netiquette
Meaning
The set of rules about acceptable behaviour when communicating with people over the internet.
Structure
Usage
Remembering to use clear subject lines is a basic part of good netiquette.
The forum moderator reminded the new user to read the site's netiquette guidelines before posting.
Flaming and typing in all caps are considered serious breaches of netiquette.
Etymology
The word 'netiquette' is a modern portmanteau, a blend of the English word 'net' (short for network, specifically the internet) and the French loanword 'etiquette'. 'Etiquette' itself originates from the Old French 'estiquette', meaning a ticket or label, which evolved to signify the prescribed code of formal court behavior. The conceptual logic is direct: just as 'etiquette' governs polite behavior in social life, 'netiquette' governs polite behavior in the digital social space of the 'net'. It represents a linguistic adaptation where a classical term for conduct is prefixed with a defining technological context to create a new rulebook for the online age.
Analysis
net: English, a shortening of 'network', referring to the internet or computer network. Functional role: Specifies the domain. etiquette: French, from Old French 'estiquette' (ticket, label, prescribed routine). Functional role: Provides the core concept of a code of polite conduct.