Abstract :
This study aimed at investigating gender differences in the textese of Iranian EFL learners, written in English, by scrutinizing the linguistic features through a qualitative design. In doing so, 700 messages were collected from 36 MA Iranian EFL learners of both sexes (18 males and 18 females). Using a coding scheme, the linguistic features were categorized and analyzed. The frequencies and percentages of the textese were calculated, tabulated, and then analyzed. The findings of the study showed that there were differences between boys and girls in choosing textese features and also in the frequency and percentage of their textese. The findings showed that the female participants followed standards of writing, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization more attentively than their male counterparts. There were no significant differences regarding the use of contractions, shortening, clipping, or initials, but females used emoticons and stickers much more frequently than males. The findings of the study have implication for sociolinguistic purposes and for practitioners in the field who aim to raise Iranian EFL students’ awareness of gender differences. This can help them to choose the right kind of the message and features when they e-communicate with others in English.
