Does Texting Lingo Help Language? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Does Texting Lingo Help Language?

Texting lingo is gr8, m8!

77
Does Texting Lingo Help Language?
Pocono Record

Supposedly, texting is ruining the English language. John Sutherland disparaged texting as "penmanship for illiterates," and he is not the only one afraid that the consequences of texting on language will be ultimately negative.

A fear that has emerged from the rise of texting is that texting has made this generation illiterate compared to previous generations. This myth has been basically debunked, since literacy scores of American children have risen slightly over the past 25 years, but the fear remains: is texting detrimental to language?

Contrary to the expectations of some people, a large body of research on the subject has positively linked – or at least failed to negatively link – use of texting lingo to literacy.

For instance, in one study, 88 British children were asked to compose text messages for several scenarios. They were also asked how often they used their phones. Children who used more texting abbreviations had better reading ability, even "controlling for individual differences in age, short-term memory, vocabulary, phonological awareness and how long they had owned a mobile phone." This result should probably not be surprising, since texting necessarily coincides with increased language use:

Imagine kids suddenly started playing catch literally all the time. Everywhere they go, they throw balls back and forth, toss them in the air, and hurl them at trees and signs – nearly every waking hour of their lives. Do you think their generation will suck at baseball because they learned sloppy skills?

It is fairly common for people to misspell words or use improper grammar in text messages, but this has also been linked to better understanding of language. The relationship was strongest during childhood, since intentional grammatical and spelling errors allow children to "play around with" language informally. This helps them reframe and better understand the relationship between language conventions, sounds, and meaning.

Perhaps more importantly, texting and internet lingo have allowed more meaning to be conveyed in writing. A higher density of intentional spelling and grammar mistakes can be used to indicate a casual or lighthearted tone. Unnecessary Capitalization or Other Formalities can provide emphasis (often sarcastically) among other nuances:

it’s kinda cool how our generation has created actual tone in the way we write online. like whether we: write properly with perfect grammar, shrthnd everythin, use capitals to emphasise The Point, use extra letters or characters for emotion!!!!!, and much more - it means we can have casual conversations, effectively make jokes using things like sarcasm that’s usually hard to understand without context and much more. this “incorrect English” has really opened avenues of online conversation that isn’t accessible with “correct English” which is pretty interesting.

Emoticons add yet another layer of meaning, which bring written conversation even closer to in-person conversation in terms of expressiveness. They are much more nuanced than ":)" meaning "happy" – in some contexts, ":)" can actually be negative since it indicates passive-aggression. Consider this sentence: "I just love how rude people are :)"

Other emoticons also mean "happy," but have totally different connotations. These include ":D" (genuine joy "like a happy dog who has missed his owner"), ":^)" (cheekiness), ";)" (a joking or flirtatious wink), "8D" (mania), ":3" (a cat face meant to be cute, geeky, ditzy, or coy), and "c:" (a relatively simple happy face). There are hundreds more, each with its own unique connotations that may change depending on the context.

The continued evolution of language should not be dismissed out of hand, but we should welcome and seek to understand its new forms.

For more information on this subject, check out some of the following resources:

TIME: "Is Texting Killing the English Language?"

Scholastic Teachers: "Can Texting Help With Spelling?"

Languages Around The Globe: "OMG! Texting Isn't Ruining English!"

Buffer: "7 Science-Based Reasons to Use Emoticons"

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

833
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

447353
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

20483
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

43744
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments