A Matter of Worth: Is txting language gr8?
Some blame the creation of digital media and texting on mobile devices for the decrease in proper grammar, excessive abbreviations, and poor punctuation of today’s youth. Viewing texting language as a matter of intelligence they believe that these abbreviations are unprofessional, lazy, and an overall insult to the English language. In reality, these language short-cuts are the evolution or mutation of language in an attempt to save space and time, but the environment of this time-saving technique is very important.
If you use this language on any other medium other than a text message to a friend, close family member or a significant other then your intelligence will be questioned. Despite being accepted by many people the language does not have an air of professionalization. Let’s be real. Would you appreciate an “i luv u 2” or “I love you, too” more? It’s a matter of effort. You would like to have someone who, in this case, loves you to put in the effort to write it completely. The strength of the txting language is something else to note, an “I h8 u” will most likely be taken less seriously than “I hate you.” The tone of these abbreviations is determined not only be the phrase itself but also the words or abbreviation (and how many) used.
The innovative fashion of texting language can be admired (to a degree) because of how quickly it spread and was learned. A new language was created and spread across the country and the world, being used by millions. Now, as a matter of literacy I do not feel that the world has “dumbed” down significantly as a result of this, but rather the environment of the “texting” language would be the only judge of intelligence in this matter.
Now, I don’t blame punctuation mistakes on digital media. Punctuation is a deeper structure inbedded into language than abbreviations. Meaning, sentence structure in regards to punctuation is something that doesn’t need innovation; omitting or mutating it would loose meaning in the sentence.
Overall, it’s a matter of presentation. We humans are judgemental creatures always eager to “figure out” someone quickly. Given this, it may be best to keep your texting language in the dark.
