Jada Brown INT 375-90 Project 3 Texting Introduction I chose to focus my course project on texting.

I thought this would be an interesting and in depth subject to research because, the prevalence of texting is so high. Text messaging is especially popular among teens. ( ool!roof, "#$#, p. $% &ajority of today's society has a cell phone in which they hold text conversations. I gathered my research and sources of texts from the conversations between the people closest to me and myself. Informal grammar was most commonly used during text message conversations with people I am most comfortable with, no matter the age or sex. There are certain patterns that I noticed in the way people use language when texting. It seems li(e everyone wants to (eep the message short. They use acronyms, abbreviate certain words so that they are understandable, and stay within the $)#*character range. There are several symbols, shapes, and extra characters used in shorter version texts. +fter carefully evaluating my data, I learned that texting has a major impact on today's society and has become a hard habit to brea(. !eople text others using incomplete grammar and spelling and it has slowly wore off on the way we spea(, write, and learn. It has developing its own type of language. This has been an on going phenomenon across the world.

Data/Method I gathered my data from old text messages that were saved in my phone. They were conversations from multiple close friends and family. The people that I specifically chose to retrieve my data were from my fianc,e, eight of my closest friends, my mother, sister, cousin, and me. &y fianc,e, as well as my sister, are "- years old. &y friends and I are all between the ages of "$*".. /astly, my mother is -0 years old and my cousin is -1 years old. I simply chose these people because they are the main people that I text on a regular basis. They all seem to have a similar way of texting. They all follow one pattern, which is improper grammar and spelling. &ajority of the actual messages received had the same grammatical errors. + great example would be using the acronyms, 234, 5&2, or /5/. It is a language that we all understand and feel comfortable saying to one another. e!u"t! +s I stated before, texting is developing its own type of language. 6hildren are also at a high ris( of developing a habit of using informal language. 7tudies suggest that, Twenty*two percent of (ids, ages ) to 1, have their own cell phone (2eber, "#$-, p.$%. 8veryone seems to have his or her own type of 9style' of texting. Improper grammar and spelling is used so often while texting, it has become natural to spea( and write that way. It has become more repetitive and it does not matter the age or sex of someone. &ajority people use some type of informal language while texting, including children. Twenty*two percent of children have a cell phone at a very early age. This phenomenon is starting in the early years of some lives. +ccording to a recent :ielsen study, (ids are sending and receiving an average of receiving -,--1 texts a month ** or more than six for every hour they;re awa(e. The most fre<uent texters are girls between ages

$- to $=, with an average of >,#.# texts per month. Teen boys aren;t far behind, with an average of ",.-1 texts sent and received monthly. (2eber, "#$-, p.$% These statistics show that this is a widespread issue that needs to be solved. &any people find it much more convenient to use improper grammar and sentence structure. 2hen text messaging, it is much faster and easier to use acronyms or shorter versions of words to speed up the conversation. It becomes natural when texting the people closest to you. I strongly agree with the statement +nnabelle &ooney stated in the boo(. 7he stated, that the material in texts are arguably closer to spo(en language than it is to written language (&ooney, "#$$, p. 00%. I hear people tal( informally almost everyday in all (inds of environments. I hear informal language at wor(, school, and even church. !eople even tal( using acronyms every so often? It is fre<uently that I hear someone say 5&@? when they are shoc(ed or surprised. The media, school, friends, and even family could be the blame for this phenomenon. Aere are a few examplesB ConitaB 2yd &eB +t wor( B( ConitaB /ol have a good day? &eB Than(sDI'm stuc( at wor( doin this $"hr shift. I get off at $#B-# tho. E do the same? ConitaB /ol o( boo have fun # &ylesB 2here (p at

&eB Id(, text Cic( phone. &eB Ae wit me now at his sis graduation &ylesB o( # &eB I got the invitation 7hayB ( 7hayB Aey everyone please let me (now if u are attending the baby shower so I can get an accurate count than( you &eB Fp as(ed if u was havin a boy or girl. I forgot lol 7hayB 5mg? + girl lol &eB I forgotDlol I said it was a girl but I wasn't sure 7hayB 5(. E must been smo(ing dat hoo(ah lol &eB :aw lol...but we coming to the baby shower Di!cu!!ion The significance of the results that I found is that the more people text using informal language, the more it becomes normal. +lthough improper grammar is used for ease while texting, people start to thin( and verbally communicate informally. 2hen this informality becomes inherited, I believe it has a negative affect on language only if you allow it to. 7ome

people can alternate between improper language and correct language in certain crowds while interacting, while others cannot. &ost successful communicators have the ability to do both, tal( or text, and (now the most appropriate times to use those s(ills. Improper grammar not only affects school grades, but it also can prevent someone from getting a job. The failure of school assignments is due to incorrect grammar and punctuation. I understand that texting can be a <uic( and efficient method of communicating, however it is (illing every grammar s(ill with every E instead of you, 234 for what you doing, 5&2 in place of the words on*my way, and /5/ which most people (now stands for laughing out loud. Text conversations do not loo( li(e a real conversation because it is so short and simple. 2e are rushing and do not ta(e the time to engage in real conversations. &ore children and teenagers are becoming confused because text messaging is teaching them to spell fast, but inaccurate. 2hile on the other hand, if this text language continues to wear off on the spo(en language, people will not be able to get a good job if they cannot spea( correct 8nglish. 8mployers are loo(ing for professionalism and great grammar s(ills. If people continue to use informal language or incorrect grammar more than formal 8nglish, it may soon become the norm. $onc"u!ion In conclusion, text messaging has an international platform of communication. It has not only developed its own type of language, but also, affects many aspects of language. Text language tends to rub off on spo(en and written language. +lthough, people use improper language for an easier and faster conversation, they also tend to tal( informally with the ones they are most comfortable with. The more this type of language is used, the more it becomes a

habit outside of texting. In other words, it becomes natural to use this type of language ever so often. Text language is li(e a gateway for informal language. 7ociety's social and written language s(ills are drastically declining everyday. Aowever, we as a society must (eep in mind that proper and effective language is the (ey to success. 2e all must learn how to distinguish when to use or not use text grammar. Texting has a major impact on society and many people do not even (now it. It is up to us, as a society, to educate others and attempt to change or improve this phenomenon. e%erence! &ooney, +. ("#$$% Language, Society and Power: An Introduction. Coutledge. !rint. ool!roof 3our 2ritingB 4oes text messaging affect writing s(illsG ("#$#, Hune $$%. FoolProof Your Writing: Does text messaging affect writing skills Cetrieved :ovember "", "#$-, from httpBII(jlanguageservices.blogspot.comI"#$#I#)Idoes*text*messaging* affect*writing.html 2eber, /. ("#$-, Hune $>%. Aow Text &essaging Is +ffecting 6ommunication Jetween !arents K 6hildren. LI!"S#$%&'()%*. Cetrieved :ovember "", "#$-, from httpBIIwww.livestrong.comIarticleI$##>.>1*text*messaging*affecting*communication* between*parents*childrenI