Is media changing language?

 "For example, in a study I did of college students' instant messaging conversations, out of 11,718 words, only 31 were "online lingo" abbreviations, and only 90 were acronyms (of which 76 were LOL)." (Crystal, 2008; Plester, Wood, & Bell, 2008).


     I could not believe this study! I think that educators and the older generation are wrong when they say we are destroying language. However,  I do agree that we sometimes mistreat language. Language, from everywhere is beautiful, and is meant to be interpreted in different ways. Words make a sentence, sentences make conversations, and in the end it is how we all communicate and connect. But, just because a kid says, "brb" or "lol" in a text, does not mean they use the words aloud, at least not all the time. Now I am sure that some of us have an occasional slip of text mumbo jumbo and say "LOL" or "BRB", but kids aren't trying to "ruin language".  There was a study where this was said: "These days you sometimes hear students saying "brb" (be right back) to one another when they temporarily take their leave. I have also overheard "lol" (laughing out loud) in conversations among young people.(5)"
These words are just acronyms, words made into smaller understandings. It is not because we are "dim" or falling to our knees, but rather much simpler. We all use acronyms, I mean think about when you have written out an invitation to an event, RSVP is right at the top and is very important. Bill Gates once said, I choose a lazy person to do a diffucult job... because he'll find an easy way to do it (Bill Gates)."  I think this is a phenomenal quote! Just because someone is "lazy" does not mean they do not have a little genius in them. When it comes down to writing, we all make mistakes. There is no such thing as a perfect person. It really did shock me that students are more attentive when they are writing than when they text. Yes we do have the occasional "slip", but everyone makes mistakes. We live in a world where textin is frowned upon by many of the older generations, but it is a way of learning; something all should experience.

"It's natural for languages to evolve. But what should really 

concern us is the way computers and mobile phones are 

changing our attitudes toward language."- Naomi S. Baron

Baron, N. (2000). Alphabet to email: How written English evolved and where it's heading. New York: Routledge.

Crystal, D. (2008). Txtng: The gr8 db8. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Hale, C., & Scanlon, J. (1999). Wired style: Principals of English usage in the digital age. New York: Broadway Books.

Lenhart, A., Smith, A., & Macgill, A. R. (2008). Writing, technology, and teens. Washington, DC: Pew Internet and American Life Project. Available: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/808/writing-technology-and-teens

Plester, B., Wood, C., & Bell, V. (2008). Txt msg n school literacy: Does texting and knowledge of text abbreviations adversely affect children's literacy attainment? Literacy, 42(3) 137–144.

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