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Does the Internet harm grammar and spelling skills?
Results so far:
| Yes | 68% | 264 votes | Total: 387 votes | |
| No | 32% | 123 votes |
Yes
by Elton Gahr
Created on: February 17, 2009
The first dictionary was published in 1806 by Marion Webster, and since then the idea that words have specific spelling is important has become embedded in our schooling. Grammar has existed for longer than that, but the importance put upon the idea of perfect grammar is something which has become part of general schooling at roughly the same time.
With the growth of a new popular form of communication which requires the written language, as well as the growth of technology which can monitor both spelling and grammar the has brought into question once again the importance of exact spelling and grammar.
It has been proved by several studies that the human mind can read words that are spelled "incorrectly" as easily as those which are not so long as the first and last letter or correct. The truth is that most people when reading do not stop to look at each letter, and often their minds are a word or two ahead of where they are at on a page. This phenomena can been seen when people are reading out loud and say the word they expect rather than the one on the page.
Though few of the people who use alternate spelling and grammar on the Internet are thinking of it this way, they are expressing a subtle form of rebellion against the idea that language should be something which is formalized and exact. Though they may not understand what they are doing they are using language in a more artistic than workman like way, just as the impressionists did with art in the past.
What is missing from many of these people is a firm understanding of what they are doing. The skill of the impressionists was not in their inability to paint in the more traditional forms, but in their understanding of those forms and an ability to think outside of them.
Many great writers in the past, and many in the future will twist and turn the English language to do things that it was not meant to do and spelling will continue to change as it always has but this rush to anagrams, alternate spellings and ignoring of grammar will likely slow as the next generation grows and recognises that much of what they say is being misunderstood because of their inability to put a comma in the correct place and their complete misunderstanding of the semicolon.
So, while it seems clear that the Internet has harmed the standards of grammar and spelling it is not yet completely clear if that is a good or a bad thing.
Learn more about this author, Elton Gahr.
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No
by Rattanpreet Kohli
Created on: June 10, 2010
Has television fostered a lazy generation of writers? The answer is no. Now, has technology fostered overall laziness? For the most part, yes. My opinion is based on prior research from books, mainly 'The Plug- in Drug.' Due to the vast availability of internet access, people may feel self- importance by publishing content online. The free- flow of information at a rapid rate has caused a revolution in informational technology.
The internet is a venue, in which writers of all kinds exchange thoughts and knowledge. Remembering that it is only a venue is key in realizing that the place of any subject does not hinder the process of education, and the use of grammar and spelling skills on the internet is no exception. Most of the people that goof off on the internet with bad grammar and spelling tend to also utilize the same style at work or school, within their personal lives. Whether one is writing short- hand, or whether one is using the proper utilization of the English language online, the function of the written language is still the same.
The credibility of the author who has written online content does come into question within academic perspectives. As a student, I have also come across numerous online sources, in which various different grammatical and mechanical mistakes were not accounted for. Granted, we are all human, therefore full of flaws. I do not claim to have certain levels of expertise in mastering the English language. My experiences had been accounted for, through blogging and written journal entries. Since English is my first language, I strongly feel in the power in communication. I communicate with my fellow Americans on a constant basis, so I ensure that my modes of communication are as fluid as possible.
As a multi-linguist, I personally feel that communication is the only way to express oneself. One does not need to follow the norms of society to be deemed as proper. This is one of the appealing factors of the world wide web. For this reason, Facebook, Myspace, Livejournal, Xanga, Twitter, and other online networking sites are still being used for people belonging to different ages groups.
As long as there are writers, no place can harm the logistics and mechanics of a language. The different modes of language tend to become the vernacular, and not a replacement for the actual language. In conclusion, I maintain my stance that the internet does not harm grammar and spelling skills, nor hinders on personal development in linguistics.
Learn more about this author, Rattanpreet Kohli.
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