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| Yes | 57% | 148 votes | Total: 259 votes | |
| No | 43% | 111 votes |
Yes
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The slang used in text messaging would not be a problem if only it was used for its intended purpose, unfortunately, it has become merged with formal English by many of its users.
Those who text message tend to use a shortened word, abbreviation, or a single letter to represent an entire thought. The word you is usually replaced with the letter u. Their, there, and they're are usually written simply as there, in all three cases. Your and you're are usually simplified to ur or the exclusive usage of your in both occurrences. Thought's such as I don't know and laugh-out-loud have been replaced with IDK and LOL.
These expressions were invented to reduce the number of keystrokes required to convey a message. They serve their purpose well, if both parties can read them. However, some people who use this slang language cannot use proper spelling and grammar when formal writing is required. They've become so used to this informal language, that they cannot write formally when they need to.
Along with formal spellings of words, grammar rules, including capitalization and punctuation, have been forsaken. Shortened expressions lead to ambiguity in writing and, no matter what the skills of the reader, some sentences without proper grammar can be interpreted multiple ways.
Spelling presents another problem; some people who text message rely on their phones to spell out words. They may know the first few letters, but the phone does the rest. When these users are presented with a computer, or even a pencil and paper, they have difficulty correctly spelling and may use the wrong word because it looks similar, or has the same first few letters.
A possible reason why some other informal languages have never become a problem is that their users could understand the difference between informal and formal English.
The reason words like thou and thee fell out of the English language is probably because of lack of use. The same could happen for their, there, and they're, as well as many other subtle spelling differences if we're not careful. Determining the difference between formal and slang English presents a problem for people who use slang 90% of the time; they don't use the formal language, so they forget it. Of course, there will always be people who understand and can write formal English, just as there are people who still understand the correct usage of thou, but if the general population continues to use informal slang more than formal English, it will slowly become the standard.
Learn more about this author, Logan Sanderson.
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No
I do not think that text messaging is destructive to the English language if the shortcuts are used consciously. Text messaging shortcuts are used purely to save time and space, not because the sender has developed an entirely different language. If students end up using text shortcuts in an academic setting, text messaging is not to be blamed; the student is responsible for "the writing on the wall" so to speak. If anything, the English language skills of the upcoming generation is being destroyed by the education in this country. Every year schools across the nation are being forced to make budget cuts that affect every program in the school. One program should not be affected by this: English. If students can not write, they have nothing.
Requirements are already being decreased for high school English classes, and students are losing the skills that they learn at an early age while they are surrounded by poor, lazy techniques on a daily basis. Text messaging could be considered one of these influences, but certainly is not the only one. A student who is conscious of the way in which they write while text messaging may be able to keep the different experiences of schoolwork and social time separate in their minds, so as to not mix them. I myself type everything out both through text messaging and Instant Messaging, another leading cause of slipping English skills. When I write academically I am never tempted to use shortcuts because I never use them.
If people can learn not to use the shortcuts, or learn to use them consciously, then eventually they will learn to keep them separate and not use the shortcuts in academic settings. I do not think that text messaging is singlehandedly causing the destruction of the English language; I think that there are many causes for the declining English skills in our young people. I believe that every person can make the choice to retain their English skills in whatever forms of media they use, or to consciously keep the different forms of writing separate with careful deliberation. I see text messaging as a new form of communication to be embraced and learned about, not something to shun and blame for the problems of our society, because if we blame every thing that MIGHT have had an impact on a negative development in society we will never get anywhere.
Learn more about this author, Stephanie Moore.
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