OMG! Text Messaging is Saving the World!

February 2, 2009     Posted in Buzz

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By Laura

Texting: we all do it. A lot.

It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s especially useful when making a phone call isn’t an option (like at work or in class where you technically shouldn’t be using your phone…or when you want to flirt with a guy without being too committal.).  It’s convenience is part of the reason  it’s become so popular over the last several years.

However, not everyone (Read: crotchety old people) thinks it’s so great – many critics claim that texting is contributing to the deterioration of the English language. Critics worry that the common practice of using abbreviations and shorthand in text messages will cause people begin to speaking in shorthand, too. They also claim that students are turning in papers riddled with text-message slang.

WTF are they talking about? I don’t know where they get that idea from. OK, so maybe I have been known to throw a “BRB,” “LOL,” or “OMG,” into conversation, but whatev. I can still read and write!

And some other people agree! There doesn’t seem to be any proof behind these claims, as writer David Crystal discovered when he studied the effects of text messaging on society for his book, Txtng: The Gr8 Db8.  None of the teachers he surveyed could provide him with examples of “textisms” in students’ work, and students who were asked about using texting slang in essays stated, “That would be stupid.”

See?

In fact, research has shown that texting actually improves grades.  Text messaging provides practice in both reading and writing that many people wouldn’t have otherwise. Frequent texters, therefore, have better literacy scores, are better writers, and do better in school overall. That means that we’re all actually getting smarter the more we text!

Take that, crotchety old people! Texting is saving the english language!

What do you guys think?  Is the worry over text messaging ruining the language legit? 

9 Comments on "OMG! Text Messaging is Saving the World!"

  1. Jess says:
    Mon, 2nd Feb 200912:15 pm 

    true, true. I think more people with T9/ predictive text actually use shorthand text less. I like the student response- "that would be stupid." it really would be to use that in an essay.

  2. Chao says:
    Mon, 2nd Feb 20092:40 pm 

    Hmm… people have nothing to be worried about. Besides I write almost everything out when I'm texting people. The only abbreviations I use are the lol, brb, and ttyl. That's about it and I think that most students are smart enough to know that you can't use abbreviations in papers. That's just kinda ridiculous to do that. That would make my papers insanely short lol.

  3. Claire says:
    Mon, 2nd Feb 20096:33 pm 

    Students may not be using text slang in essays, but these "crotchety old people" you speak of are right. The vocabulary used by today's generation is considerably smaller, most likely due to our use of technology… I'm not sure you make a good point

  4. zoe says:
    Tue, 3rd Feb 200912:41 am 

    oh i hate those crochety people!! language is not a static thing, you can't just hold it in one place, it never has been before, it constantly evolves, language is only what people speak and not some seperate thing that would exist if we didn't use it, so if people say lol or whatever, then that is part of our language now, it's just english growing and changing like the rest of the world. let go. great article, thanks!

  5. Dan says:
    Wed, 4th Feb 20095:44 am 

    We've had these "text messaging is destroying the English language" type stories in the UK for a good few years now, as Europeans have been eralier adopters of this form of communication.

    You might want to have a look at these pages for some links to bizarre ramblings about the dangers of texting (from "language rapists" to "penmanship for illiterates"): http://englishlangsfx.blogspot.com/2008/09/textua…
    http://englishlangsfx.blogspot.com/2008/07/txtl-a…

  6. Keaton says:
    Wed, 4th Feb 20098:08 pm 

    I personally hate getting e-mails or texts with abbreviations and terrible spelling / grammar. It's not a telegram! You're not getting charged per-character!

  7. Katie says:
    Tue, 10th Feb 200911:55 am 

    Yeah!

    Texting has tons of benefits! I think it makes kids think faster.

    Also, by using T9 or Word mode, texting can help kids improve their spelling, since those modes don't accept misspelled words!

  8. James Benes says:
    Fri, 29th May 20091:35 pm 

    Where is this research that states texting "improves" grades? I should have expected a poorly written and half-assed piece of work without correct citation from someone promoting a degenerate form of communication.

    Regards,

    James Benes (26 years old)

  9. dan says:
    Wed, 24th Jun 200910:17 am 

    @James try the research from Bev Plester, Emma Jackson et al from Coventry University (linked from here: http://englishlangsfx.blogspot.com/2006/10/textin…

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