Reading these articles brought me immediately back to high school, when my friends and I would literally schedule times to meet on AIM. Never mind picking up the phone and having an actual conversation- we lived for these moments of typing out our inside jokes and “hanging out” with each other while we did homework, searched Google, and even did chores.
I really think that webspeak/netspeak is having a large amount of influence on our culture. While I haven’t gotten on an instant messaging application or site in several years, I know several high school students who love them, and even things like FaceTime on the iPad/iPhone are constantly used as communication tools. As Thurlow says, youth are often represented as “exotic” and different, and they have so much technology at their disposal (13). This new frontier of communication allows them to have options and choices about how they relay information and bond with their friends. Being able to text or message something gives people a boldness that they couldn’t have in person (Thurlow writes that according to Brown’s study, 52% of participants sent something via text that they wouldn’t say face to face) (11). These new forms of communication are having a huge effect on our culture.
I agree with Baron when she says that these new forms are creating a hybrid version of English. Because people are using texting and internet messaging for a lot of their communication, they are reverting to abbreviations, shortcuts, abruptly short messages, and other ways to get the point across more quickly. Baron also writes that instant messages are often published without proofreading or taking the time to think over words (48). This is one of the many ways these communication tools are closer to speech than to writing. Baron says that instant messages are often broken up into several lines, like pauses we make in speech (49). She also says that (according to Herring) men are often crude, and women often apologize on instant messaging, which to me are things that happen often in dialogue, but not so much in emails, where people think over their words (52-53). Instant messages were also found to average at 5.6 words, which is more like an informal conversation and less like written works. Thurlow says that “young people ‘write it as if saying it,'” which means that these tools are used for small talk and for bonding purposes (16).
Thurlow’s study looked at text messaging language while Baron looked at instant messaging. Is instant messaging still relevant? Was it replaced by texting and video chatting, such as FaceTime or Skype? I’m 28 but can’t remember using an AIM account since I was 16 or 17 years old. It seems that text messaging will have much more longevity than instant messaging, although some do use IM software in the workplace via Microsoft Outlook.
I think Tim might be right. IM is useful in the workplace, but I think text messaging and networked micro blogging like Twitter have taken its place. IM seems too tethered like appointment TV, text to mobile works better with our current lifestyles, particularly that of high school and college students that tend to be the heaviest users of these platforms.
I agree that text language has giving people more boldness. Many people feel that they can say whatever they want through text, IM or on social medias. A lot of the comments they would not dare to say during a face to face conversation. But what make this acceptable because this is considered to be the norm?
I also agree text language has given people more boldness. Also, i think it gives them a sense of security. For example, I know people that have broken up through text message. Maybe it avoided a long awkward ride home, or maybe a huge argument. Even though, for those sensitive issues, I prefer them done in person, someone else might feel secure because they can avoid the person’s facial expressions and it can be cut short and dry.
I’m with you all text language has helped people to become more bold. I have had friends text something that I know for a fact would not have said it face-to-face. Let’s not forget every mean text message makes is forgotten when you send “LOL” afterwards, when really it is used as a buffer to “say it like you mean it.”
I agree with your point about the hybrid of a new language. Small talk has been a part of our culture for many years, with the new enviornments such as twitter that limit your thought to a breif statement or collection of random words supports the human need just to vent or get something out into cyberspace.
I don’t take social networking as serious as a conversation in person or even over the phone, there is not that formal attatchment for me personally on line. If I took every post, tweet, text to heart I think I would go a little looney.
I agree that webspeak has had a massive influence on today’s culture. I like how you pointed out that it has replaced the traditional way of hanging out with friends. It should go without saying that this could have disasterous results, such as long-time friendships gradually ending. Also, like you stated, normal English is slowly, but surely, being replaced by Baron’s hybrid version of English. These distortions to normal English could also have a negative impact on how we interact with others.
I totally forgot about that period of my life that was so involved in AIM. We didn’t have the internet when I was growing up and we finally got dial up. It was awesome! I spent hours online. But the connection was so slow, I has to occupy my time while waiting for pages to load. So, I would always be on AIM. My friends were all there for hours, with brief periods of personalized ‘away’ messages. I also had a lot of friends from the online Livejournal community that would chat with me, until I finally had to go to sleep. Out of neglect, my journal was deleted and the computer that housed endless saved chats crashed and erased my hard drive. I’m really interested to see that database of my own behavior as a teenager, but it is now lost.