Relationship between Instant Texting and Language Decline - Essay Example

Relationship between Instant Texting and Language Decline The recent years have witnessed an outburst in the popularity of cell phones to the extent that teenagers and adults view them as life necessities. As days pass, people exhibit an increased degree of attachment, to mobile phones, hence an increased dependence on the gadgets for communication. It is common to find people busy with their phones in workplaces, in vehicles, in school, and in homes. This does not exclude streets, in which one can notice individuals walking heads down; perhaps text messaging or reading texts. With the increased use of mobile phones, a sensitive issue has emerged which concerns the over-use of text messages. According to David Crystal’s Texting, people extensively use instant messages, for their conversations, using abbreviations for most words (Crystal 15). An analysis of David Crystal’s works can establish the controversies associated with the relationship between language development and the increased use of text messages, for communication. The emerging issue of concern is whether the increased use of text messages has resulted in the decline of language, or whether it affects literacy. With respect to David Crystal’s works, text messaging makes extensive use of coded language which may be unfamiliar to non-users. Substantial understanding of the code language is of the essence for a mobile phone user to converse with friends using the code language. In the practice of text messaging, users condense multiple and single words via a technique which sees them replace words or syllables with digits or single letters. In the development of the coded language, used in text messaging, cell phone users may also get full of whole words within common phrases. The process of developing SMS language tends to be progressive; this has the implication that some phrases and words have been modified with time. For example, the phrase ‘Thank you’ has gone through three transitions which are ‘thanks’, ‘tnx’, and ‘tx’. The language used in text messaging is unconventional and can fall under a number of categories. G-Clippings, for instance, involves the removal of the letter g at the end of such words as ‘Going’ to read as ‘Goin’. The coded language can also fall under the shortening category in which some letters are omitted; for example, the word ‘after’ can be written as ‘aft’. In other forms, users contract the middle letters of various words while others make use of acronyms (Crystal 18). Others include the use of letter homophones, number homophones, and such non-conventional words as ‘nite’ for ‘night’. To some extent, the use of text messages results to a decline in spoken language. This is because the development of spoken language has a direct relationship with social interaction. In the era of technology, texting diminishes children’s ability to have face-to –face communication with others, a trait which affects them throughout the other developmental stages. Self-expression is a technique best acquired via practice; hence its development faces a significant degree of limitation from the mobile technology. The effect of this aspect is more pronounced in the younger generation than the old generation. The childhood stage of an individual serves as the most appropriate time for learning; therefore, with the extensive use of text messages, children and teenagers may not develop adequate skills of spoken language. Research indicates that, with the introduction of latest technology, only a small proportion of teenagers talk face-to-face with colleagues, as opposed to the percentage of young people that sends texts several times in a day. Ideally, over-reliance on text messages, for communication, promotes social anxiety and shyness among children, a trait which extends even to the adult stage (Crystal 20). The mode of texting, stated by David Crystal, can significantly cause a decline in language with respect spelling. Ideally, individuals have made use of abbreviations that are not conventionally accepted. Individuals seem to have developed alternative spellings in such languages as English, all in the form of looking for short forms of words. It is worth noting that, the continued exposure to wrong spellings can significantly reduce the professionalism of children and teenagers in a certain language. In several places, teachers have reported problems while teaching the English language, for instance, because of effect of text messages on children (Tagg 81). There has been a particular challenge when it comes to written language because of lack of ability to spell words correctly, and the ability to form grammatically correct sentences. Students, who are fond of texting, exhibit a significant weakness in sentence structure; ideally, instant message relies on the use of short phrases and incomplete sentences. Increased texting also causes a decline in language by being a limitation in language classes. Texting becomes a direct barrier, in language classes, because of the immense deal of addiction associated with the practice. For instance, texting leads to diverted attention among students in school, hence reduced focus on principles of a certain language. Extensive texting has the implication that children hardly make use of verbal communication, either via the phone or in face-to-face interaction. Consequently, children and teenagers do not get an opportunity to perfect their pronunciation of contradicting language, in the course of their language development. The eventual outcome is that children carry pronunciation mistakes into their adulthood, a situation which leads to self-blame, harassment by others, and even loss of opportunities (Tagg 81). The consistent use of instant messaging also affects an individual’s ability to read or speak fluently in conventional languages, such as English. It is worth noting that, in the course of text messaging, individuals get used to reading coded language, a trend which lowers their ability to read conventional language in a fluent manner. Such individuals also exhibit problems when addressing public gatherings, instructing, or even conversing verbally via the phone (Tagg 81). However, it is worth noting that, despite the drawbacks of instant messaging on language development, the practice has some benefits to the literacy of an individual. The practice of text messaging, by children, helps them advance their phonological processing abilities, at a tender age (Crystal 111). This has the implication that the practice boosts the children’s lexical ability; children can easily comprehend the meaning of certain sentences and phrases even after the removal of some words. The practice also introduces children to written language at early stages of life, hence enhancing the level of their literacy. The practice of instant messaging is associated with the latest devices resulting from technological advancement. This has the meaning that, as individuals make use of the service, there is increased likelihood of coming across other features of modern technology. For example, as individuals converse via mobile phones, using text messages, they get an experience of other features supported by various cell phones (Crystal 112). One of these features is the internet which has the potential of expanding an individual’s knowledge hence a boost to literacy. Text messaging can significantly affect the language development of individuals, especially in their tender age. This particularly functions through the limitation of an individual’s ability to verbally express him/herself in public. As individuals extensively involve themselves in the practice of communication via text messages, they get limited chances to involve themselves in face-to-face conversations. In the end, individuals lose the confidence and fluency of conversing in a certain language, hence a drawback to the language development. In addition, text messaging can significantly affect an individual’s grammar, in the form of misspellings. Ideally, instant messaging relies on the use of code language; a situation which can impair an individual’s spelling power. It is however, worth noting that studies have found out that text messaging has no negative effects on the literacy level of an individual. Indeed, the practice is essential in enhancing literacy level among young children. Works Cited Crystal, David. Language and the Internet. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Crystal, David. Texting: the Gr8 Db8. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Tagg, Caroline. Discourse of Text Messaging: Analysis of SMS Communication. London: Bloomsbury, 2012. Read More