OMGYG2BK. SIMYC. ROFLCOPTER. PSOS. n00b.
That's text messaging language for you. Kudos if you understood those terms and if you couldn't, you're not the only one. There has been an ongoing debate on whether text messaging is killing the language as Englsh was never meant to be spelled without the "i". Then again, we have to revert back to the past to think of why this became such a well-known issue.
That's text messaging language for you. Kudos if you understood those terms and if you couldn't, you're not the only one. There has been an ongoing debate on whether text messaging is killing the language as Englsh was never meant to be spelled without the "i". Then again, we have to revert back to the past to think of why this became such a well-known issue.
Source: BBC.co.ukBut is it a threat to the English language today? In an interview with linguist David Crystal, he disagrees as he considers it as a way to promote literacy. In fact, the birth of poetry in this text language connotes a development to the language (ABC.net, 2008). abbreviations were explained to have been around for years, for example Queen Victoria's (extremely confusing) abbreviation game (ABC.com, 2008). But all of a sudden, there was an uproar of text messaging. Why?
Source: SydneyMorningHerald.com.auIn my opinion, it started with the mobile phone and bills for its use. If you are familiar with such devices, it wouldn't be an alien thing to know you have a limit of maybe 160 characters for one page of a message, of which would be RM0.20 (back in 2002). Add a few more characters over the limit and you would have to pay an extra RM0.20. This is one of the cause of the rise of text messaging language.
Then you have online chats whether through chat channels like Windows Live Messenger or through chat panels on online games like World of Warcraft. These will unconsciously require fast and short sentences and words, causing "you" to be "u" and "got to go" to be "gtg". Very colloquial, very fast, very easily typed. Of course, text language isn't used on formal sites as it rubs off as unprofessional and uncomprehending.
Then you have online chats whether through chat channels like Windows Live Messenger or through chat panels on online games like World of Warcraft. These will unconsciously require fast and short sentences and words, causing "you" to be "u" and "got to go" to be "gtg". Very colloquial, very fast, very easily typed. Of course, text language isn't used on formal sites as it rubs off as unprofessional and uncomprehending.
References
Txtng Rls!, Media Report, ABC.net, viewed 11 November 2008,
<http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2330972.htm>
Text Messaging Abbreviations, Webopedia.com, viewed 11 November 2008,
<http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp>
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