Recently I was sent a text message, or rather a proper conversation of almost three paragraphs through a popular IM network. I actually had to stop and think for a whole minute to actually understand what I had been sent. It was not a mistake as the person was someone I know very well. However, the entire conversation had been typed using shortened forms of English words. I am used to receiving the occasional word here and there which I accept in the sentence if it is properly punctuated and doesn't have too many grammatical errors. This was
a whole new language all together.
I was tempted to write back and say why were they writing to me like a five year old. I refrained from humouring them and after patiently deciphering the conversation, replied. It made me cringe to see words like
thanq and
f9.
It was impressive how they had actually typed up the entire conversation pretty fast and used all the different possibilities that exist for shortened words. Surely this language must have been learnt by them through constant texting over time.
On the one hand I appreciate the short forms that have been created, but I also feel it to be completely unnecessary to do this if we no longer have restrictions with the number of characters that we use in a text. It used to be cost effective when SMS only allowed you a certain number of characters before a new text was charged. This is no longer the case as instant messaging is unlimited and free of cost.
The importance of self presentation
I feel when we present ourself through an email it is done in a certain manner, especially when done for professional purposes. The same presentation is required via a text message in my opinion. I don't think we need to be as formal, but the basics of proper punctuation, grammar and spelling are paramount through any form of communication. It is argued that texting has always emulated speaking and this is why it is instant. A critic referred to texting as "penmanship for illiterates". I do think this takes it to an extreme but in many ways it replaces a voice in this jungle of technology that we live in. I am extremely pro-digitalisation, but I do think one must adapt to it with the same high standards you would put on yourself if you were going up on stage to give a talk on something important. I can text someone and use a comma when I am pausing in my head. This comma enables the other person to understand me far more clearly than to receive a text without any punctuation. These days, texting has replaced voice even in the professional world and quite often we may decide to send a text message to a fellow colleague or someone you don't know so well, just to avoid that phone call and not feel so bound. Well imagine if you receive a text message from them and it reads like the conversation I received. I'm pretty sure you will judge that perfect stranger won't you? There is a fine line between using texts as a casual form of on going conversation with a family member or friend, but to use it with such laid back standards to communicate in the non social world can be cause for concern.
Misinterpretations
There are people who use acronyms in texting and are confident they mean something which clearly they don't. I will give you the classic example of
lol. The correct meaning of
lol is laugh out loudly. It is widely used to emulate your reaction to something or even to add a lighter tone to something you are trying to say when texting someone. So, in effect
lol saves you from sounding too serious on many occasions. This helps to not offend the person on the receiving end. On the other hand I have seen people use
lol to abbreviate lots of love. Unfortunately this can have rather disastrous repercussions and contrary to what
lol helps remedy, in this case it can offend and sometimes badly confuse the receiving end. Having multiple translations for acronyms like
lol is merely one example of misinterpretations.
I will use another example. In many cases our reply to any question can be
ok , okay!, k or okaay!! Frequent
texters or as I like to call them
finger bangers will be familiar with the interpretation of each of these replies. They read exactly the same don't they? Don't be fooled by the tone each one delivers. How on earth is one supposed to interpret the mood of the sender? Texting has opened up a mine field of feelings, emotions and oh lets not forget to mention Emoji. Smiley faces with all possible expressions from happy to sad to laughing to angry to even shocked in ten different forms. As the software updates get better, Emoji also keeps improving. The bottom line is, I believe individuals need to understand the abbreviations if they are going to attempt using them in texting, otherwise all it is doing is ridiculing them.
Is the English language suffering?
There is no official evidence that suggests or implies that texting has impaired a persons writing skills. Both these forms of communication are treated in separate brackets and texting is believed to be merely be a casual form of communication which has replaced voice calls.
Nevertheless, even though texting is under 20 years old and writing was invented over 5,500 years ago, in 2011 8 trillion text messages were sent and 95% of them were by mobile phone owners aged between 18-29 year olds. (onlineschools.com). That's a lot of texting, considering how old the "language"
actually is. One merely needs to observe how the Oxford English Dictionary now officially holds a place for LOL, OMG, BFF and TMI. Do you know what all of them stand for? Apparently it is
textish!
I do agree that one cannot point a finger and say to a texting person that they have "bad writing". It's like being opinionated and saying thats "bad music". We all have a right to write as we please, but can one accept the replacement of words that date back to over 80,000 years and suddenly spell them in a new light? I certainly cannot!
A study did show that people who are frequently texting, are less likely to accept new words than people who read more traditional media. There is a pressing need to be brief and to abbreviate everything when texting. This throws away any kind of detailed description, complex adjectives and even the use of imagery. I do understand that we do not actually speak the way we would write, but do you think you speak the way you text? Have a look at your texts and try to say them out loud. It would be quite the pantomime let me tell you.
Conclusions on generation text
They are here to stay and won't be leaving anytime soon. In this leap to become digital and adapt to
textisms, students really must be monitored carefully at schools and the use of mobile phones must be restricted in classrooms. I fear the loss of vowels, consonants and punctuation marks. I fear their absence in essays and i fear seeing
thx and
pls.
On the positive side, I also believe we the generation before
gentext are responsible to for teaching them the differences between the English Language and the texting language. I manipulate both on a daily basis and I am well versed with all the ridiculous acronyms that exist out there, including
lol (log off loser). It's entertaining and rather clever I believe, but what's even more mind blowing is our English language or any language for that matter.
Therefore, don't allow your 7th and 8th graders to fall in the traps of mixing both and attempting to create a very badly seasoned dish. It's almost as ghastly as mixing words from two different languages and trying to speak something only you understand.
Texting is the today and tomorrow of our communication but language is the mother of all communications.
Some days I hide in my incoherent bubble
