OMG, I-SPEAK E-BABBLE: The Future of the English Language
I would like to volunteer for a discourse on Internet English with members of the graduate course, Writing for Electronic Communities. At some point during the second half of this semester I think we should have a discussion about the impact of electronic communications on a constantly evolving, scarily malleable English language.
With the inclusion of modern, internet-related vernacular, most of which has been adopted from the writing spaces of texting, instant messaging and emails and integrated by a younger generation, the question arises: in what direction is our language headed? Will our spoken and written language be truncated by abbreviations and hip techno-babble (parsed from existing words and prefixed with “i-” or “e-”)?
I remember being tickled by Van Halen’s cagey album title, 0U812, but now with linguistic anomalies like “NE1”, “LOL” and “L8r”, I am literally at a loss for words.
A defining characteristic of a community or of a culture in general is a shared language. Dialect, idiomatic expressions, etc., are crucial ingredients of a people’s identity. So what happens when humans communicate within the constraints of electronic media over a period of time? Do we begin to lose part of one identity and gain another?
Professor of Linguistics David Crystal wrote volumes on the subject:
Many of the expectations and practices which we associate with spoken and written language… no longer obtain. The linguistic consequences of evolving a medium in which the whole world participates – at least in principal, once their country’s infrastructure and internal economy allow them to gain access – are bound to be far reaching.
-from Language and the Internet, 2005
I would ask members of Writing for Electronic Communities for their thoughts on this subject, especially those in the education field – have you found evidence in your students’ work suggesting a change (for better or worse) in their writing skills that can be credited to their usage of electronic media like texting or instant messaging?
I look forward to hearing from you guys. L8r.
I see more and more of the ‘texting dialogue’ coming out not only in student academic writing (I teach mainly eighth grade English) but also in conversations, and yes, if a student does not learn the “regular” accepted” conventions esp. in writing, then we as teachers are rendering students a disservice.
At times, I feel this type of language is really just out of pure laziness of the student- and does not improve writing skills. I even try to discourage it in creative writing (take for instance- dialogue contained within a creative story). I try to explain that the reader may lose something in translation(I am thinking of myself here..)
Although, I can imagine that some creativity does come into play when using this type of language and I will say there is a time and a place for it- friendly emails, quick texts to friends- but not when being graded by a teacher.
I will also add that I absolutely get a kick out of the commercial with the mother and grandmother speaking “text” to the daughter. Makes me crack up. LOL.
See ya Thursday!
unshrouded
April 9, 2008 at 4:37 pm