Technology has
always had a close link with language. It has influenced the way speech is
presented to different social groups. Texting, one of the most popular examples
of technology's involvement with language. Words have been truncated in order
to convey messages, new slangs have been born to create a new technological
language. Using "luv" instead of love, LOL for laugh out loud, or
better yet asking your parents plz can I go out because its shorter than
please. My parent's answer in this situation would be no because its shorter
than yes. All these new slangs and ways of speech, people of the golden age, or
shall I say olden age see this as a headline; "A Generation of
Idiots". David Crystal a British Linguist and John McWhorter an American
linguist suggests otherwise, who like to argue otherwise. Both linguists see
positive meaning behind the language of "text talk" and convey their
thoughts in two different messages.
In his interview, David Crystal speaks on the positive impacts texting has on a young individual from the concept of practice is the key to perfection. Crystal argues that texting improves literacy rates. He refers to the language "textspeech" as a constantly evolving language. He states that youths do not use "text-speak" for laziness, boredom, or lack of language (vocabulary) but rather to communicate in a language tailored for the specific social group in an effective yet productive manner. He corroborates this by using specific examples. To begin with the youth of today are not responsible for the creation of the abbreviations in words. Therefore they cannot be accursed for them. He says these slangs state back to at least during the Latin speaking age (400 ad) where there were several accounts of abbreviations. Secondly the amount of abbreviations are not very significant. Words only evolve and are tailored to fit certain purposes. Finally as stated before he voiced that texting is just another form of practice and that it does in fact improve literacy rates.
John McWhorter presents his thoughts in a formal matter stating initially that speech is the main use of language. He portrays speech as less refined and more and organic. He then states that writing came after speech and is more academic, descriptive, complex and ceremonial. He passes texting off as "we write what we think". Therefore texting is not a misconduct towards language but rather the exact speech which is taking place in our subconscious mind. A point that McWhorter has is similar to Crystal's. This is that the informal use of language has existed for ages and dates as back to the 63 B.C therefore texting has not caused this form of language.
Both linguists refer to the ancestry of "text-talk" stating that texting has not caused this and that it should not be criticized as it is a language of its own. Both have also gone to the extent stating that the youth of today are not, shall I say "literate village idiots" but rather innovative to where they are tailoring a language. Crystal's interview was informal whereas McWhorter's speech was formal. Also Crystal speaks on how literacy rates are proven to improve with texting whereas McWhorter states that "text-talk" is writing exactly what we think. Although both linguists use different approaches both convey the same statement that texting and the involvement of technology in language has as an overall been a positive.
In his interview, David Crystal speaks on the positive impacts texting has on a young individual from the concept of practice is the key to perfection. Crystal argues that texting improves literacy rates. He refers to the language "textspeech" as a constantly evolving language. He states that youths do not use "text-speak" for laziness, boredom, or lack of language (vocabulary) but rather to communicate in a language tailored for the specific social group in an effective yet productive manner. He corroborates this by using specific examples. To begin with the youth of today are not responsible for the creation of the abbreviations in words. Therefore they cannot be accursed for them. He says these slangs state back to at least during the Latin speaking age (400 ad) where there were several accounts of abbreviations. Secondly the amount of abbreviations are not very significant. Words only evolve and are tailored to fit certain purposes. Finally as stated before he voiced that texting is just another form of practice and that it does in fact improve literacy rates.
John McWhorter presents his thoughts in a formal matter stating initially that speech is the main use of language. He portrays speech as less refined and more and organic. He then states that writing came after speech and is more academic, descriptive, complex and ceremonial. He passes texting off as "we write what we think". Therefore texting is not a misconduct towards language but rather the exact speech which is taking place in our subconscious mind. A point that McWhorter has is similar to Crystal's. This is that the informal use of language has existed for ages and dates as back to the 63 B.C therefore texting has not caused this form of language.
Both linguists refer to the ancestry of "text-talk" stating that texting has not caused this and that it should not be criticized as it is a language of its own. Both have also gone to the extent stating that the youth of today are not, shall I say "literate village idiots" but rather innovative to where they are tailoring a language. Crystal's interview was informal whereas McWhorter's speech was formal. Also Crystal speaks on how literacy rates are proven to improve with texting whereas McWhorter states that "text-talk" is writing exactly what we think. Although both linguists use different approaches both convey the same statement that texting and the involvement of technology in language has as an overall been a positive.
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