anticipating Google Wave

Wave: What new language will we need? September 19, 2009

If Wave is to supplant email as the dominant form of Internet communication, we’re going to need some new language.

Aside from the origin of Wave as given by wikipedia, wave also has associations with

surfing/ watersports
a gesture of greeting
ripples/ pulses

that may impact on the new language that will emerge.

Here are some perceived language needs, and some suggestions.  Have you any to add?

I want to wave you, I’m going to have/do a wave with you… ??

The biggie has to be the verb -what’s going to be the doing word for a wave?

• to send a wave reverts to email language, requires a ‘receive’ as well, and moves in the wrong direction – sounds too active/passive –  for the participatory nature of a wave.
• to participate in a wave is the official usage, but too formal for everyday I think.
• I’m part of a wave about “aaa”.
• I’m in a wave?  – but then to begin participation is to ‘get in a wave’, ‘enter a wave’ ?
• wave as a verb – normally in English you wave ‘at’ something, or ‘to’ something, so it sounds a bit odd for starters to talk about ‘I waved them’.  But to say ‘I waved at them’, ‘I am waving to them’ sounds odd too.
• perhaps we can do a wave with someone,
• or have a wave with them?? – not my preference
• how about ‘make‘ a wave. ‘Making waves’ is already a phrase in English, and to make is to build, reflecting the participatory nature of a wave.

Eventually the verb may become almost redundant, if waves become so dominant in communication that they are either assumed, or the means of communication disappears far enough into the background to not need highlighting, in which case we get back to ‘I was discussing, I am talking to…, I’m in touch with…’ and all the other older communication verbs.

a breaking wave

a new wave gathering participants and purpose and increasing in activity.

wavesmith

– first mentioned here.

Real people working inside a wave to increase its value – producing outcome documents/ letters/ summaries, perhaps facilitating the conversation, in real time.

(…word needed…)

For the situation in a wave where a person changes what they are saying as they respond to people commenting on what they have not yet finished typing.  Up till now it’s been a private affair in IM ‘…aaa is typing’ hides the redrafting process, but now it’s in the open, and perhaps needs a word.

(…word needed…)

For the situation, common in early usage of wave, especially when joining an active wave, of being dazed by so much editing going on around you that you don’t know what or where to read. Being lost in the hive of activity.

(…word needed…)

For the new rules that will emerge as to proper conduct within a wave.  It would be fairly easy to be quite disruptive in a wave.  ‘Wetiquette’ would follow netiquette, and hardly need explaining as a term; I don’t know if I like it though.

(…word needed…)

A Wave is a far more in-your-face means of communication, and to work properly needs attention and presence from its participants.  Like every human interaction there will be some waves that work well, and others that are awkward, confrontational, frustrating.  I think we’ll end up with a word to describe the feeling, the air, the mood of a wave.