for examining targeted textual features. With the aim of further establishing the new paradigm of reader response research in stylistics, we utilise a Likert scale – a tool that is usually used to generate data that is analysed quantitatively – to elicit qualitative data and, crucially, show how that data can be synthesised with an analysis of the primary text to provide empirically based conclusions relevant to particular textual features for cognitive narratology and stylistics. While we offer a new method that can be used to investigate textual features in all kinds of text, we exemplify our approach via the investigation of second-person narration in geniwate and Larsen’s digital fiction The Princess Murderer and provide a new understanding of the experiential nature of ambiguous forms of ‘you’ in fiction. Our stylistic analyses show how responses can be generated by linguistic features in the text. We then analyse reader responses to those examples and show that this can provide a more nuanced account of ‘you’ narratives than a stylistic analysis alone because it affords insight into how different readers do or do not psychologically project into and/or assume the role of ‘you’. Our results represent the first time that current typologies of the second person have been empirically tested and we are the first study to find an empirical basis for doubly deictic ‘you’. We therefore contribute a new empirically based understanding of how readers experience ambiguous forms of ‘you’ in fiction

From Feminist Participatory Co-Design to Research-Creation: Developing a Digital Fiction for Body Image Bibliotherapy

Body image concerns affect the well-being of a generation coming of age immersed in digital culture. This is particularly true for young women and gender non-binary individuals of diverse intersectional backgrounds who regularly confront appearance-related pressures. The “Writing New Bodies” project (“WNB”; SSHRC IG 435-2018-1036) addresses these issues by developing a literary story game (digital fiction; “DF”) for body image bibliotherapy. The planned DF encourages emotional and verbal engagement with various challenges facing young people today, including cis- and heteronormative gender relations, racism, anti-fat attitudes, ableism, and familial influences on the ways women “ought to look” (Rice, 2014). Our research-creation approach deconstructs normative conceptions of power to help reader/players build resilience to external and internal body-related pressures. WNB’s methods of community co-design and feminist participatory action research engage woman-identified and gender non-conforming individuals ages 18-25 in envisioning a world where they feel at home in their bodies. In four participant workshops held in April-May 2019, the WNB team worked with a diverse, intersectional audience using methods of free writing, small group discussions, and multilinear game design. Workshop intervention called on participants to hyper-textualize body-related experiences and explore diverse options for an ontological reimagining of appearance-driven neoliberalist pressures. Our paper (video and essay) introduces the DF resulting from our participant research. We reflect on the creative process, from its basis inspired by the results of participant research to ludonarrative and interface design, software development and early play testing. Our reflections include matters of intersectional diversity in developing a socially inclusive intervention tool for contemporary, digital-born bibliotherapy. YouTube clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwalVlKyu7I&feature=youtu.b

Immersion, digital fiction, and the switchboard metaphor

This paper re-evaluates existing theories of immersion and related concepts in the medium-specific context of digital-born fiction. In the context of our AHRC-funded “Reading Digital Fiction” project (2014-17) (Ref: AH/K004174/1), we carried out an empirical reader response study of One to One Development Trust’s immersive three-dimensional (3D) digital fiction installation, WALLPAPER (2015). Working with reading groups in the Sheffield area (UK), we used methods of discourse analysis to examine readers’ verbal responses to experiencing the installation, paying particular attention to how participants described experiences pertaining to different types of immersion explicitly and implicitly. We explain our findings by proposing the idea of a switchboard metaphor for immersive experiences, comprising layers and dynamic elements of convergence and divergence. Resulting from our analysis, we describe immersion as a complex, hybrid, and dynamic phenomenon. We flag the need for a more discriminating treatment of specific types of immersion in medium-specific contexts, including a distinction between literary and narrative immersion, and collaborative and social immersion (Thon 2008). We argue that literary immersion is needed as a separate immersive category because it differs from narrative immersion, and is far more linked to the activity of cognitive word processing. Similarly, we introduce collaborative immersion as an additional immersive category to reflect attention shifts towards site-specific, human interactions. Finally, our data shows the importance of site-, situation-, and person-specific constraints influencing reader-players’ ongoing ability to establish and retain immersion in the storyworld

Applied E-Lit as Participatory Research-Creation for Social Change

Revised format for virtual conference: Each paper (20 min presentation time) will be submitted in video format and as written up scripts (for accessibility) prior to the event. We would expect our attendees to come to this session prepared, having read or watched the full versions of each contribution; 60-minute synchronous virtual roundtable at the event, featuring: 5-10 min summative flash presentations of each paper (30 min max.), followed by Online discussion and Q&A with the audience (30 min.) To enable all panelists to present at a humane time of the day (Zooming in from Canada, South Africa, and the UK), we would like to suggest scheduling the live panel for around 11 a.m. local time in Orlando. Panelists (in alphabetical order): Dr. Astrid Ensslin, University of Alberta (Canada); [email protected] Dr. Franci Greyling, North West University (South Africa); [email protected] Dr. Lyle Skains, Manchester Metropolitan University (UK); [email protected] Gustaf Tempelhoff, North-West University (South Africa); [email protected] Christine Wilks, Bath Spa University (UK) / University of Alberta (Canada); [email protected] Abstract This tri-continental panel explores methods of applied electronic literature research (Ensslin et al. forthcoming) that involves participatory research-creation with the intent to facilitate mental well-being, equity, and social change. We critically evaluate key methodological and ethical concerns relating to EDI-oriented participant sampling and digital narrative design by focusing on three social justice informed research projects: (1) The “Writing New Bodies” project, presented by Ensslin and Wilks and funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, is developing a digital fiction “world of stories” for body image bibliotherapy aimed at young woman-identified and gender non-conforming individuals with body image concerns. (2) The “You and CO2” and “Infectious Storytelling” projects, presented by Skains and supported by the Welsh Crucible, are using creative media to engage secondary schools with the issue of climate change, and to effect positive behaviour change regarding antimicrobial resistance, respectively. (3) The “Byderhand-Pioneer” project, presented by Greyling and Tempelhoff, is a collaboration of the North-West University and a school for visually impaired learners in South Africa. It facilitates the creation and experience of locative literature through accessible interfaces. Ensslin’s and Wilks’ joint paper will introduce the digital fiction resulting from the participant research done in Writing New Bodies (Ensslin et al. 2020). It will discuss the strengths and shortcomings of using Feminist Participatory Action Research (Gustafson et al. 2019) with a group of young, woman-identified and gender-non-conforming participants (ages 18-25) who were involved in critically co-designing and testing a digital fiction for body image bibliotherapy. We will reflect on the creative process, from its basis inspired by the results of participant research to ludonarrative and interface design and software development. Video link to Astrid\u27s and Christine\u27s paper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyFBC7Dq2w4&feature=youtu.be Skains’ paper will present two pilot studies (You and CO2; Infectious Storytelling) on utilizing reading and/or writing digital fiction to effect positive attitude change regarding, respectively, personal contributions to climate change and actions leading to antimicrobial resistance. The studies presented are an examination of the efficacy of entertainment media, specifically digital fiction, to purposefully effect positive behaviour without resorting to obviously “edutainment” games that audiences receive negatively. This paper will discuss the practice-based exploration of writing digital fiction to (educational) spec, including the creative challenges posed by writing for specific audiences/age groups, to specific lengths, with specific technological considerations, for specific educational and psychological effects. Video link to Lyle\u27s full paper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBpKOD2KKew&feature=youtu.be Greyling and Tempelhoff will contextualise the participatory dynamics involved in the co-creation, development and implementation of accessible locative literature in a multisensory garden at a school for the visually impaired. The Byderhand-Pioneer project comprises multimodal and multilingual poems and stories written mainly by writers with visual impairment. We will illustrate how collaboration and user centred design resulted in the development of an inclusive multi-layered interface consisting of tactile, audio and graphical interaction. Finally we will discuss how the installation contributes to an enriched learning environment as well as deepened experiences of place and literature. Video link to Franci\u27s and Gustaf\u27s full paper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-XpA9IaNRc&feature=youtu.be Works Cited: Ensslin, Astrid, Carla Rice, Sarah Riley, Megan Perram, Hannah Fowlie, Lauren Munro and Aly Bailey (2020) “These Waves ...:” Writing New Bodies for Applied E-literature Studies,” electronic book review. Gustafson, Diana L., Janice E. Parsons, and Brenda Gillingham (2019) “Writing to Transgress: Knowledge Production in Feminist Participatory Action Research.” Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 20(2), 1-25. Skains, R. Lyle, Jennifer Rudd, Carmen Casaliggi, Emma Hayhurst, Ruth Horry and Kate Woodward (forthcoming) Choose Your Own Global Future: Using Interactive Digital Narrative for Science & Health Education. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing