本研究旨在探索線上文字角色扮演遊戲之玩家使用的語言飾演，共探討三個主題：（一）線上文字角色扮演遊戲中，玩家使用之語言；（二）玩家在英文網站中混合使用不同語言的原因；（三）玩家所使用的語言遊戲與其飾演的角色身分之間的關聯性。
本研究採用質性民族誌研究(Ethnographic study)，針對一位參與者(Aves)，與她在遊戲網站(Gaia Online)中的線上文字角色扮演遊戲裡所使用的的三個原創角色。研究者蒐集了下列研究資料：背景問卷資料、線上訪談、針對兩個角色扮演遊戲之觀察、參與者的學術寫作等。資料分析則採用持續比較法。
本研究發現，參與者Aves利用各種語言遊戲來達到下列兩個目的：（一）飾演多重角色身分，及（二）將角色扮演的世界建立為平行世界。參與者所使用的語言遊戲包含不同語言的混用、描繪角色動作的措詞、角色言談的語調反差、及雙關語之使用。針對研究結果，本研究提出兩個主要討論重點：（一）線上文字角色扮演遊戲中的後殖民飾演，包含語調及文體為角色之身分獲取(appropriation)方式、語言遊戲為玩家(Aves)對既定語言基準之抗拒(resistance)方式、和角色身分為玩家(Aves)對自己的民族身分(national identity)的抗拒方式，與（二）線上遊戲情境中的語言遊戲，將語言遊戲的概念沿伸至線上情境中，並探討線上語言遊戲的功能。
為擴展語言遊戲的範疇並更深入的理解線上文字角色扮演遊戲，本研究提出六個未來研究的方向：（一）細查對角色有不同看法之遊戲玩家的語言遊戲及角色飾演；（二）比較玩家在線上文字角色扮演遊戲中與在遊戲外所使用之語言遊戲；（三）探索線上角色扮演遊戲中的affordance用以作為連結休閒寫作與學術寫作之橋梁的可能性；（四）探究用於角色飾演的多媒體語言遊戲；（五）探究在超遊戲思維（metagaming）中的語言投資動機；（六）比較玩家對於休閒寫作及學術寫作的不同觀點。此外，本研究也提出兩個關於語言遊戲及線上文字角色扮演遊戲的實務建議：（一）線上文字角色扮演遊戲可提供讓學生投入正式寫作的新平台，並提出對於共同寫作(collaborative writing)及無結構寫作的新觀點；（二）讓語言學習者在角色扮演遊戲或創意寫作中使用非真實的身分，將能給予他們嘗試透過不同語言獲取(language appropriation)的方式飾演新身分的機會。

This study aimed to investigate the text-based role players’ use of various language plays to illustrate their characters on the basis of post-colonial performativity (Pennycook, 2000, 2001), investment (Norton, 1995), and language play (Cook, 1997; Crystal, 2001). Guided by this purpose, this study conducted a qualitative ethnography study, addressing the following three research questions:
1. What language plays do role players adopt in text-based role play games?
2. Why do role players utilize a blend of languages in an English-dominated gaming site?
3. How are the language plays related to role players’ performance of various character identities?
This study focused on one participant, Aves, and her three focal original characters used in text-based role play activity in the interactive online gaming forum, Gaia Online. The data collection included a basic personal information survey, online semi-structured interview, observation of two role plays, and informal exchanges between the researcher and participants. Glaser and Strauss’ (1967) constant comparison method was adopted for the data analysis.
The finding of the data reported that Aves performed multiple character identities and constructed the role play world as an alternate reality through her use of various language plays, including hybridity of languages, selection of diction for portraying character action, contrasting styles of character speech and use of words with double meanings. Based on the findings, this study discussed two foci: (1) Post-colonial performativity in text-based role play games, in relation to (i) stylistic and tone as methods of character appropriation, (ii) character language plays as Aves’ methods of resistance to site linguistic norms, and (iii) character identities as Aves’ methods of resistance to her own national identity; and (2) language plays in online gaming contexts, which extended the concept of language plays to online contexts and discussed the functions of online language plays.
To extend the scope of language play and to more profoundly investigate the activity of text-based role playing, the researcher suggests several aims for future research: (1) examining language plays and performance of character identities in role players with different nationality backgrounds and perceptions of characters, (2) contrasting the language plays adopted by role players when they post as their characters and when they are not engaging in role play activities, (3) investigating the affordances of text-based role play games, (4) exploring the possibility to address multimodal language plays, (5) exploring the language plays involved in metagaming (Steinkuehler, 2007) activities, and (6) contrasting the role players’ perspectives towards leisure writing and academic writing. Two practical implications of text-based role playing and language play are also suggested based on the discussion of this study: (1) Online text-based games can provide new platforms to formal writing activities, and provide new view points on collaborative writing and unstructured writing. (2) Allowing language learners to assume fictive identities through role playing or creative writing may provide them with opportunities to trial with methods of language appropriations to perform new identities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES ix
LIST OF IMAGES ix
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Research Background and Motivation 1
1.1.1 Current Research on Online Gaming 1
1.1.2 Pilot Study 4
1.2 Needs for the Study 7
1.3 Purpose of the Study and Research Questions 7
1.4 Theoretical Framework 8
1.4.1 Postcolonial Performativity and Identity 9
1.4.2 Investment 12
1.4.3 Language Play 13
1.5 Significance of the Study 15
1.6 Terminologies for Text-based Role Plays (in Gaia Online) 16
1.7 Overview of the Study 19
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 20
2.1 Gaming Environments as Platforms of Literacy 20
2.2 Advantages of Gaming Environments for Language Learning 22
2.3 Utilization of Multiple Languages or Language Behaviors as Methods of Adaptation in Online Environments 26
2.3.1 Utilization of Multiple Languages and Language Behaviors in Online Environments 26
2.3.2 Language Behaviors as Representation of Identity in Online Environments 29
2.4 Summary 35
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 37
3.1 Research Designs 37
3.2 Research Context 38
3.2.1 Gaia Online 38
3.2.2 Text-based Role Play Games in Gaia Online 39
3.3 Researcher’s Role 46
3.4 Participant Selection 48
3.5 Data Collection Methods and Procedures 49
3.5.1 Rationale for Data Collection Methods 49
3.5.2 Data Collection Procedures 56
3.6 Data Analysis 60
3.7 Trustworthiness 62
3.8 Summary 64
CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS 66
4.1 Aves: Background and Perceptions 66
4.1.1 Background Descriptions 66
4.1.2 Perceptions of Role Play 67
4.1.3 Perceptions of Role Play Literacy 72
4.1.4 Defining Original Characters 73
4.2 Backgrounds of Focal Original Characters 75
4.2.1 Focal Original Characters 75
4.2.2 Character Descriptions 76
4.2.3 Language Portrayal of the Three Characters 79
4.3 Performing Character 82
4.3.1 Revealing Backgrounds and Nationalities 83
4.3.2 Demonstrating Character Personalities and Attributes 90
4.4 Constructing the Role Play Reality 96
4.4.1 Demonstrating Character Variety 97
4.4.2 Establishing Character Relationships 101
4.5 Summary 104
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 105
5.1 Summary of the Study 105
5.1 Discussion 106
5.1.1 Post-colonial Performativity in Text-Based Role Plays 106
5.1.2 Language Plays in Online Gaming Contexts 113
5.2 Limitations 116
5.3 Suggestions for Future Research 117
5.4 Pedagogical Implications 120
5.5 Conclusion of the Study 121
REFERENCES 123
APPENDIX 1: Recruiting Thread Contents 128
APPENDIX 2: Consent Statement 131
APPENDIX 3: Basic Personal Information Survey 137
APPENDIX 4: Complete List of Interview Questions 138
APPENDIX 5: Example of Aves’ Interview Script 150
APPENDIX 6: Example of Observation Fieldnote 152
APPENDIX 7: Aves’ Full Academic Essay 153
APPENDIX 8: Example of Role Play Interactions 157
APPENDIX 9: Preliminary Codes to Aves’ Languages in Role Play Responses 158
APPENDIX 10: Example of Aves’ Role Play Post 160
APPENDIX 11: Preliminary Codes to Aves’ Reasons of Language Use 162
APPENDIX 12: Excerpt of Kendrix’s Original Character Profile 164
APPENDIX 13: Excerpt of Sergei’s Original Character Profile 166
APPENDIX 14: Excerpt of Manjit’s Original Character Profile 168

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