The New Generation

Recently there has been a lot of debate on whether texting is a positive or negative contributor on the education of todays youth. Texting could be seen as negative due to the lack of proper grammar, abbreviations, and emoticons replacing words. Complex and even common words are now shorthanded    in texting; words like k, tmw, cya, lol, ttyl etc. This could be negative only in the sense that one might forget how to spell these words or that they might get so used to them that they carry them into their school work or job. This is a negative because it could make one come across as being uneducated and gives a bad impression. 

Although you could look at texting as a negative influence, there a lot of positive aspects that are not usually brought into light. It could be thought of as a new form of language in the way it changes words and adds new ways of speaking to one another. Texting is a very personal form of communication in the way that each person texts in a unique way, just like writing. This could connect to ethos which we have talked about in class. Some people text with full words, punctuation and proper grammar. While others add in emoticons and abbreviate words. As it was said in the article, this form of communication has started a new phenomena and has translated its characteristics of communication into websites like Twitter and Facebook. Texting can also help teach grammar through repetitive spell check. This form of communication is so new and different from how past generations have communicated that I think it scares and intimidates some of the older generations which is why they think it is negative. When you think about it texting, blogs, and online social media sites force people to practice english everyday which in past generations hasn't been the case.