Double Entry Journal #2

Are Digital Media Changing Language?

Quotes:

 

"However, these neologisms need to be put into perspective. Infusion of written acronyms into everyday speech is a common linguistic process—to wit, RSVP, AWOL, or ASAP."

 "Most schools have abandoned teaching handwriting, but a few have held their ground, to the good fortune of their students."

Response:

I have chosen two quotes because one made me think about the affect (or is effect?) and the other one just had me appalled.  I am guilty for saying aloud "omg," "lol," "brb," and "btdub" (yes, I even shorten 'double-u') in everyday language when talking with my friends.  It's more of a joke than it is a total take over of internet lingo.  I would never imagine these becoming words that are used though; that just seems crazy!  But, then when I read about RSVP, AWOL, and ASAP, it made me think about it.  Once upon a time, those were not abbreviations and after reading it, I honestly had to research what RSVP and AWOL stood for.  I knew what they meant, just not what they stood for.  It is just crazy for me to think that lol, brb, btw, etc. could be widely accepted like those abbreviations.  Really living in a new age!

Now, about how most school are not teaching handwriting anymore.  What?!  Why can't schools teach both keyboard and handwriting?  I do not know how accurate it is, but I was told that a few schools in my home area are no longer teaching cursive.  I understand that it isn't as needed anymore because we CAN type important documents and such, but I still feel that it is important to teach it.  Especially manuscript.  That is something you HAVE to learn.

Because it is important to learn handwriting.

Sources:

 

Baron, N. S. (2009, March). Educational leadership.  

Graff, A. (n.d.). Should kids be taught cursive writing in school.

The Keypad Solution

Quote:

 "She predicts that the number of “textisms” will stop growing as people continue to develop more proficiency in using handheld devices and as the devices continue to grow more sophisticated than simple telephone touch pads."

Response:

I completely agree.  I don't text nearly as much as I used to when in high school, but when I did, I never fell in to the texting lingo.  I spelled all of my words out, used proper grammar, and punctuated correctly.  My only downfall may have been capitalizing my words if it didn't automatically do it for me. Oh, and its (it's).  I fail to put the apostrophe sometimes.  Anyway, I feel that a lot of the reason that people began to shorten the words so much was because of the layout of a phone.  We no longer have to use the horrible T9 style of texting that took forever to type out.  We now have full keyboards.  As to why there was abbreviations and such on instant messaging, I am unsure.  I guess because it was a new thing, people wanted to be creative.  I know when I first got my AIM account 8-10 years ago, I did at first use all the abbreviations and strange spellings (examples:  lyk, gurl, wen, ttyl, g2g, luv).  I'm not proud of this and am slightly embarrassed for admitting to it.  I quickly grew out of the phase because I began to realize that it truly wasn't helping anything and was much easier to just type as if I was typing an essay for school.  

Some of the most common abbreviations that everyone should know by now.

Sources:

Shea, A. (2010, January 22). The keypad solution. 

Shalom International, Inc. (2012, September 6). Legal force.