Technology has evolved to become more advanced now compared to how it was in the past. In the past, one was not able to “text” one another because of the lack of technology, however, texting is now the way the younger generations verbally communicate with one another. There could still be more ways to improve technology in the near future. With many more improvements to come, there is still room for improvement of texting. Texting is not killing language, but instead is starting the development its own language.
John McWhorter, a linguist, conducted a TED talk “Txting is Killing Language. JK!!!,” on February 13th, in which he disagrees with the idea that “texting spells out the decline and fall of any kind of serious literacy, or at least
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He emphasizes the fact that speech and language are the same thing when it comes to casual communication. Writing then comes along after speech as an “artifice,” (Txting is Killing Language JK!!! 1:49). However, writing does have its own advantages as well. An advantage of writing is that one can look backwards on writing. In the older era, McWhorter brings up the idea of when one made a speech, it was common for one to speak like how one writes. For example, when one makes a speech and says “Ladies and Gentleman,” (Txting is Killing Language. JK!!!, 3:41) one would then speak in an unusual tone to get the attention of whom one is speaking to. In addition, he also states that when one speaks casually in an “unmonitored way,” one usually speaks in packets of 7 to 10 words (Txting is Killing Language JK!!! 2:42). By providing this information, it makes the audience actually consider the information provided because they are facts that have been proven. He gets this information from studies that have been done by linguists themselves. He asks the question “What if we could write like how we speak?” in which he suggests that texting is what that is. Even though texting involves the mechanics of writing, texting itself is not writing, according to McWhorter. Instead it leads to the idea of texting to be known as “fingered …show more content…
One does not worry about capital letters or punctuation when one texts, neither in our way of speaking to one another. In other words, the younger generations are “writing like how they speak". He provides an example of a term used by the younger generation, “LOL.” This example consists of a conversation that was done by a non-male of about 20 years old, on the usage of the term “LOL”. The term itself stands for “laughing out loud,” in which was used to indicate one to be actually “laughing out loud”. However, for the younger generations it has now evolved into being used as a marker of “empathy,” and “accommodation.” He compares it to terms used by the Japanese “ne,” and by African American youths “yo,” in which these terms are examples of pragmatic particles. The term “LOL,” has become a way of using the language between actual people which is why he informs the audience that it has become a pragmatic particle. By doing so, the younger generations have created a community between themselves in which they are technically speaking their own new language that only they can understand. This new language is something that they have in common in this
1. The main point Kirk Johnson, writer of “Today’s Kids Are, Like, Killing the English Language” published by the New York Times, illustrates is a shift in the way society nowadays communicates and expresses themselves with the emergence of technology and other forms of media in this new era compared to the precedent and placid century.
The constant changing of technology and social norms makes difficult for different generations to understand one another and fully relate to each other. Diction and slang change as years pass and what is socially acceptable may have been prohibited in the previous generations.
In the article, “Does Texting Affect Writing?”, the author Michaela Cullington conveys her speculation that texting does not correlate to how students write formal essays. At the beginning of the article Cullington introduces the term texting and the convenience texting brings. Later expressing her concern that the texting language “Textspeak” is actually affecting students writing; then contradicts these views by using primary and secondary sources (news articles, books, her own surveys and research). In addition, she uses an anecdote to tell of her own experience with texting and writing. Together with other evidences and research put together, she uncovers the debate between textspeak and formal writing. On the basis of her research, she concludes that the state of texting does not interfere with writing or writing abilities.
He uses this generalization twice throughout his article, "Is Texting Killing the English Language?" At the beginning of the article, McWhorter says, "No one talks like that casually - or should" (McWhorter), when discussing how nowadays, the way that people speak is different from the way that they write. McWhorter uses the "No one" phrase a second time when he discusses how the meaning of LOL has changed from it's original meaning of "Laughing Out Loud" to a signal of basic empathy. McWhorter says: "Of course no one thinks about that consciously." (McWhorter).The simple reason as to why it diminishes logos is because there is almost never 100% of anything. There is a very minute chance that there will be a particular act that has a 100% consensus. The fact is everybody is different and has different things that they do that make them different. Someone reading "Is Texting Killing the English Language" who does talk the way that they write, will be more inclined to look at the article with distrust and stop reading, rather than continue reading and give McWhorter a second chance. What the generalizations also do is make McWhorter look like an individual who believes that just because he or the people he knows believe something, everyone else follows the beat of the same
It's taking over our lives. We can do it almost anywhere. What is it? It's texting! Texting is a reliable, easy and convenient form of communication that is most commonly used by, but not limited to millenials and those in the workforce. Many people use it as a way to express themselves as well. In Michaela Cullington’s article, “Does Texting Affect Writing?” she targets two different attitudes in relation to texting. Cullington explains that there is often an assumption that students who use abbreviations when they text, will bring those same abbreviations over to their formal writing pieces. Cullington then adds that the other attitude in relation to writing skills and texting insists that texting is harming student’s writing capabilities. Because of her research as well as experiments done by other colleagues of hers, it shows that
Three years ago, linguist John McWhorter spoke at a Ted Talk conference about whether texting is killing language and went so far as to question the definition of language itself. His video, “John McWhorter: Txtng is killing language. JK!!!” distinguished to the reader the difference between writing and speaking and how texting was one in the form of another. Texting, he said, is a way of writing as one speaks, or specifically fingered speech, rather than as many believe, a mutilated version of the English language. According to McWhorter, texting is becoming a second language for many people, and those who do text are actually, in a sense, being bilingual. Texting itself is not very different from a foreign language, other than for its strong
Although, some might say texting is changing the English language for the better in fact it is actually changing it for the worse because of how difficult it is to decipher the shortened meanings.
Numerous studies have shown how texting can actually improve our literacy skills. In the article “2b or Not 2b” by David Crystal, he believes that is a new form of communication and will not harm our language in any way. He states that a study has proven people who use a lot of abbreviations in their text messages tend to score higher on reading and vocabulary test. According to David Crystal, to be able to write well the first thing you have to know is how letters relate to sounds throughout each language.
In the course of this class, we have discussed the differences between spoken and written language. And it has been generally agreed upon that spoken language is easier than written language. Yet, we seem to have agreed that it is necessary to have a strong grasp of spoken language before learning to write. This is the natural progression for children. They learn to talk first and then we move on to teaching them how to write. Keep this idea in mind. And I agree that spoken language is easier, in a conversational manner. We speak to our ...
Text messaging has become a norm in our generation, as technology rapidly advances and gives way to more efficient forms of communication in a fast-paced world; and many are skeptical about the influence this new form of interaction is having on our society, especially with our younger generation. David Crystal, a professor at the University of Wales, writes “2b or Not 2b?” in support of text messaging. He insists, despite those who underestimate or negate the beneficial influence text messaging has on language proficiency, that “there is increasing evidence that [texting] helps rather than hinders literacy” and that the fairly recent form of communication has actually been around for a while and “is merely the latest manifestation of the human ability to be linguistically creative and to adopt language to suit the demands of diverse settings. In contrast, Jeffery Kluger argues in “We Never Talk Anymore: The Problem with Text Messaging” that text messaging is rapidly becoming a substitute for more genuine forms of communication and is resulting in difficulty among young peoples of our generation to hold a face-to-face conversation, engage in significant nonverbal expression, and ultimately build effective relationships with family, friends and co-workers. Both writers’ present valid arguments, however, my personal experience with text messaging has led me to agree more with Crystal’s view on the matter. Text messaging is indeed having a positive effect on society by making frequent texters primarily aware of the need to be understood, as well as offering betterment of spelling and writing through practice, and reinventing and expanding on a bygone dimension of our language through the use of rebuses and abbreviations.
Texting is a newer, shorter and very convenient method of sending messages back and forth between users on a cell phone. It is similar to email, but often using shorter messages to carry on a conversation between two or more people. Texting is fast and easy,
McWhorter, John. "Talking With Your Fingers." 23 April 2012. The New York Times. Web. 15 February 2014.
Language is a form of verbal communication via words and its pronunciation that is used and comprehended by various people of the same nation, culture, or geographical background. It has been said to be dated back as far as one thousand years ago before writing. Like culture, language is passed on through the process of enculturation. Meaning that it is something that is learned (Kottak, 101). In the video, “TED TALK: Texting is killing language,” Ted starts off the video by saying that “The idea is that texting spells the decline and fall of any kind of serious literacy, or at least writing ability, among young people in the United States and now the whole world today (Ted, 2013). Throughout the film discussion, what stuck out to me the most was how drastic language has changed via technology. Although Ted disagrees with the above statement, in my opinion, I believe that a language can be altered if it is changed by enough speakers and writers. With the constant use of various forms of technology, communication via texting has become a very popular leisure activity for people all o...
Drouin, M., & Davis, C. (2009). R U Txting? Is the Use of Text Speak Hurting Your Literacy?. Journal of Literacy Research, 44(1), 46-67. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?q=texting+spelling+grammar&id=EJ862013
Step onto any college campus and take a look around. You will find clumps of students standing around in circles, phones in hand, typing away. What is it they are doing? Texting. Ever since the first text message was sent in 1993, the use of text messaging as a means of communication has spread like wild fire, especially amongst the adolescent generation. And with this new form of communication a new language has appeared; text-speak, the shortening of common words into abbreviations and acronyms (Drouin 49). While texting and the text-speak language seem to have been welcomed by many, what affect is this new technology having on the way we communicate? Is it possible that texting is negatively affecting our ability to use formal written communication, or is this idea just a myth perpetuated by negative media attention? And what changes has texting brought to the way we communicate person-to person? Are these changes positive, negative, or perhaps a mixture of both?