Introduction
Texting is the act of crafting instant messages and short messages on mobile phones using abbreviations and other techniques. The standard body of rules in the English language, i.e. English grammar, and the usual word spellings are not always followed in texting. Texting has spread so widely throughout the world that it is now even being regarded as an emergent language some believe deserves to be registered in its own right. This is largely because of the widespread of Internet-based instant messaging (IM) and mobile phones.
For numerous years, parents have blamed texting for several ills, such as corrupting the English language, degrading written spelling of the youth, and ruining the art of communication by creating a communication divide is one of these ills. The Pew Internet & American Life Project conducted a survey according to which 64% of American teenagers admitted that some form of texting had made its way into their academic writing (Lenhart et al., 2008), and in the same way it is also influencing their communication skills. Since 2003, school authorities from all over the world have complained that texting abbreviations have crept into the formal academic language in their schools. Even the corporate world has not been spared by the plague of testing. Even researchers believe that the effective communication skills of this generation are drastically decreasing because of texting.
In general, language experts, parents and teachers are not at all pleased with the influence of texting on the verbal and written skills, especially those of the youth. The purpose of this part of the research proposal is to analyze/review five different pieces of literature that are relevant to the top of the “Impact of Texting on Communication Skills,” causing them to deteriorate, and to pose a hypothesis/research question related to this topic that will be supported from the literature review.
Literature Review
“Instead of talking, they text, no punctuation, no grammar: LOL this and LMFAO that. You know, it just seems to me it's just a bunch of stupid people pseudo-communicating with a bunch of other stupid people at a proto-language that resembles more what cavemen used to speak than the King's English” ("Hank moody quotes,"). As humorous as this quote from the comedy-drama television series Californication may seem, it practically sums up the argument in support of the deteriorative impact of texting on our communication skills and language.
There are many critics of the text messaging movement that suspect that the root cause behind problems with teaching students the use of proper grammar, sentence structure and spelling in both verbal and written communication is the abbreviations that are integrated into text messaging. The ease and speed of communicating is certain increased by texting messaging, however, the ability to speak and write effectively is not ensured by texting messaging. Ample examples, clearness, development and a solid structure are required in order to be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing. According to Katie Reetz, briefness, is the central feature of text messaging, as a result those who communicate via text messages do not observe proper communication and writing skills (Reetz, 2005).
In to a Pew Internet survey, it was revealed that teenage students wrote parts of their paper in text messaging lingo rather writing them in formal English they have learned over the years as a result of which they had been asked to rewrite those papers (Reetz, 2005). Both Lorencen and Reetz seem to be suggesting that texting has nothing positive in store, not only for the writing abilities of those who text, but also for the effectiveness of the way they communicate. The real impact of texting is not a generation of non-spellers that is being raised, but rather the fact that a generation of ineffective communicators is being raised (Reetz, 2005).
Interpersonal communication is also negatively affected by text messaging. Interpersonal communication is used by people all the time, both consciously and unconsciously. The negative impact of the inclusion in texting messaging in the modern forms of communication on the language we use communicate, especially among students, has already become quite obvious. However, is our face-to-face communication itself being negatively affected by text messaging? According to Adams, et al (2008), face-to-face communication is indeed being quickly replaced by text messaging (Adams, et al., 2008). Adams points to the briefness and ease of use, as mentioned by Reetz as well, as the reason why people, especially college students, are using text messaging extremely often.
In their article, Lee and Perry agree that text messaging is a convenient and quick way of communicating, and makes it easy to multitask. However, they also the excessive extent to which text messaging is being used, just as Adams does, whether in class, at the office, in the mall, at the movie theater, and shockingly even while driving (Lee and Perry, 2007). However, as dangerous as texting while driving may seem, the dangerous impact of texting does not stop there.
Even nonverbal competency is being disastrously affected by text messaging. In their book, Trenholm and Jensen (2008), refer to nonverbal competency as being able to process and use non-verbal codes for the effective communication of content. Thus, this is another aspect of communication and communication skills that texting seems to have a negative impact on. Nonverbal codes simply do not exist in the practice of text messaging due to the absence of the receive party. Excessive text message negatively impacts the communication skill of being able to gauge a conversation from body movements, facial expressions, and vocal characteristics, since there are none (Lee and Perry, 2007).
Lee and Perry (2007) also add that interpretive competence is also negatively affected by the practice of text messaging. Trenholm and Jensen (2008) refer to interpretive competency as being able to interpret the conditions that an interaction is surrounded by. When communicating through text messaging, it often happens that the tools of abbreviations or the text language are not properly used by one or both of the users. In such cases, the receiver is left to interpret the intent of a text message however they may perceive what is written. Since there is no vocal context or tone in texting messaging, it becomes easier to interpret an unintended meaning of a text message (Adams et al., 2008). In simple words, texting creates a communication gap as a result of which it becomes easier to make wrong interpretations if users do not pay attention to the message.
Even if texting is considered a language in its own rights that grants users unique communication skills, the truth is that they are making negative use of those communications skills as well. According to Allen and Murphy (2007), convenience and speed are not the only reasons teenagers, in particular, are texting so often, and parent should definitely be concerned about this. Another negative aspect of texting, which not only has a negative impact on the communication skills of teenagers but is also prompting them to take wrongful advantage of texting lingo, is the ability it grants them to send and receive cryptic messages that adults are not accustomed to (Allen and Murphy, 2007).
Teenagers are sending each other many phrases and symbols in text messages that parents have no clue what they mean but need to be alert to, so they can be aware of what their children are communicating and conversing about. For instance, most parents may not have a clue about what “MOS” means, which is actually a texting acronym for “Mom Over Shoulder,” a phrase that is used by teenagers when discussing something they do not want their parents to know, whether it is about a new boyfriend or drugs. The code “420” is also used in texting messaging which means buying or smoking marijuana (Allen and Murphy, 2007, p. 25).
Hypothesis/Research Question
Is texting the root cause of ineffective communication and language skills?
Conclusion
The literature review shows that the widespread of text messaging as a means of communication is producing problems that do not usually exist in face-to-face communication. It also shows how communication and language skills are being negatively affected by texting, and that its negative effects extend to nonverbal communication as well, such as academic writing. As stated earlier, the goal of this part of the research proposal was to conduct a brief literature review relevant to the topic of the “Impact of Texting on Communication Skills” in order to support a relevant hypothesis, which has been presented above. The bottom line is that texting is drawing people away from verbal communication and its impact on their communication skills is not a positive one (Adams et al., 2008).
References
Primary:
Adams, J., Baker, K., Daufin, E.K., Ellington, C., Emanuel, R., Fitts, E., Himsel, J., Holladay, L. & Okeowo D. (2008). How college students spend their time communicating. International Journal of Listening,22(1), 13-28.
Allen, J. & Murphy, A. (2007, Jan 25). Webspeak: The secret language of teens. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/AmericanFamily/story?id=2820582&page=1
Lee, K. C., & Perry, S. D. (2007). Mobile phone text messaging overuse among developing world university students. Communicatio: South African Journal for Communication Theory and Research, 32(2).
Reetz, K. (2005, Sep 25). Txting: Teens are mfi. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Media-Mentions/2005/TXTING-Teens-are-MFI.aspx
Trenholm, S., & Jensen, A. (2011). Interpersonal communication. (7th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Secondary:
Lenhart, A., Arafeh, S., Smith, A., & Macgill, A. R. (2008, Apr 24). Writing, technology and teens. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2008/PIP_Writing_Report_FINAL3.pdf.pdf
Hank moody quotes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2358113.Hank_Moody
