Monday, March 22, 2010

The Mobile Generation: How Text Speak Dumbs Down Writing

A friend recently asked my advice about the legitimacy of a blog writing opportunity. My first red flag was his correspondence between the CEO of a consulting company. The CEO wrote the entire email in “text speak.” It’s one thing if you text your spouse or friend, but it’s another to send an unprofessional email riddled with “How r u 2 day?”

As the i-Phone and i-Pad takes the mobile world by storm, where does that leave the English language and written communication? Do we adapt to this hip, Emo-esque code language that leaves us scratching our heads?

The “text speak” emails from this business professional made me wonder about the future of marketing communications. Will I be forced as a copywriter to "dumb" down my writing? Mobile technology takes social media to a new level, so as a marketing professional I'm not knocking it's efficiency.

My question to the gurus of mobile technology: Will the English language, as we know it,eventually become lost in a cyber sea of LOLs and OMGs? As mobile communication becomes faster, bolder and smarter, what about the written word? I see the negative impact on mobile technology with younger kids who now communicate in this "text" speak and have lost all sense of proper grammar - this is frightening.

I'm in favor of technology, especially mobile technology - it definitely makes my life and business easier. However, where do we draw the line with "text speak" and how it impacts language and communication? What will the cost be down the road for future generations?

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Therese Pope, Copywriter/Content Developer & Digital Buzz-icist

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