U R GONNA B L8

       I definitely believe that technology has an effect on how kids and students write and sadly the skill on writing is fading into the darkness. Sadly with texting and social media websites everywhere, we communicate with less than perfect grammar and spelling. Lunsford says that technology is reviving our writing which I think is false. Instead of it enhancing it, it is stripping it of what it really is supposed to be- a way to communicate using good techniques and writing skills. Maybe it is because I am getting a degree in Public Relations where communication and proper writing skills is a must, but frankly saying the words “I love you” means a lot more than saying getting a text from a significant other saying “I luv u”. Capitals and proper spelling have gone out the window. Regardless of whether we have had some paradigm shift or not, at least when things were written, they were done correctly, no matter how frequent it is.

       I can relate to the part of the article where it states that students today always write for an audience. In my program, we are taught how to write for particular audiences and how to up the ante with communication in order to persuade our audience. Sure, technology is pushing communication (particularly writing) in cool and different directions, but how can one be taken seriously when they do not even spell the word “you” correctly. It is detrimental to the ethos aspect of writing, especially in the corporate world.

      I make it a point not to use abbreviations and such in my texts, tweets and status updates on Facebook. I used to when I was younger but I feel like I have matured out of that. Adults don’t speak like that in the real world so what is the point of doing it in the texting world? Sure it takes a half a millisecond more to write the word “you” instead of “u”, but if you want to be taken seriously, I would suggest you do so or wave goodbye to your ethos!