Neo-discourse time

   I listed 20 possible topics for my work, discussed them with my supervisor, and eventually decided on the discourse of internet language (a detailed description shall be given later) as my topic. I will use multi-media installation: the background for video broadcasting will be a white fabric of 1.5 m x 28 m, dotted with "cyber-speak" symbols by hand embroidery; meanwhile, an infrared sensor will be installed on site, integrating an audience which has nothing else in common, and demonstrating the importance of the public 's role in the art production by means of audience participation.

   Why did I choose this subject? Once I had a meal with a senior artist, and he sighed with regret that his granddaughter always forgets characters when writing in daily life, but she depends on the computer keyboard for daily communication with people and that he does not understand the record on MSN chat with her friends. For him, the internet language used by young people is a "Heavenly Book" – an incomprehensible text.

   Young people are more accepting of new technologies, and do not reject them blindly (As far as I know, any phenomenon shall generate and extend their meanings), and we have no reason to refuse the appearance and application of internet language. We should recall that the new cultural movement, the popularization of colloquial language, and the replacement of traditional classical Chinese with simplified characters were also rejected by conservatives.

   The growth of the online world has taken place over the last twenty years. Online networks have become common channels of communication. The internet has developed its own shared language, or "cyber-speak", which breaks through the limitations of local languages and regions, and aids in online discourse. Most importantly, this "cyber-speak" was generated by internet users themselves, and its forms and elements of communication lie outside mainstream grammatical or linguistic criticism, and are not in any way regulated by the government. Rather, its vitality lies in the self-invention and reconstruction by hundreds of millions of computer users. It is widely used, full of humor, and expresses the easy-going, leisurely, and individualistic values of online culture.

   Less information is still exchanged in the online world than in real life, and the internet has been castigated by many people, but no-one can deny that the internet has substantially altered our lives. Even ordinary computer users can master simple techniques to search for information, share common resources, and express their own views. The language of the internet records our modern sensibilities, life, and history in an invisible form.

   The passions of ordinary life can be freely expressed online, without worrying about the normal social norms, suspicions, and limitations. Moreover, the use of symbols which combine semantic, visual, and phonetic content, often used with great humor and interest, form a fascinating and unignorable part of online discourse. Our Chinese characters contain numerous meanings, visual, cultural, and historic, but the online language of Chinese internet users is quite different, and its origins, discourses, and ideology does not correlate with the wider patterns of Chinese language use and change; rather, it is a unique symbol of the new online world and an age of cybernetic wisdom. Its fascination lies not only in the flexibility and convenience of communication, but in the smile of understanding of shared meanings, and the subtle changes it exerts on our offline discourse. I hope that this article on "Online Neo-Discourses" can examine the transformations in current expression caused by this process, present my thoughts on linguistic change and "proper usage," and attract interest from the public.

新叙事时代 \ Neo-discourse time

      毕业创作第一次开题报告时，我列举出平日里关注和思考的20 个话题。呈交给负责毕业创作的导师后，经过讨论决定毕业创作的核心话题为网络语言（后文将作详细陈述），制作形式是多媒体互动装置：播放视频的背景是1.5米宽、28米长的白色布面，上面布满手工刺绣完成的网络语言符号；同时在展场安装传感器——用观众的眼合成两个完全不相干的事物，用观众的参与行为实现作品的意义。
      之所以选这个话题作为切入点，是因为某次和一位老艺术家吃饭，他慨叹他的孙女日常生活里总是提笔忘字，每天和人交流全部依赖电脑键盘，而他也看不懂孙女在 msn上和朋友聊天的纪录，对他来讲，年轻人使用的网络符号语言简直是一种"天书"。而作为年轻人的我们，我们没有任何理由盲目地排斥一种现象或者新生事物的产生。（在我的认知里任何现象的产生和被推广，一定有它的意义）而作为一代在电脑前长大的一代人，我们也没有理由排斥网络符号语言的出现和应用。回想新文化运动时期，白话文的普及和对传统文言文叙事的替代，也曾经遭受过传统守旧人士的抵制。那么，在电脑和 Internet网络如此普及的今日，在人们已经很少通过传统信函邮寄的形式来沟通联络的当下，网络语言已经越来越被大众所接受它已经成为人们交流沟通的依赖元素，于是我想以"网络语言" 为话题来做个作品，表示我对这种新生事物的肯定和关切，表达我对全新叙事方式的产生及其发展的可能性的探索，作品题目定为"新叙事时代"。 目前为止，计算机网络在中国诞生、发展、普及已达20年之久，网络联络方式已经成为人与人、人与世界交流的另一项普遍渠道，网络世界里也逐渐发展出一系列的网络语言、符号，它们突破了地域限制、语种限制，便于沟通和输出。更重要的是，网络符号语言是网民自创的一种表达方式，它们的产生约定俗成，是与主流、标准、规范无关的自我表达和相互沟通的媒介元素，不需要官方意识形态介入或者强制推广普及。它们的生命力之源就在于数亿网民的自创与集体认同，传播广泛以及富含幽默因素，和网络文化中轻松、休闲、个人化抒发的取向不谋而同。相对于现实生活，网络世界针对信息传播的限制较少，这曾经被很多人诟病，但任何人都不能否认，互联网已经极大的改变了我们的生活。即使只是普通的网民，也可以通过掌握简单技术后利用它搜索自己需要的信息，可以共享群体资源，更重要的是可以表达自己的看法。而网络语言已经无形中记录了我们这个时代的历史和当下的情感、生活。普通人的、草根的情怀被肆无忌惮的抒发，不必如现实生活中一般顾及诸多的规范、嫌疑、限制。而符号，带有强烈图像性、借助谐音、富含生活经验、幽默情趣的网络符号，成为了网络叙事不可忽略的璀璨一页。我们的汉字承载历史传承、文化渊源、读图心理等诸多含义，而网络符号、语言则不同，它们的发端与宏大叙事、主流意识形态等等宽广主题毫无关联，它是我们这个时代独有的，充满了网络智慧的沟通符号，它们的魅力不仅在于传播的便捷，更在于阅读时的会心一笑，在于它对我们的书写与叙事方式的微妙变革。我希望能够通过 "新叙事时代"这件作品揭示出网络符号语言对当下的表达方式与叙事方式的变革，呈现出我对当下"话语权利"归属的反思，并且引起观众的思考乃至共鸣和追问。