Actually, instant messaging -might- be ruining grammar after all?

19 Feb

Posted by Sam Jackson as Internets, Irrelevance, Teenagers

Remember how I wrote back in August that “Instant Messaging is Grammar Friendly” ? Well, it might be chummy with grammar but as I heard from Trend Hunter a few days ago, it’s creeping into essays and tainting middle school essays. Students Use Instant Messenger Lingo In Essays, Trend Hunter reports via CNN.

This “instant messaging-speak” or “IM-speak” emerged more than a decade ago. Used in e-mail and cell phone text messages, most teens are familiar with this tech talk and use it to flirt, plan dates and gossip.

But junior high and high school teachers nationwide say they see a troubling trend: The words have become so commonplace in children’s social lives that the techno spellings are finding their way into essays and other writing assignments.

“The IM-speak is so prevalent now,” said Austin, a language arts teacher at Stonewall Jackson Middle School in Orlando. “I’m always having to instruct my students against using it.”

I found this funny and thought some of you readers might as well. Hmmm, media fearmongering about the decay of language, probably not entirely unfounded! Thoughts?

: )

2 Responses

John

February 21st, 2007 at 12:24 pm
1

How are IM spellings in essays “ruining grammar?” Please explain.
Sam Jackson

February 21st, 2007 at 1:27 pm
2

I know that the title of the post was largely irrelevant to the content and for that I apologize, it was just an allusion to the short tidbit I posted back in August, here linked, which was about grammar (instead of spelling). Sorry for the deceptive advertising!

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