English has become the dominant language for internet users throughout the world and the internet has had its own impact on the English language. The main aim for this essay is to compare and contrast different online discussion forums and other related online discourses in order to show how meaning is created and to identify any differences that may exist depending on the forum. To do this, I have chosen specific features of language and analyzed their use in a number of different online sources.

The research has shown that most of the language features commonly used in everyday speech are also present online. There is a difference in which features are used, where, and how frequently they occur, but the determining factor differs depending on the feature; the use of some features depends on the topic while the use of others depends on the website.

The overall conclusion of the research is that the language on the websites used as primary data is not at all simplified in comparison to spoken language. The same language features and conventions are still used and understood in the same way as spoken language.