The negative effects on the grammatical skills of teenagers due to text messaging - Research Paper Example

? The Negative Effects on the Grammatical Skills of Teenagers due to Text Messaging Introduction: Technology in the modern world can be said to have altered the “delivery of human services” that are utilizing different forms of technological know-how in the fields of communication, information management, delivery of services as well as development in professional aspects (Woodside & McClam, 69). The technology used in communication in the modern world has proved to be highly advanced bringing people closer to each other through different means that include the mobile phones, the internet and “text messaging” (Sampson). From Pew Research Center’s survey conducted in the year 2010, it has been obtained that “one in three teens” can be found to text message that may be reported as being more than 100 in a day (Sampson). This massive use of text messaging has a natural impact on the teenagers, particularly with respect to their effects on the grammatical skills of the user (Sampson). Text messaging is developing as a much loved practice of communication particularly for the younger generation who prefer to “stay in close contact” with friends and close ones. The young generation does not feel convenient in “typing out full words or sentences” (Baldauf & Stair, 280). Alternatively abbreviations enhance a “fast-paced” process of communication a reason why most of the people use limited or “just enough” characters to phrase a message (Baldauf & Stair, 280). However, although the use of abbreviations may prove to be convenient, this may also impact the ability of a person to properly construct a sentence and other similar negative effects (Baldauf & Stair, 280). This report would primarily focus on the negative impacts that text messaging are having on the grammatical skills of teenagers. The Negative Impacts of Text Messaging on the Teenagers: Text messaging and its use among the teenagers: Text messaging primarily involves instantly communicating messages through short “text-based messages”, a facility that is widely available through the mobile phones (Braun, 17-18). SMS or short message system has become very popular among today’s youth that enables messages to be sent from one person to person within a very short time. Text messages have character limitations and people are using this facility to convert their long conversations into short texts and send to friends and other acquaintances (Braun, 17-18). It can be realized that when long conversations can be expressed in short messages, that becomes more convenient for the users to make use of less effort as well as lesser time thus making the text messaging service preferable for the teenagers. Moreover, teenagers of the modern world are known to be impatient and in search of fast and easy way of achieving things. Communication is thus not an exception. Thus like all other technologies, the text messaging also has specific uses that make this facility “more valuable” than other ways of communicating (Ball & Foster, 92). Firstly, through text messaging, very small messages can be exchanged. Moreover, text messaging is less expensive than calling a person and communicating the same message. In comparison to making calls, text messaging involves lesser time as well as lesser costs making it more favorable for the users. Also, text messaging provides an “excellent technology for chatting” and staying in close contact with others (Ball & Foster, 92). Teenagers would thus prefer to keep in touch with their friends, make plans for enjoyments or other necessities through communication facilities that can occur in very less time, and with less money. Through such text messaging, users can share ideas, views, knowledge, and information or simply stay in touch by conversing. Views on the effects of text messaging on the use of English Grammar amongst the teenagers: Different views arise on the effects that the use of text messaging may have on the teenagers in their use of English grammar. This is particularly because while texting messages, users do not use the full sentences or even full words. This may impact their proper use of the English language which may also be marked in their educational assignments and examinations. According to a study conducted by Edutopia.org, educators have been found to have different views, with around 50 percent respondents believing that text messaging has a negative impact on the teenagers’ use of English language. They believe that short messaging using abbreviations are “assaulting” the use of grammar in English language (Russell). It has been found that punctuations are being used poorly, use of grammar has become bad, and improper abbreviations are incorporated within the academic writings. Other educators think that positive effects also exist from text messaging while some believe that are no effects at all. Around 20 percent of the respondents believed that although text messaging has some effects on the teenagers, but they do not believe it to be an issue of concern. Another 27 percent of the respondents did not believe that text messaging has any negative impacts (Russell). However for this study, the focus remains on the negative impacts and hence the negative impacts would be emphasized. The negative impacts: It can be understood that the “accepted rules” that are applicable in the English language in regard to the use of grammar, spelling or punctuation, may not be needed to be followed while messaging texts (Kessler & McDonald, 5-6). However, text messaging or the short messaging services available through mobile phones, the internet or any other communication technology, have become a common mode of conversing with people. Here, it can be noted that a person following a particular way of communicating may become “comfortable” in following that way that may affect the usual norms of writing techniques (Kessler & McDonald, 5-6). Thus the traditional formats of writing or using grammar, punctuations or spelling get impacted by the modern usage of short text messaging. There is a need to understand that if text messaging does not require any rules to be followed, that may not imply that similar styles may be used in other areas of writing as well. This lack of understanding creates the greater issues in regard to text messaging having negative impacts on grammatical skills (Kessler & McDonald, 5-6). A study on Finnish has reflected the concern of the Finnish teachers regarding the “free-form” of short messaging services having negative impacts on the ability of the teenagers to express their writings in the “standard language” that is fundamental and essential for academic respects (Eija-Liisa, 204-205). Communication through text messaging does not require following “traditional grammar or punctuation” (Eija-Liisa, 204-205). Moreover, words instead of being written in full are “shortened” and people express their conversations in a very concise manner (Eija-Liisa, 204-205). It may also be noticeable that punctuation or spacing between words may be absolutely missing in text messages. Following such a pattern significantly influences the principles of the English language. With spaces being ignored, capitals are often used to separate each word that makes it more difficult to read the message at times (Eija-Liisa, 204-205). The text messages formed by the teenagers can often be related to code languages instead of the standard language of English. This also indicates that a code language may not be understandable by all the readers unless explained. To take an example, “LOL” is used in text messages that mean “Laughing Out Loud” (Eija-Liisa, 206-207). If someone does not know the meaning of this code, it would be difficult for him to understand its sense. However, several such code languages for the purpose of being used in texting have become common in use among teenagers. Also, instead of using only English, different languages may be combined while texting a message using the English characters only (Eija-Liisa, 206-207). Thus, all the above factors combined together, it can be realized that the use of short text messaging has a number of negative aspects that ultimately affect the grammatical skills of a teenager. The advantage of not using properly constructed sentences, or use of proper grammar and punctuation, shortening of words, altogether have an impact on the writing skills of teenagers who are unable to keep a gap between the use of text messaging and their academic writings. It can be understood that any educational writing would not accept the formats and styles used in texting. This is because the English writing has a standard format that needs to be followed. Thus the negative impact of text messaging occurs on the teenagers when they are found to lose their capability to maintain the standards of the English language and grammar owing to the increasing use of text messaging. Some contradictory views: The educators, who were found to have no worries regarding any impact of the text messaging on the teenagers, as obtained from the poll conducted by Edutopia.org, believe that owing to the increasing text messaging, students have been found to write more and better. According to their views, there are several aspects to learn from the short message services, for example, students have to learn the art of editing to shorten the message. This can be used by the teachers to realize the “evolution of language from Shakespearean English to Internet English” (Russell). According to Crystal (2008), the beliefs about the negative impacts of text messaging are wrong. He believes that abbreviations in text messaging are necessary owing to the limitations in the number of characters capable of being inserted in a message. However, in the modern world, this argument may not find much support since newer technologies have enabled the facility to type long messages providing greater space for message sending (Proysen, 33). As Crystal believes, the users of text messaging are capable of shortening the words or sentences because they already know the standard language. However problems may arise if very small children who are yet to learn the standards of English language are provided with mobile phones. These young children may be incapable of differentiating between the standard language and the language that may be allowed in texting. The shortening of words seems to Crystal a mode of innovation and easier to be handled while typing texts, consuming lesser time (Proysen, 34). While in general views are against the use of a free-form of text messaging, there are views that regard the use of newer technology as a change and development in the use of language. Also, it is believed that the use of the new formats of English may encourage the students more to get involved in “traditional learning” (O’Connor). As Lee has mentioned, teachers do have complaints regarding students making grammatical errors, along with shortening of words, and wrong use of punctuation and characters. However, it is also a fact that such mistakes are not intentional. This is supported by Montana Hodgen who believes that excess uses of instant messaging “changes the way” students read or write in their academic works (O’Connor). However as mentioned earlier some teachers like Erika Karres believe that the changing lingo may be utilized for the students’ knowledge gain in “language evolution” (O’Connor). Coventry University researchers also presented a positive view in regard to the concerned issue. It was obtained from their study that text messaging could actually develop the reading activity among children (Texting ‘improves language skill’). Thus it can be understood that the effects of text messaging on the grammatical skills of teenagers seem to be a debatable issue whether views supporting both the positive and negative effects are prevailing. Analysis The new language for texting short messages has been created by today’s teenagers. It can be realized that text messaging has provided the world with a faster means of communication that does not require the need for proper sentence construction, use of proper grammar and punctuation or any feature that would make a writing look presentable. Different views reflect different aspects and impacts of the use of short messaging services. It can be understood that the change and development may create several positive impacts on the learning procedures followed by the students. Teenagers can be expected to be more involved in the traditional learning when the process comes in through the use of easier and faster methods similar to text message language. However, the negative impacts as have been studied by different theorists as well as teachers are of much concern as these severely impact the writing skills of the teenagers. This particularly occurs owing to the incapability of the students to distinguish between the languages that they use for messaging, often as a code language, and the one which is a standard for writing in English. Lack of this understanding may create negative impacts since students tend to forget the standards of writing and follow the language of texting blindly without realizing that they are making mistakes. In order to send messages in a fast and easier way, text messaging does not take spelling, structure of sentences, grammar, or punctuation into consideration. However, this pattern can be understood to be entirely improper and wrong in any formal writing like educational assignments. What seems to be necessary is to make the young generation, particularly the students, to have an understanding of avoiding the use of text language in place where they are supposed to use standard language. Thus, only finding the negative effects may not seem to be appropriate for the teachers or other theorists, since on the other hand, text messaging has the benefits of its own as well. Hence, trying to address the negative effects and giving the students proper training can be expected to bring a solution to the problem of writing or grammatical skills getting affected by excess use of text messaging. Conclusion: In the modern world, more and more people are found to make use of the text messaging service. This is primarily due to the ease with which communications are able to be performed. Less time consuming and less expensive than making calls have brought the service of short messaging close to the lives of people, especially teenagers who prefer to stay in close contact with their friends most of the time. However, the impacts of text messaging arises owing to the language structure being followed in messaging that involves no particular format, no grammatical features, no proper sentence construction and no use of full words. To some extent this seems to be alarming since continuous use of a style of typing texts have been found to have an effect on the actual writing skills of students. These are reflected in the educational writings that such students work on. As have been observed through different studies, the negative impacts of the text messaging are realized when students make grammatical errors, or write shortened words, use improper punctuations and characters, in their academic writings. These are unacceptable since the English language has a particular standard that needs to be followed. Although the text messaging may have several benefits for its users, but, for the teenagers who are unable to distinguish the differences and implications, special care needs to be taken to teach them the right places for the right uses of the individual language structures. Thus, keeping into focus the benefits that the text message services provide, it can be understood that the negative effects, if properly addressed and teenagers taught the right issues, solutions would be fashioned to resolve the concerns regarding text messaging. References 1) Baldauf, Kenneth J & Stair, Ralph M, Succeeding with Technology, Connecticut: Cengage Learning, 2008 2) Ball, Derek & Foster, Dayton, How to do everything with your iPAQ pocket PC, New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2006 3) Braun, Linda W, Teens, technology, and literacy: or, Why bad grammar isn’t always bad, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, 2007 4) Eija-Liisa, Kasesniemi, Mobile Messages: Young People and a New Communication Culture, Finland: University of Tampere, 2003 5) Kessler, Lauren & McDonald, Duncan, When Words Collide, Connecticut: Cengage Learning, 2011 6) O’Connor, Amanda, Instant Messaging: Friend or Foe of Student Writing?, marthalakecov, August 29, 2011 from: http://www.marthalakecov.org/~building/strategies/literacy/oconnor.htm 7) Proysen, Stine, The Impact of Text Messaging on Standard English, UIB, August 29, 2011 from: https://bora.uib.no/bitstream/1956/3320/1/56404526.pdf 8) Russell, Lisa, The Effects of Text Messaging on English Grammar, eHow, August 29, 2011 from: http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_5828172_effects-text-messaging-english-grammar.html 9) Sampsom, Quain, Negative Effects of Text Messaging, eHow, August 29, 2011 from: http://www.ehow.co.uk/info_8146298_negative-effects-text-messaging.html 10) “Texting ‘improves language skill’”, BBC News, 2009, August 29, 2011 from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7910075.stm 11) Woodside, Marianne R & McClam, Tricia. 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