How Technology Is Changing Written English

In the article “2b or not 2b”, David Crystal begins with discussing how others such as John Humphry argued that texters are “vandals who are doing to our language what Genghis Khan did to his neighbors 800 years ago. They are destroying it” (335). This is also the common belief of most people. People often argue about the bad points of technology over our language. However, Crystal believes that texting can improve children’s ability to read and write rather than hinder their literacy as many people claim. He also argues that not all texting are done in abbreviated words. Complex messages and institutional messages are often texted in standard form of

The result verified that there is evidence of a decline in grammar scores based on the number of abbreviations in their sent and received text messages (Swayne and Messer). In other words, the word abbreviations and punctuation short-cuts that famously used in text messaging can alter individuals’ ability to recognize and apply proper spelling, grammar and punctuation techniques in writing and daily life communication. If the uses of abbreviations are not controlled from the beginning, both sender and receiver of text messaging will be associated with how poorly they will perform on the test based on the level of standard literacy they have.

Texting is harming the ability for this current generation of children to write in a formal manner. “Digitalk” is what Kristen Hawley Turner of Fordham University calls, text-speak.For example, many teens will text “g2g” in replace of the actual words “got to go”.In my opinion, texting is ruining students’ abilities to write a formal essay,letter,etc.

Although her study supports the hypothesis that texting and writing have no relationship to one another, Cullington (and the researchers whose work she analyzed) recognizes the significance of new technology and society’s evolving modes of communication. She writes, “The use of text mes- saging as a common means of communication is becoming increasingly popular; therefore, this issue should continue to be examined” (94). Not surprisingly, the popularity of texting has increased since the time of Cullington’s article and so too has research on its effect on student writ- ing. What Cullington may not have anticipated, however, are the ways in which texting itself has changed. How might innovations such as Internet access, various “apps,” and software advance- ments have changed texting in the mere two years since Michaela Cullington published her article in 2011?

We as a society are evolving with each generation to come. We are getting stronger, faster, and smarter. Just as cell phones are no longer square blocks with numbers on them and TV’s are not in black and white, writing itself has also evolved. Once upon a time many wrote and spoke in a Shakespearean form of language and over the years it has evolved into something we call modern English. In recent years, technology has advanced greatly and cell phones have become one of our primary use of communication. With cell phones came a new form of writing called text messaging. Text messaging is used to send short, concise messages to anyone around the world. Often times text messages involve the use of abbreviations which stand for different things and also involves frequent use of emoji’s as a form of expression. This form of writing is now considered informal writing and is not acceptable in academic settings. In Michaela Cullington’s essay “Does Texting Affect Writing?” she touches on both sides of whether texting is hindering students writing or if it’s actually having a positive effect. She then makes is clear that she believes most students are educated enough to know when text speak is appropriate and when it’s not so therefore it has no effect on students. Although, I agree with her thesis, she lacks credibility due to her insufficient evidence. In addition, I also believe

Recently I read ‘Feed’, by M.T Anderson, a dystopian novel about how advancement in technology is negatively affecting our society and the way we communicate with each other. The author led me to believe that these advancements, such as texting, are causing our language to deteriorate. Further research proves that texting may be improving and many are learning to accept. When the era of the written word dies, will we be left with an illiterate generation with poor grammar? Students are texting constantly. In and out of class, it is becoming a bigger and bigger part of their lives. Some might say that we are creating a less literate generation, but research shows that texting improves student literacy for three reasons. First, texting improves

After reading Texting and Writing, by Michaela Cullington, I do not agree with many of her viewpoints. Cullington argues that texting does not affect a students writing. Textspeak, the abbreviation and shortening of words like used when writing a text message, does affect the way a student writes because they use the abbreviations, and their writings tend to lack punctuation. When a writer uses excessive abbreviations on a regular basis they can get stuck in the writer’s head causing them to use them in all of their writings. Cullington did make good points of her own opinion on texting and writing in her piece, but I disagree with her and believe that texting and

“Does Texting Affect Writing” is about Michaela Cullington, the author, comparing two opposing perspectives. The perspective is whether texting hinders the formal writing skills of students or not. Millennials are a population that cannot go a day without looking at their phones so, due to the “increasing use of mobile phones, concerns have been raised about its influence on their literacy skills. No matter if it is sending or receiving a text or checking social media sites, technology has taken over the lives of the young generations. The essay “Does Texting Affect Writing?” in They Say, I say exposes how the significant action of texting and using textspeak, i.e. abbreviations and symbols, may be hindering the writing skills of teenaged students. People communicate using textese to “more quickly type what they are trying to say” (Cullington, 2017, p. 361). Textese is a “register that allows omission of words and the use or textisms: instances of non-standard written language such as 4ever” (Van Dijk, 2016). When these people use textese often, it can become habitual and transition into their school assignments. Michaela Cullington constantly repeats words and uses comparisons and abnormalities for the concerns about textspeak, the responses to the concerns, methods and the discussion of findings on the topic to be analyzed.

In the article “Does texting affect writing” the author Michaela Cullington seeks to find the answer to this controversial question. Cullington researched and performed some experience to help come up with her own conclusion. She interviewed some teachers that believed that there is a conspicuous decline in writing skills. They attribute this to texting or textspeak. For example, some of the teacher interviewed say that when students write it is hard for them to show emotion in their words.

In David Crystal’s article “2b or Not 2b”, he disapproves the common belief that texting will destroy language. Crystal states that he thinks texting may even add a new dimensions to how we communicate and or improve our literacy skills. Pointing out the fact that no one has to actually know the proper form of language before using alternatives or abbreviations. Texting gives freedom and creativity to the person writing and an opportunity to experience a different way to interact with others. Crystal on page 341, simply concludes that no matter how much we are playful and powerful with texting it is just simply overall “fun”. Though, not all will agree, many feel it is a problem that needs to be removed.This came from a counter argument written

The nature of writing has changed in the past century. While writing still remains a form of visual communication, much of this change has been a result of technological advancements such as, from pen to paper or from a typewriter to a networked computer. The changes and expansion in the ways we are able to write today have brought about changes in writing pedagogy as well. The teaching of writing has been part of formal schooling in the United States for over 200 years (Kean 7). One major pedagogic change in United States’ education has to do with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. These standards have led to a change in the instruction of writing in schools. This paper, will focus on instructional changes of writing over time and current expectations for writing abilities as whole.

Would you send your potential boss an email that reads, “R U hiring”? I sure as hell, for your sake, hope not. We may text our colleagues and friends in such a manner but we also know when to switch the tone and grammar to make us seem a little more literate and a little less lazy, for certain occasions. So why do people still think texting, Tweeting and other abbreviated forms of communications are alternating the way we speak? That would be because it is, however, just not for the worst as most people are lead to believe. With the fast growing advances in technology the new generations are forced to accommodate it and by doing so, we’ve had to adapt to the new brevity in the way we communicate also referred to as “textspeak” as David Crystal calls it in his essay “Texting” he says, “its chief feature is rebus abbreviation” (Crystal 2). Abbreviating our language in text has helped us become accustomed to this new brevity, just like the way Twitter is helping, “users connect to people in ways they never could before.” Gary Goshgarian states in his introduction to Peggy Orenstein’s essay “I Tweet, Therefore I Am”. Does this mean that the way we speak and communicate with text and tweets is different from live speech? Some might say it is, they are correct, “…texting has become a preferred method of communication, the English language is being used in new and creative ways”, according to Gary Goshgarian on Kris Axtman’s article, “r u online?”: The Evolving Lexicon of Wired

Crystal’s ability to conceptualize (or rationalize) texters’ motivations for abbreviating strengthens his argument by making him sound more knowledgeable as a writer. To begin his argument, Crystal makes the excellent point that people would not send texts that are unreadable, especially when texting is a service that is not free. It also is not all the time that people will send text with “slanguage” (Crystal 1), since not all situations will call for

Texting is one of the fastest growing containers of communication. According to Cellular Online, in only the first three months of 2004, 135 billion text messages were sent. The proof is in the numbers alone. With the explosion of texting, society is forced to keep up with the massive amount of changes in communication. Not only is texting affecting children's knowledge, but also texting brought the development of virtually a new language, textisms. Textisms are the intentional misspelling of words, any use of a shortened word, or acronyms in text messages. Textisms significantly differ from standard English language. Some researchers believe that textisms are detrimental, but other researchers disagree and

The idea of text message is to have a quick conversation with someone, possibly at a time when the recipient cannot talk on the phone or face to face. People tend to use the most improper grammar when communicating through text messaging because you use more and more acronyms instead of tying the whole word or phrase out. Basically, people are trying to find the effortless way to explain their self, which in some cases is not a clever idea.