social media and text messages are more beneficial in improving the language
Introduction
Concerns are emerging about the ruining of modern language by text messages and social media. The use of language seems to be compromised by the now increasing use of abbreviated texts in messaging. A feature was more familiar with social media users who prefer texting in a more informal language. The constant increase of phone use among individuals is associated with ruining the language. With phones, most people like to abbreviate many words citing urgency as the cause, a feat that has seen it termed as destroying the language. There is already fear that such language use may cause problems in the English language. Some argue that text message is already posing detrimental improvement upon the language that is more commendable. The argument of whether social media have ruined the modern language is a statement that needs to be critically analyzed and understood. Passage seeks to clarify that social media and text messages are more beneficial in improving the language than it has ruined it. Several reasons argue for, including introducing words and phrases in the language, increasing desire for literacy amongst people, evolving the language by changing definitions, and improving language use amongst many social media users. Nevertheless, it has also argued against citing reasons such as the death of grammar and reduced literacy levels amongst individuals.
Text and social media have seen an increase in the number of words and phrases introduced into the language. Words that were formerly not part of the language, such as selfie, hashtag, emoji, and lol, have found their way into the dictionary since such words and phrases have been used widely and accepted by social media users as a language(Hussein, Riyad, and Ahmad, 267). A comment like ‘lol’ was the first use by social media users to mean laughing loudly but currently being used to show that the recipient found something funny in the text. Other words such as selfies have found their way into the dictionaries, with the oxford dictionary featuring it as the 2013 word of the year. Later in 2015, they also coined the emoji for tears of joy as the year’s word. They were showing relevancy of the common phrases and words formed by social media users and text messages. Therefore, it states that text messages and social media are not ruining the language but making a significant improvement.
Social media has helped increase the desire for literacy among people. The need to belong has pushed people to learn the language. With an increase in pressure to taste social media, many people, including small children, have learned the language. Many children at a tender age are language proficient. Its use has also been understood widely across the world as most social media platforms use a language. It is then wrong to claim social media have ruined language, as it has helped the language be known far and wide. They are moreover enabling children to learn the language while still young improving the proficiency of the language.
Text messages and social media have helped evolve the language used by changing definitions. Language use can develop depending on the situation and environment. Social media have helped in changing definitions and even creating new words. Most words today are heavily linked to the presence of social media and text messages. Words like ‘friend’ have been coined on Facebook as a verb to mean adding a person on Facebook. ‘Add’ is now widely used to refer to the situation of sending a friend request to connect with someone on Facebook. Such additions have helped diversify the language used with several words to cater to the everyday increase in inventions. Therefore, the text message has improved language use and has not ruined it as indicated by a section of people.
Social media and text messages have increased the use of language among many individuals. Almost every individual owns a phone, be it literate individuals or the illiterate. With phones owned by every individual, it is a sign that language is expanding. Text messages and social media encourages the use of language to communicate. Meaning a lot of the individuals who own phones and laptops have a basis in language knowledge. Through social media, people can interact more frequently and quickly develop an increase in the frequency of language use. It’s a standard feature to meet people continually texting even in the streets. Such frequency leads to learning and understanding the terms frequently used. It then reinstates social media, and text messages have led to increased knowledge and understanding of language amongst many people.
Social media use has led to what is known as the death of grammar among users of the language. Most people are accustomed to short abbreviations and many informal words that affect them when writing formally. They tend to forget and include the short abbreviations like ‘tbh,’ meaning to be honest, even when writing CVs and formal letters. Numerous employers are complaining of the many job applications they get registered in text language. They claim the new generation tends to use informal language. Therefore, seen as a contagious disease that ruins the excellent use of language and taming away the professional outlook of a workplace, many employees engage their superiors in unprofessional language.
It has reduced the literacy level among school-going kids. Most children currently struggle with spelling issues, grammar, and, more so, the lack of writing skills. Such matters were not a problem in the later years, where people prioritized fair language use. Children are used to communicating through texts, and constructing a small phrase becomes a problem. Most prefer phones, tablets, and laptops to do writings and have terrible handwriting and sentence structure. Therefore, social media and text messages have ruined our language as children cannot read and write an acceptable language.
Conclusion
Text and social media have been beneficial in improving the language than ruining it. The use of social media and text have proved worthy in enhancing language use in several ways. It has been able to introduce new words and phrases into the language. It has also increased the desire for literacy among individuals and evolving language usage like changing definitions and increasing language users’ numbers. However, it has also ruined the language by reducing literacy and poor grammar among social media users. Therefore, it states that social media and text messages have not ruined modern language usage. But instead, it has improved it in several meaningful ways. The current language is improving in several ways, courtesy of the constant engaging in social media and text messages by different individuals.