Texting is 'linguistic renaissance'

Last Modified: 15 May 2008
Source: PA News

Far from undermining our ability to communicate, teenage text message shorthand represents a "linguistic renaissance", say researchers.

Email and mobile phones have bred a whole lexicon of abbreviations, truncated words and acronyms that can be used to swap instant messages.

Mostly it is young people whose e-vocabulary is punctuated with cryptic short forms such as OMG (oh my God), GR8 2 CU (great to see you) and GALHER (get a load of her).

Parents and teachers have voiced concern that instant messaging is making youngsters lazy and less adept at language, but two researchers from the University of Toronto in Canada disagree.

Dr Sali Tagliamonte and linguist Derek Denis, who conducted a study of instant messaging, believe text message short forms actually represent "an expansive new linguistic renaissance".

They point out that instant messaging allows teenagers to deploy a "robust mix" of colloquial and formal language.

This allows them to walk a tightrope between risking disapproval from those in authority for using slang or swear words, and the scorn of their friends for sounding too "straight".

Quoted on the University of Toronto website, Dr Tagliamonte said: "Everybody thinks kids are ruining their language by using instant messaging, but these teens' messaging shows them expressing themselves flexibly through all registers.

"They actually show an extremely lucid command of the language. We shouldn't worry."

The research, due to be presented at the annual meeting of the Linguistics Society of Canada and the United States in August, is highlighted in New Scientist magazine.

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