This critique presents the analysis of the issues proposed by Humphrys in order to try to assess whether the text messages destroy the English language.
Summary
The article “I h8 txt msgs: How texting is wrecking our language”, is an article written by Humphrys (2007), and it provides the discussion of the sidelining of the English dictionary in favor of a new language. The main point proposed by the article is that the influx of technology has destroyed the uses of the English language through the introduction of the text message service.
The article explains the removal of the hyphenated word in the Oxford English dictionary, a fact that seems to imply that the population does not have time to press the hyphen key in the computer. The author then explains that texting destroys the English language by introducing fashion to writing.
The article explains the time factor as a reason for shortening writing styles, and the influx of the text message phenomenon into normal lives. The author describes the issue of hyphenation of words in the dictionary, and gives two main reasons. The reasons proposed by the author are the ones that follow: time is a factor, but the influx of the text message is the main factor. The introduction of the text message ensures that even old population is forced to text to avoid ridicule from the young generation.
Introduction
The issue of text messaging has reduced most of the words in the English dictionary. This is because texting has become common for all individuals, and they use it to write shortened versions of the words they would like to deliver from the dictionary. Therefore, this process ensures that dictionary becomes useless. According to Humphrys, the issue of shortening text messages is becoming popular due to the influx of texters in the world.
The author proposes that the issue of text messages interferes with the structure of English messages, rapes the language, destroys punctuation, destroys vocabulary and messes sentence structure. Therefore, this critique presents the analysis of the issues proposed by Humphrys in order to try to assess whether the text messages destroy the English language.
The first issue proposed by the author is the fact that texting is a new phenomenon that has become so common that people who do not text are ridiculed. For example, the author states that the youth will consider him a “grandfather” (Humphrys, 2007) if he does not text.
Therefore, the author states that to text is important for nearly everyone in the world, a factor meaning that people will neglect conventional language writing skills when composing text messages. The result is that people will form their own new language to replace the language that they have used to when writing.
The other point that the author puts forward is that the economy of texting reduces the instances in which individuals make calls (Humphrys, 2007). The author supports this point by stating that some voice calls are irritating for the receivers; the caller leaves long and rambling text messages in the answering machine.
This point indicates that the author is irritated by the calling phenomenon, a fact that necessitates texting. The age of the receivers and texters is also important. Many people, regardless of their age, will prefer to text in order to avoid the tedious and costly nature of making voice calls.
Texting allows people to skip some words that they would have used to when speaking English language, because of the use of smileys in the texting language (Humphrys, 2007). The author states that the history of the smiles, from the first smileys that included the gloomy and smiley face, to the current crop of smiles that have grown, includes 16 pages of smileys.
The author states that smiles have reached an instant where it is impossible to type the colon, dash, and bracket without forming a smiley face. The use of smiles, in one way, have served to destroy the English language by introducing obscure ways of expression, a texter can now express emotions without writing out the whole word.
The grotesque abbreviations, that have plagued the English language, also serve to destroy the English language (Humphrys, 2007). The number of abbreviations has increased in recent years to an extent that abbreviations have evolved to obscure meanings. Texting has increased to the extent that abbreviations have to be understood before being written.
Therefore, the author states that abbreviations destroy the whole point of texting, for example, some abbreviations lose meaning due to their complexity. The abbreviation ’IMHO U R GR8’ (Humphrys, 2007), which means ‘In my humble opinion you are great,’ is a factor that destroys the fact of texting.
In defense of the texting phenomenon, the author states that times are continually evolving, therefore, the texting phenomenon should be universally accepted (Humphrys, 2007). The introduction of e-mail services also serve to interfere with the structure of the English language because of the wrong use of grammar when composing e-mails.
In the past, mails were sent by post, therefore, the mail was written in a conventional grammatical ways. However, with the introduction of the e-mail, most writers find themselves slipping into sloppy writing habits, a fact that means that the language is destroyed (Humphrys, 2007).
Some examples of sloppy writing habits include lack of proper punctuation and diction when writing. In conclusion, it can be seen that the author has a genuine case for hating the texting phenomena; texting destroys the structure of the language, and makes an individual lose his/her language skills.
References
Humphrys, J. (2007). I h8 txt msgs: How texting is wrecking our language. Dailymail. Retrieved from: <https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-483511/I-h8-txt-msgs-How-texting-wrecking-language.html>