How People Send Their Text Messages - Thesis Example

How People Send Their Text Messages Introduction We live in a world that is constantly changing caused by the improvement in the level of technology. The forms of technology have changed the way we communicate with each other in our daily lives. Most importantly, our forms of communication have changed from sending letters and telegraphs to using more sophisticated, cheaper, and quicker forms of commination whereby there is instant feedback. Such forms of communication include sending emails, text messages, and through instant messaging through social media websites such as Facebook and twitter. The modern technology being used nowadays is more effective, efficient, and faster than typing through simple handwriting (Ippen 1). However, today we still have various forms of writing. People use computers, cell phones, and many other pieces of technology such as blogging, emailing, and texting to communicate with their peers. The use of phones and computers to communicate has played a major role to the decreasing forms of handwriting. Emphasis nowadays is not laid in children to improve their handwriting so that it can improve the readability. This has been facilitated by the schools emphasis on young children to use computers to communicate. However, many children learn how to use computers even before they get to kindergarten. The uses of this technology have enabled people to improve on their knowledge due to the research conducted through phones and computers (Irvine 5). Phones are a gateway to a pool of other forms of writing for example texting which most of the people know as a form of communication. Phones can also be used to send email messages alongside texting and social networking such as Facebook and twitter. The phones allow a person using it to keep in touch with people, friends, and relatives around the world. The main form of written communication through a phone is texting. Sending text messages is a form of communication where people keep in touch with friends and relatives in the world (Kopytoff Web). Texting is the act of keying and sending a short, electronic note between two or more cell phones or fixed or movable devices over a cellphone network. The word texting has been derived from the word short messaging service that was first used in radiotelegraphy. Texting has now improved not only to include a message but also to include image, video, and sound content. In texting, the sender of the text message is known as a sender. The word texting has many colloquial names depending with the region in which it is being used. In North America, Australia, the Philippines and the United Kingdom for instance, they refer to it as text while in Europe they refer to it as SMS. In Middle East and Asia, they refer to it as TMS or SMS (McGunner 7). Moreover, text messages can be used to interact with automated messaging systems. They can be used to order for goods and services for mobile phones or participating in contests. With the increasing demand to create awareness by the advertisers text messages are now being used to create awareness to mobile phone users concerning promotions, payment due dates and other notifications that can usually be sent by post, e-mail or voicemail (Hogan 8). Method I chose to use a survey to find out how send text messages to others. My main objective was to find out whether people usually consider using the correct grammar while sending their text messages. In my research, I took consideration of the age and gender of the respondent. My research involved people between the ages of 18 and 25 years. I assumed there might be a certain connection between the ages or genders as to which sending text messages are preferred. I also sought to know how people prefer to send text messages. I chose to conduct the research in my school because I thought that at the ages of between 18 years and 25 years, people are more active in sending text messages than in any other age brackets. I also preferred to do the research in my school since it was at school where I would find many respondents for my interview. The school also provided a wide variety of respondents, age groups, religions, races, social status, financial status, and educational and occupational statuses. My research involved 37 students whom I issued with questionnaires. There were also some categories that I grouped together as opposed to counting them separately, such as those people who always text using proper grammar and spelling, those who never text using proper grammar and spelling, and those who sometimes use proper grammar and spelling, depending on whom they are texting. Results I personally feel that cell phones have taken over the field of communicating especially through texting. I do not feel that people use the traditional forms of communication such as letters and telegraphs to send and receive the messages. I at all times see people sending and receiving text messages no matter where I go, even driving down the road. This trend makes me curious and I sought to understand which form of sending the text messages is preferred to the other and if there is a difference between the ages or genders in the preferences. Generally, in my survey texting is the most preferred type of written communication to many people. 36 out of the 37 people whom I interviewed preferred texting other than sending messages through other forms of communication such as emails, and memos. This represents a 97.3% of the sample population. The above also admitted that they send and receive over 20 text messages in a day. Among the 37 students who responded to the interview, 16 people agreed that they take into consideration issues related to grammar and spelling in their text messages. This represents a 43.6% of the total population in the data obtained. They also claimed that they send and receive over 20 text messages in a day. 3 out of the 37 people in the interview responded by saying that they never send text messages but they receive text messages. However, they do not take into consideration the use of grammar and spelling of the words used in the text message. The above figures represent an 8% of the total population in the data. In addition, 18 respondents in the sample population noted that they at times take into consideration the use of grammar while sending text messages. They assert that they take into consideration the issues of grammar depending with the person whom they are sending to the message. For instance, these respondents were categorical to claim that they take into consideration while sending text messages to their managers and elder members of the society who have difficulties while reading text messages. During the research, I felt that my findings were consistent. Discussion I had theorized prior to my research, that texting would be at the top of the list for many youths especially those in schools since they had a large social group of people whom they related with. I also assumed that all the people who possessed mobile phones would be using text messages to communicate. However, as I discovered in my research, a small number of people do not send text messages but they receive text messages. This is because they mostly prefer to make and receives calls other than using text messages. When I enquired why they preferred to make calls other than send text messages, they gave some reasons. Some of the respondents claimed that they do not send text messages because they feel that they need urgency. This means that they relied on making calls since it is faster in terms of getting back the feedback than text messages. Making calls also confirms that the person you are calling has received the message intended without distortion. The response is also quicker in making calls than sending text messages (Monson 9). The majority of those who send text messages gave various reasons for the use of text messages other than making calls and sending emails. While sending text messages, the person will be assured that the message will be delivered as the receiver of the information has sent it unlike making calls where the calls can be misheard or wrongly interpreted. Moreover, sending text messages can be more convenient than making calls in some places such as inside the church, public library, or any other place that necessitates peace and quietness. Moreover, a text message can be stored for future reference as compared to a phone call that cannot be stored. This means that a person who receives a text message can re-look at the message various times as compared to a call where the person who receives a call cannot refer to the call for future reference. Moreover, text messages tend to be cheaper to send as compared to calls especially if the sender is on contract with a service provider. It is also easier to send someone a text message when in confidential places which does not encourage people to make calls over the phone (Crystal 234). While undertaking my research, I realized that quite a big number of the respondents took into consideration the writing features available in their phones. I realized that some phones had advanced features such as “autocorrect” that allows the person writing the text message to correct automatically grammar mistakes. However, most people had knowledge of two or more languages and therefore were not cautious of the grammar they used. Moreover, I learnt that quite a huge number of people used mixed language to send the text message to their friends. This is because their friends too were aware of the language being used by the sender. Moreover, the respondents claimed that they found it enjoyable mixing languages since it teased the receivers mind. I also learnt that these people did not take into consideration the readability of the text messages for their receivers but assumed that the receivers were aware of the mixed language being used (Goldstein and Baniuszewics 13). I also learnt that the respondents who took much consideration of the grammar they used in their text messages sent formal text messages to either their seniors such as mangers in their work places. I also realized that these respondents also activated the “autocorrect” feature in their mobile phones as compared to the other who did not mind the language they used. I also noted that there were other software’s that were used while writing text messages that predicted the language and the word that the writer should use next. Such software included “T9,” “Tegic’s,” as well as “iTap” for words as well as “Eatoni’s” and “Letterwise” for predicting letters. This software’s also reduces amount of labor used to write text messages. This makes acronyms less necessary and slower to type than regular words that are in the software's dictionary. Conclusion From the above research, we can realize that most people disregard the use of grammar while sending text messages. An equally huge number of people do not take into consideration the use of grammar while sending text messages. Moreover, learnt that a few people do not even write text messages to their friends or relatives but they read them whenever they are sent them. The use of text messaging has altered the manner in which people talk and write text messages, some believing it may be harmful. The number of children who owns mobile phones has also increased. The texting language is assimilated into the way that scholars reason beginning at an early age than ever before. This has played a major role shaping the way students as well as other people communicate. Text messages have also reduced the number of phone calls made from one caller to the other. Moreover, sending text messages is at times advantageous than making phone calls. This is because the text message allows room for confidentiality at times when compared phone calls. Moreover, sending text messages can be more convenient than making calls in some places such as inside the church, public library, or any other place that necessitates peace and quietness. Moreover, a text message can be stored for future reference as compared to a phone call that cannot be stored. This means that a person who receives a text message can re-look at the message various times as compared to a call where the person who receives a call cannot refer to the call for future reference. Works Cited Crystal, David . Txtng: the Gr8 Db8. London: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print. Goldstein, Debra and Olivia Baniuszewics. Flirtexting: How to Text Your Way to His Heart. New York: Skyhorse Publishing Inc, 2009. Print. Hogan, C L. Textionary: The Texting Dictionary. London: Hillcrest Publishing Group, 2010. Print. Ippen, Stephanie. "Facebook: A Personal Reflection." Literacies, (2008): 1-8. Print. Irvine, Martha. E-mail losing ground to IM, text messaging. New York: Associated Press,, 2006. Print. Kopytoff, Verne. Blogs Wane as the Young Drift to Sites Like Twitter. 12 February 2011. Web. 2 November 2012. . McGunner, Rylie. What type of writing do Acme shoppers enjoy most?”. New York: Survey,, 2011. Print. Monson, Christy . Texting Through Time: A Trek With Brigham Young. Boston: Cedar Fort, 2011. Print. Read More