* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
LINGUIST List logo Eastern Michigan University Wayne State University *
* People & Organizations * Jobs * Calls & Conferences * Publications * Language Resources * Text & Computer Tools * Teaching & Learning * Mailing Lists * Search *
* *
 

Ask-A-Linguist - Message details
Subject: Is Twitter destroying the English language?
Question:
Dear linguists,

My name is Vy. Some people says that twitter, along with instant message and text message is destroying the ability to use correct grammar of people who speak English. However, some say that it is such a ridiculous idea because people are born with grammar and nothing can take it away from us. So, what do you think about the effect of Twitter on the English language?

Thanks,
Vy

Reply:
Two comments in addition to what my colleagues are saying

1) Twitter "langauge" is generally Twitter spelling and is identical to chat room
writing which has been around for at least 15-20 years. David Crystal's book
"Language and the Internet" does cover the chat room genre if you are interested.

FYI - Chat room/Twitter is similar in that there are a lot of abbreviations, but
abbreviations happen whenever space is at a premium. Medieval manuscripts are
full of them.

2) As Prof Foster alluded to, the grammatical forms used in Twitter/chat are
colloquial English as it is spoken vs. formal written English. This is unusual (and
disconcerting) because most written language IS normally an educated standard.

In terms of historical linguistics, it is the colloquial language that determines the
future of a language (even its written forms). Yet colloquial language is rarely
written except in graphitti or informal notes and letters, so linguists are constantly
on the prowl for better means to determine what people actually say.

The Internet, however, is allowing this language to be written and distributed more
widely than ever. Ironically, this is somewhat of a linguistic goldmine since it can
capture what people are really saying in everyday life.

Will Twitter be the death of "educated English"? Despite the stories of Twitter/chat
language essays, I do think most people are aware that there is a difference
between what you say on Twitter and what you put on a resume or a homework
assignment. There will always be "errors" from people who mix educated and
colloquial forms, but that has existed well before Twitter.

One person doing excellent research on the anthropology of Web tools is danah
boyd (she spells it all lower case). From what she's been writing it seems like most
teens may have a better sense of what the boundaries are than their parents
generation does.

Reply From: Elizabeth J Pyatt    click here to access email
Date: Aug-10-2009
Other Replies:
  1. Re: Is Twitter destroying the English language? Joseph F Foster    (Aug-10-2009)
  2. Re: Is Twitter destroying the English language? Susan Fischer    (Aug-09-2009)
  3. Re: Is Twitter destroying the English language? Anthea Fraser Gupta    (Aug-09-2009)
  4. Re: Is Twitter destroying the English language? Charley Rowe    (Aug-09-2009)
Back to Most Recent Questions
Page Updated: 28-Nov-2009

Please report any bad links or misclassified data

LINGUIST Homepage | Read LINGUIST | Contact us

NSF Logo

While the LINGUIST List makes every effort to ensure the linguistic relevance of sites listed
on its pages, it cannot vouch for their contents.