Texting in shorthand has the potential to negatively affect how we write and speak, beyond just with our friends, by creating bad habits that can carry over to our professional and educational lives.
An article published in EBSCO found that found that “text messaging can lead to declining grammar and language skills in young adolescents who use language adaptations known as ‘tech-speak.'”
Many of us have heard stories of students turning in essays with numerous misspellings, no punctuation and even with vowels or whole words missing.
Because most of the writing students do on a daily basis is on their cell phones, and texting is one of the most popular means of communication, young people are having a harder time switching to the more formal level of writing that is expected in both the academic and professional world, according to a Los Angeles Times article.
Some people argue that texting using abbreviations and acronyms can make a conversation with close friends more casual and familiar, but these days, texting is no longer used just between friends.
When we have these poor writing habits so deeply ingrained in us, it can be difficult to stop ourselves from using slang terms and improper grammar, which can represent us in a bad light.
When we are using the same device and method of communication for social, professional and academic communication, we have to be careful to not set up bad habits in the one area that will negatively affect the others.
According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, verbal, face-to-face conversations are suffering in our society because of all the new methods of communication at our disposal.
Therefore, we should at least be using these new methods of communication to have real, meaningful conversations without the use of casual slang terms that can diminish the perceived importance of what we have to say.
As students trying to prepare ourselves for the professional world, we should always be presenting ourselves in the best light possible to all audiences. Taking a few extra seconds to add back in a few vowels or capitalize the word “I” is worth it.
