How electronic communication has changed communicating
Oral discourse relies on sound, which is evanescent, having meaning only when it is going out of existence.
While reading this article, i started thinking about how people get bent out of shape about the "degradation of the english language" and using proper grammar and spelling everything correctly all that time. I have been guilty since about first grade of obsesively and compulsively correcting people's grammar and spelling; Also of wanting to make sure my grammar and spelling are always either correct or improving. Now, I'm suddenly struck by the idea that it's really an indicator of class and intelligence in my mind. It occurs to me that this is a result of the historical truth that the 'upper class' were the ones who had the luxury of learning to read and write. I've always sort of taken it for granted that myself and all but a few people I know are able to read and write (and type!). Proper usage should be about communicating precisely and effectively, not about image or status. What an interesting insight. My perspective of the process has been shifted by this article as well - instead of the 'degradation' of the written word, I can view it as a 'revival' of the more fluid oral tradition.
cyberspace is still a medium defining itself
Electronic communication is in the third phase in the evolution of communciation. It began with oral and evolved to written/print before becoming electronic. Electronic possesses some qualities from the other two phases and introduces its own unique dimensions. It also continues to evolve making the possibility of accurately identifying it's ultimate impact on society very low at this stage. Something the writer didn't consider is that having the awareness of the potential impact gives us a unique opportunity to more consciously determine the direction it takes us as a world culture.
The Scope of Internet Linguistics
I wrote a nice big response to this and lost it because i accidentally turned off the autosave. i'm not re-doing it.
My favorite quote from "The Language of Cyberspace" - - - A social practice model of literacy recognizes
that language does not simply represent some kind of objective truth, but actually constitutes
meaning in a given context. Writing and reading, it is argued, are key ways in which people
negotiate meaning in particular contexts (Street, 1984).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I have to admit I felt a little proud to see "the degradation of the english language" in your blog, haha. I am forever impressed on how you can throw a different angle on things that seem to make so much sense to me. Mabye affluence is related to typing skills somehow? Although then why would some of the most affluent (well affluent families anyway...) younger women feel that they must use as many abbreviated words as can be humanly squeezed in to a sentance? Is this a trend towards trying to portray a different class position then you may actually be? A way to hide who a person really is?
...or it could just be the fact that people are lazy even though we do work more than any other country in the world. America is the lazyiest hardworking country in the world!
Which articles are You and Sam doing for our presentation? Let me know which ones i need to write something about soon here, Sorry so last minute!
amarq1@umbc.edu
-s
If i interpret what you are saying correctly i cannot believe my eyes. The reason why English is so structured and rigid is not a method of control nor is it power hording. It reflects high class and those in power because it allows people to communicate effectively. While I think that the structural changes do not degrade the English language, I do think that the simplification of vocabulary does. I think that the most important element of expression (especially in written word) is the lexicon. While smilies are good for making social plans, where do they fit into an academic paper? Instant messages simplify our language to the point of damaging ones ability to express complex ideas.
Post a Comment