IDK, is this even an issue?
Texters have created what has evolved into a new sub-language, with mixed reviews.
‘Mom’ seems to be a little confused by text talk (Textese). Misunderstandings with your mother? Best to avoid imo ;)
Textese is gushing out of the virtual world it has flooded and
is seeping into our irl chats. However, is the artful distortion of our
language actually causing harm to it?
Well, depending on who you ask you’ll get a very different
yet similarly certain response. A news article written by John Humphrey thinks
texters are “vandals” of the language – that they “pillage” and “savage”… I
wonder if the same was said of Shakespeare.
I’m in no way saying
an overzealous use of “lmao” puts us on that revolutionist podium with Sir
William, but, really, we are doing the same stuff: changing up what is and
creating something new.
Young people are rather revolutionary, so no brows raise
when they are automatically blamed for Textese spreading like a yawn. Even
though 80% of texters are adults. And would you agree that adults can spell
even though they are constantly seeing incorrect spellings on phones? So why
worry that the 20% of young texters will fall short here?
Linguistics professor David Crystal found that worrying
wearisome, so decided to slap on a cap and get investigating. Crystal learned
that, in fact, young texters had more advanced literacy AND numeracy skills.
Literacy improved because texting is essentially practice in reading and
writing, no matter how much the words have deviated from their original form. Plus,
a greater understanding of phonetics (sounds in words) is developed to be able
to shorten words, omitting the least important letters. Maths skills heighten
thanks to the code breaking skills required to translate some of the more
confusing acronyms, (‘icymi’, I’m looking at you).
As the phone pictured above shows, occasionally people
misinterpret the messages. This is one problem anti-text-talkers have with the
language. It can lead to confusion where, with modern keyboard-adorned mobiles,
there is little need. Although, regardless of it's close links to English, like any language Textese needs to
be learnt. In this argument, however, because the language is independent of
English, its existence can’t take away from traditional talk.
Social media may be involved in the ubiquity of txt tlk. I
mean, if Twitter will only give you 140 characters, ur not gna waste ltrs or
expand on every little point. Is there a problem with being concise? And besides;
abbreviations, acronyms, emojis... they are all identifiers of different
writers’ styles. Surely anything that enhances expression through language is
enhancing language itself instead of deteriorating it?
Text talk isn’t so new-fangled anyway. Emojis are
reminiscent of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Abbreviations like ‘c u l8r’ can be
tracked back 100 years according to Crystal. Traces of Textese in a postcard
from 1907, found by Caroline Tagg (journalist) is proof of this.
Does that not make the fear of language devolution more than
110 years after the phrases were coined redundant? Ridiculous, like an unshaven
sheep in a blue woolly jumper?
No matter how people feel, it looks as if Textese has been
here a while and isn’t leaving the building any time soon. Personally, I’m
glad; I love a good ‘lmao’.
