L'animation d'un espace numérique de discussion : l''exemple des forums usenet

This paper deals with the emergence of the role of host in a non-moderated usenet newsgroup. First, we will define the specific features of a newsgroup as a digital document. Secondly, through the conversational analysis of a French-speaking non-moderated newsgroup, we will describe the way an user of a newsgroup can play the role of “occasional host”, adopting a particular interactional behaviour. At last, this paper will show that playing the role of host permits the coherence of the digital space of discussion and is a way to take the leadership in this space, because speech acts relative to this role are also markers of high position in conversation. MOTS-CLÉS : animateur, forum de discussion, document numérique, analyse conversationnelle.