Summary: In the passage “2b or Not 2b?” by David Crystal, he begins by quoting Jhona Humphrey’s argument about how he believes that texting is wrecking our language, “destroying it: pillaging our punctuation; savaging our sentences; raping our vocabulary. And they must be stopped.” Humphrey believes that texting is making society’s linguistics go downhill and making everyone illiterate. Crystal opposes by pointing out the fact that the idea of sending out a text message, technology, and the way we utilize it is new, but the actual texting isn’t new. In one American study, less than about 20% of text messages looked at showed abbreviations. Abbreviations have always existed ever since the English language was written. For example, a man named Eric Partidge published a dictionary of abbreviations in 1942 that “contained dozens of of SMS-looking examples, such as agn ‘again,’ mnth ‘month,’ and so on. Crystal explains how texting isn’t meant to be “attractive.” It is a strategy meant to reduce time.
Response: From the passage “2b or Not 2b?”, I agree with Crystal. I can definitely see why Humphrey would make an argument about how texting is ruining our language because to some, texting isn’t making a benefit on the way they speak or write. It can very likely mess up the way one thinks and writes. On the contrary I do agree with Crystal’s argument more because I do believe that texting is a just a quicker form of communication. I do not think that there is anything wrong with abbreviating to get your point down quicker. Although there is an extent to the form of texting, I believe that one should just be aware of how and when to use it. For example, if one is writing an essay it is not to be used because you are trying to write your point down and be clear and if you are writing a text message then you want it to be quick and easy. When it comes down to it, I think that it shouldn’t affect anyone. It is more depending on their level of education and whether they know when it is okay to be used.
Reading the summary I have to agree with what you have to say, texting is something that should not be overused and is something that people don't realize people have been using for decades ago. That little mistake in the third to last sentence with the double of is something that nicks at me a bit but other than that great summary and great response.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Sometime I find myself writing an essay in texting form. Sometimes even to my professors when I email them through my phone. Texting is meant to be brief and quick. I also believe texting became very brief because of the 9 number keyboard we had to type to get one word.
ReplyDelete