Chose an interesting Topic - Assignment Example

Day Month Year Why We Write Writing has been the foundation of language for centuries. Granted, before there was written language, people relied on the spoken word to make their points known to one another. Also, generations learned from the generations before as a result of oral tradition. With written language, that oral history has become accessible to all who can read. Writing is a way to communicate our thoughts and ideas to a specific audience, with a focus and purpose that we determine and make known to our readers.

As David Crystal (2008) alludes to, however, the very essence of the way we write as a form of language is threatened. Today, people opt to communicate via short instant messages rather than to expound on their thoughts and provide substance. While the audience for such ‘text messages’ might remain the same, there is a lack of purpose in our writing today. We are supposed to write in an effort communicate our innermost thoughts and ideas. We can write to depict actions in history or to express a hope for the future.

Many people worry that this art form will become extinct if we fail to realize the sheer importance of written language. Writing is a conversation with the world. The writer gets to choose the audience, they get to provide their own focus on a piece, and the purpose can become clear once the words are put to paper. Writing reaches a wide audience. Today, the Internet has opened up an entirely new market for writers that they never before dreamed possible. In other words, the audience is now global.

All a writer must do now is to put their thoughts and ideas down on paper, provide a clear purpose and focus, and then share those ideas with a global marketplace. That is the function of writing, even in this age of increasing technology and interconnectivity. Works CitedCrystal, David. “2b or Not 2b”. The Guardian (5 July 2008).