Is it time to subscribe to a printer service from HP?

Ever since my dad brought home an...

What’s the best way of buying a phone today?

How did you buy your latest phone?...

MWC: What device highlights did you miss?

So, early last week I predicted that...

Text speak and the teens

Rmeo. Rmeo. Wr4rt thow Rmeo.

It’s hardly as the bard would have put it but it seems that the criticism aimed at texting might not be 100 per cent warrented.

I have to admit that I’ve been one of the whingers in the past and become very frustrated at parents using txtspk. It frustrates me and does form part of a first impression – and that’s not always a good one.

There is, however, a new report called “Writing, Technology, and Teens.” This report suggests text language has entered into academic writing – 64 per cent of the teens surveyed admitted to this.

But, according to the writers, there is good news. Teenagers are writing more than ever. They also recognise the importance of formal writing skills. They also want more lessons in grammar.

I’m not so sure the report has it 100 per cent correct. I have a feeling that blogging rather than mobiles have influenced the writing more.

More information on the report can be found here. Definitely worth a read and it does at least support the argument that language constantly evolves and it’s not such a bad thing when it forces us to look at it.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Text Speak is truly terrible. I'll admit, I went through a phase when I was about eleven, but anyone with any common sense will know that numbers, and the misplacement of letters does not compensate for actual English.

    I agree with you about the Blogging, it's just I know very few people of my age who do actually Blog. I've tried to persuade others to do so, but to no prevail!

    Samantha.

  2. My irritation with txk spk lead me to create http://shkspr.mobi/ – it's a translation of all of Shakespeare's work into SMS friendly language.

    If you can bear it, try Romeo and Juliet or even a few <a href=”http://shkspr.mobi/sonnets.php?sonnet=61″>sonnets

    Writing is good – but it's useless if no one can read it. I'm one of those annoying types who makes sure my 160 characters are filled with vowels and punctuation. I respect my reader too much to make them struggle to understand my message.

  3. My irritation with txk spk lead me to create http://shkspr.mobi/ – it's a translation of all of Shakespeare's work into SMS friendly language.

    If you can bear it, try Romeo and Juliet or even a few sonnets

    Writing is good – but it's useless if no one can read it. I'm one of those annoying types who makes sure my 160 characters are filled with vowels and punctuation. I respect my reader too much to make them struggle to understand my message.

  4. My irritation with txk spk lead me to create http://shkspr.mobi/ – it's a translation of all of Shakespeare's work into SMS friendly language.

    If you can bear it, try Romeo and Juliet or even a few sonnets

    Writing is good – but it's useless if no one can read it. I'm one of those annoying types who makes sure my 160 characters are filled with vowels and punctuation. I respect my reader too much to make them struggle to understand my message.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Recently Published

Is it time to subscribe to a printer service from HP?

Ever since my dad brought home an HP LaserJet printer (version 3, if memory serves), I have been printing with an HP. Over the...

What’s the best way of buying a phone today?

How did you buy your latest phone? I'm asking because I'm thinking about what I should be doing. When I was living in Oman, I...

MWC: What device highlights did you miss?

So, early last week I predicted that next to nothing from Mobile World Congress would break through into the mainstream media. I was right,...

How Wireless Will Pave the Path to Neobank Profitability

I'm delighted to bring you an opinion piece from Rafa Plantier at Gigs.com. I think it's particularly relevant given the recent eSIM news from...

An end of an era: Vodafone UK turns off 3G services

I thought it was worthwhile highlighting this one from the Vodafone UK team. For so long - for what feels like years, seeing the...

Mobile World Congress: Did the mainstream media notice?

I resolved this year to make sure I wrote something - anything - about Mobile World Congress, the huge mobile industry trade show taking...