Letter to the editor

To the editor, Laura Clark,

In the article “Text Speak,” I am able to gather that you feel as though the increasing popularity of social media has impacted the new generation negatively in terms of language usage. While I can comprehend your dissatisfaction, I regret to inform you that I feel as though your point is invalid. As a frequent user of social media I am able to construct a piece of writing with utter formality, using correct grammar and syntax. You have failed to recognize that language is mean of communication. “Text speak” as you may call it is a mean of communication, with social media just being the portal. This mean of communication has alleviated the hassle of interaction. This mitigation has made it easier for me as a user of these portals to use abbreviations in order to interact with my peers in a more effective manner, while still having the ability to switch from this colloquial manner into a more formal standard. This should not be recognized as a negative feature of the development of technology. Technology has been a phenomenon to all, and has been an irreplaceable addition to all our lives. To conclude I feel as though your article is written from a bias and subjective point of view and thus you have concluded that social media impinges on the language of all students. However it depends on the student, as most are able to realize when it’s appropriate to speak formally or informally or using text speak. I believe that these deviations of words enhance expressionism. Your point is like saying that informal communication with one’s friends has impeded student’s essay writing skills. It is inevitable that factors as such will in fact affect language usage. Instead of wholly convicting the use of text speak; we must emphasise the consequence of not separating these dialects, from social and academic surroundings.

Yours truly,

Tala Charbaji