In his article “How Much Has Social Media Changed Society?” Gil Pizano states the following: “Social media allows individuals to gather and express themselves in a much more simple and immediate fashion. By giving people this capability, they not only have the ability to share ideas, opinions and other contents, but also (if they wish) gain notoriety, and expand their influence.” The evidence of this is undeniable but it raises the question; are the individuals aware that they may be revealing much more about themselves than they actually intend to?
After reading a number of online posts, it quickly became evident to me that there is a critical need for the continuing development of language and literacy skills. The effectiveness of a post depends on how engaging the post is and how easy it is to understand – the reader should be able to ‘get it’ quickly without having to interpret what the writer is trying to say.
Do we have the courage to acknowledge that the quick and easy communication styles of social media, text talk and internet slang eliminate the need to know how to spell and construct sentences correctly. Everyone knows what LOL means – larf, larph, laugh out lowd or loud – but please don’t SHOUT AT ME! You can use ‘like’ anywhere in your conversation and writing because you know, like, everyone, like, does it, like and you just do!
This poses another question; are we losing the skills and therefore the ability to express ourselves in a meaningful and interesting way? Some would argue that good language and literacy skills are just not that important anymore. I suggest that the opposite is true as the audience we reach in our social media posts and communications has grown enormously.
Post your thoughts on this topic.
I believe it depends on who our audience is. If its just friends and personal contacts, then I think the importance of Literacy and Numeracy skills in social media may not be as critical. However if the messages going out are potentially reaching work colleagues, customers and business contacts, then yes I believe these skills are very important. We need to be mindful that even slight errors in communication within social media can easily misinterpret the meaning of what was trying to be communicated.
I believe that good language and literacy skills are more important than ever due to the increased usage of social media. Some texts are taken the wrong way due to a lack of words or how the few words were structured in the post. This can set off a series of events as the message was misconstrued and was certainly not the intent of the writer of the first post. Also when language is abbreviated as shown in the article it creates a feeling of annoyance when only the writer knows what it means. It can make people feel “dumb” and it could certainly put people off replying or joining in the conversation.
Monica, you have a good point, it can be annoying if the writer has not bothered to check the readability of their writing before posting to an online forum…. and what is the point of posting anything if people cannot understand you.
Very Good Point Monica, I totally agree with you as good Language and literacy Skills are very important, as the series of events that the wrongly worded message can trigger can be devastating and also very demining to other readers if they cannot understand the message, and they will not join in the social conversation in case of ridicule. These wrongly worded messages can also create concern for others wellbeing.
I believe that Language and literacy skills are still important. Yes on social media and text we often abbreviate words to make communications shorter and supposedly easy to read, however it can be very easy to misread, mistype and misinterpret written communication. Sometimes the message being conveyed is lost when the writer either doesn’t take the time or have the skills to ensure that the details are accurate and written clearly.
As you have said Anna, the message can be lost if the person’s literacy skill is poor. It would be great to see the literacy skills improve in our country.
I agree Anna. The message can be misconstrued and those of us who are older can feel quite intimidated if we don’t know the “lingo”. Personally I often “give up” and move to another post and someone who does spell correctly.
Definitely important as social media posts can be misunderstood and misinterpreted so easily!
I agree Alisha. And with social media, you are putting your words into the public domain where misunderstandings and misinterpretations can have serious repercussions.
All types of written communications can be subjected to misinterpretation, not using correct literacy or grammar can add to this. People are brave behind their keyboards and you see a lot of Facebook posts lose their meaning as “trolls” pick on people’s inability to use correct grammar. Although your audience may be more relaxed and you can use abbreviations etc. Is it a good habit to get in to?
In social media, spelling and grammar have become akin to a new form of classism. Inevitably, when someone uses an errant apostrophe, simply no punctuation at all, or the incorrect there/they’re/their, someone will reply with a snooty *correction.
I follow a lovely, good-natured facebook group that celebrates people’s home-cooked dinners. After one too many asterisks-of-judgement, the group admin posted the immortal statement: “Our group isnt for spelling bee critics! Bullying is not tolerated! Keep in mind we have some amazing but dyslexic cooks. Spelling doesnt affect their cooking so please keep the negativity to yourself”.
A post can be effective and engaging, without being grammatically correct. Social media gives a voice to people who were previously not heard in traditional media. Surely the world is a better, (if less grammatically strict) place for having greater diversity of voices in the conversation.
Erica thanks for sharing your thoughts, as you have said not everyone thinks it is important to worry too much about grammar and spelling. This has been a talking point for some time and will continue to be I imagine.
I am inclined to think that yes, there is a definite need to brush up on our literacy skills but also it raises the question of whether we need to also examine social skills? Why do people behave so poorly on social media? Are poor literacy skills linked to the reasons why people troll on social media?
It’s one thing to abbreviate words, use colloquialism and jargon but it’s an entirely different situation when poor literacy or communication skills lead to highly emotionally charged exchanges.
Sikiki, your comment is very important. We are hearing so much these days about cyber-bullying and the dreadful results – and this is much more important than whether sentences are constructed properly.
I think you are right in saying that poor communication skills are a factor in the way comments are made but I think there’s more to it than that (and I think you do too).
Social media has changed many things about the way we live and the way that we interact – and although there are many positives, it also provides a platform for hate, prejudice and cruelty.
I think it is more important than ever to ensure proper grammar is used, in online or other communication. I think it’s fine to use the odd ‘lol’ or ‘ikr’ as an addition to a comment, but to replace single English words with text abbreviations for an entire paragraph can be irritating and exhausting to the reader. It’s nice to take pride in writing the English language and it’s a good habit to be in so as not to be complacent when it comes to more professional interactions.
I agree Emma. It is important to take pride in a language and the way we write. This can certainly give the other person an impression i.e. professional or non-professional. As trainers and assessors and in our professional occupations, it is important that our communication is of a high standard. This may be different when communicating with friends and family via social media.
The question sent me checking the definition of literacy, which of course is much broader than being competent in a field, so not just about being able to robot-like communicate, in the LLN case. It doesn’t take long on Facebook to find posts followed by requests for clarification or misunderstandings. I am very cautious about what I post, on the rare occasions that I do post. To me, it is important that I get my point across and it is clear, and hopefully I am not corrected. For others (many?), it seems that ‘banter’ is the aim, and being loose with words gives scope for further exchanges. So I think – for me, the answer to the question is yes, but many don’t care, and would say no.
I think you’ve made a really good point here Paul. Literacy isn’t just accurate spelling and grammar. It’s a whole lot more.
Social media is a public forum and therefore it’s important to say what you mean so there is no misunderstanding.
I’m not sure the problem is “banter”. It could also be inability coupled with a belief that it doesn’t matter.
I personally think the importance of literacy depends on the intention of the post.
If the post is a business post such as a promotion of yourself or a product, then literacy and grammar are extremely important as bad literacy will reflect poorly back to the business that is being advertised.
However, if you are using social media to interact with friends and family, there is less impact when communicating with a lower level of literacy providing that what you are saying is understood.
I agree with Casey, that the importance of literacy quality depends on the context – i.e is the post related to families, friends, sporting or other, or is the post in a more business / product or work related related sphere. We are alot more tolerant if posts are in the more familiar areas, but have higher expectations if we see social media posts in a more professional / business area.
Also – lots of posts are commenting on a general decline in literacy as seen in social media, as well as in the wider media community. I wonder if this reflects a lack of wider reading that seems to be occurring. Sometimes I wish people would become better listeners, and I mean active listening. This could actually help to raise peoples literacy skills – a good place to start is ABC Radio’s ” Radio National ” network – as an example.
Good points shared here Murray which reflects on what Casey expressed. Reading is a critical literacy skill and we may find that with the digital age, the younger generation love their digital devices. Some do read books (e-books) from their digital book-apps on those devices. You might find a good read of Active Listening in the digital age from this site: https://www.intelenetglobal.com/download/Blogs/Active%20Listening%20in%20the%20Digital%20Age.pdf
Social media is undeniably important as a channel of communication for both private and public comment and observation ,and I believe that our on-line life style heightens the importance of literacy. When you are not face-to face with the person that you are communicating with, being able to explain what you mean and intend becomes even more important . There are even arguments that social media can enhance literacy – “social networking sites and blogs help students to develop more positive attitudes towards writing and become more confident in their writing abilities.” https://bit.ly/2ogFehW
The National Literacy Trust in the UK agrees:
“… a staggering 75% of 5 to 15-year-olds use a tablet at home, as do over half (55%) of 3 to 4-year-olds. As they are exposed to so much more digital content, their literacy skills — including their ability to speak, listen, read, write, decode, understand and interrogate language and texts — need to be stronger than ever.
https://bit.ly/2xRuvxE
“Recognising the opportunities of digital technology on International Literacy Day” 08.09.17
National Literacy Trust UK
I believe that literacy skills are important overall, but in saying that social media has made abbreviations an acceptable form of communication, which is fine for that intended audience. Though if your audience is to do with your business or job role then literacy skills become extremely important especially in an education and/or training world. Especially when dealing with government departments. There is a place for both social media “speak” i.e. abbreviations etc and literacy skills for your business, and in reality you swap and change between them depending on your audience.
Thanks for your comment Faith, and some good points, I agree that we need to still follow the “old” guidelines of writing for our purpose and audience, and certainly business writing requires a high level of literacy skills without any jargon or abbreviations.
Literacy is important to convey your thoughts clearly in a blog. However, I don’t think that it is vital to possess the highest standard of literacy to maintain a blog. I think a blog can be a source of improving literacy skills because people are motivated to write on a consistent basis if it is interesting and personal.
I think you are right Jessica. Anything that encourages an individual to interact regularly with the written word is going to improve their literacy. I wish that more young people enjoyed reading books, but if blogs are the way of the future – let’s embrace it.
So many interesting viewpoints above; it reflects the positive potential of social media.
Social media is a great way to access a wide range of information but it can be overwhelming. Critical literacy can help filter and decide when to opt in or out of social media articles, comments and conversations.
I think language, literacy and numeracy skills are vital today especially if you include digital literacy. Having a strong foundation and being confident with these skills helps you decide which formal or informal genres of writing you want to use.
This is an excellent point Sue. Critical literacy becomes even more essential when we are bombarded with so much information and manipulation via social media.
I believe it depends on who you are speaking with, is it more formal or is it between friends? Is it a closed group chat or available to a mass audience on Twitter? I think many messages can be taken out of context so it is extremely important to read and re-read everything before you press the send button. I think what people should always be mindful of is that not everyone has the same capabilities and background.
Good points Beth, if the chat is between friends it would be more casual.
I am also in agreement re the importance to double check everything before posting. Great comments thank you.
I believe that a basic literacy is essential for clear communication and higher levels of literacy, beyond basic, facilitate the discerning application of language and literacy for a wider variety of contexts.
Social media is usually understood to be an informal platform, a mode of communication ‘between friends’, and so it is common for people to drop grammar and punctuation. I see this, in the main, as a personal choice acceptable for the context, but where errors are liberally dispersed, it can inadvertently signify a lower-level of education/competency. Usually it is glaringly obvious where someone has made a typing error, or has been a bit lazy in their expression versus a severe incapability to communicate. These are two very different matters.
In addition, a higher level of literacy includes a capacity to exploit genre patterns, roles and relationships, whereby the writer can ‘play’ with ways of communicating on social media to generate a desired meaning in a witty, discerning manner. There is nothing ‘wrong’ with engaging with social media in accordance with its genre patterns and context(s) when it does not simultaneously negate a sophisticated level of literacy.
As for the first question, social media is ostensibly reserved for adults and so I am sure the vast majority of posters understand that which is culturally signified and implicit in their posts. Whether they care or not, or are capable of demonstrating a higher level of literacy is another matter.
As for the second question, absolutely, vocabulary is narrowed, literacy levels are declining, and lower standards are becoming more ‘acceptable’, stymieing the capacity for meaningful, interesting communication across contexts, particularly formal contexts.
Good points Nicole
The importance of language and literacy skills in social media depends greatly on the context and the intended audience.
In a professional context, good language and grammar are very important, giving weight to the message and fostering trust and respect. However, if a post is intended for friends and family or is merely an expression of self, and provided that the message is clear and respectful, I don’t think that we should be so judgemental. Everyone should have the freedom to express themselves however they choose and we should embrace these differences, even if we have to research the meaning of “FTR” or “BTW”!
Some great commentary above. I believe it’s all about context – personal or professional?In our global village where you may not meet ever work colleagues (or meet infrequently), the way in which we communicate is really important, as is taking the time to reflect before clicking “send”.
You can’t take this back – while impulsive words can be forgotten, social media is discoverable.
Good point John
What an interesting topic to think about! Reading through all the previous posts shows us the wide range of opinions about language and literacy use in social media. Although I can see the reasons behind abbreviations, dropping grammar etc to communicate in a more casual way, it does concern me that this ‘casual’ use of language has translated into our verbal face-to-face conversations too, especially with younger people. Social media has become one of the main platforms for developing language and literacy skills for our youth. An earlier post mentioned that potentially many people are now only reading blogs and so if this is the case, there will definitely be a gap in the development of a person’s language and literacy skills and so surely that will translate into their ‘professional’ writing without their knowing the difference between ‘casual’ social media speak and ‘professional’ social media speak. I’m all for people having the skills to communicate both, but lets start with well developed language and literacy skills first. Those skills will only enhance the ‘casual’ posts, as the writer will be skilled in getting their message across more easily.
Thanks Lisa, excellent points.
Of course LLN is important, Social Media has served to increase the reach and audience of the written word, not how you get your message across. The ability to write properly and articulate your message is not something that one can buy, it is a learnt skill that needs to be nurtured and improved on to enhance the audiences experience
What is apparent is the impact of social media on the attention span with most people wanting quick bites or snippets of information or they will move onto the next item that has piqued their interest.
A well written and succinct message has the same effect regardless of the media used, whether it’s in a book or on a screen.
Thanks for your comment Graeme, you have made some great points. I like reading an article that is well written in any media, print or screen.
Kerry
Social media is making the written word more common and accessible to people who normally would not be drawn to it. This is very challenging for people who have lower literacy but is a great opportunity to create content that is interesting and accessible and may spark an interest in further learning.
Good point Alison, and hopefully it may even help people become more engaged and interested in improving their own literacy.
Literacy is important in using social media. But I think that the traditional interpretation of literacy as textbook grammatical “correctness” is not necessarily relevant in terms of social media. For better or worse (mostly for worse), some of the most powerful world leaders use platforms like twitter to devastating effect, without adhering to either spelling or grammar norms. The targets of their communications however, understand and may feel less threatened because of the errors and are therefore more able to accept the information, while often critics commenting on these mistakes are ridiculed as “elites”.
In terms of social media, it may be said that literacy is in the eye of the beholder.
Thanks for your thoughts Philip, I can think of a few world leaders who are doing this 🙂
Literacy skills are definitely important in all written communication whether it is between friends on Facebook or in a work context such as an email. Miscommunication is more likely to occur when the non-verbal cues such as facial expression and body language are not present. Thus the written word becomes all important.
Social media is also a platform where people give impressions of themselves that may be accessed later (even years later). The right impression can lead to job opportunities as well as developing relationships.
Excellent point Janelle, I have been told that some job agencies and employers diligently search social media sites prior to employing staff to glean additional information on the potential staff member prior to offering them a job.
I would suggest good language and literacy skills are required to create genuinely interesting social media posts. There is definitely a requirement for good LLN skills when presenting ideas within the parameters that social media places on an author. An idea presented eloquently and efficiently within the specified number of words or characters required by a social media platform can be incredibly engaging. However, as Gil suggests unfortunately there are plenty of people using poor LLN skills, thus making uninteresting contributions. My belief is that a good foundation of LLN skills will always be of value, however the culture may occasionally shift its context, such as the social media example.
Well said Warwick 🙂
Thank you for sharing your text.
I agree good language skiils is essential for good and clear communication.
I second this…
I believe that literacy skills are still important, even in these days of social media. A well written and laid out piece of writing can inspire and influence how we think and how we live.
I too believe literacy skills are still relevant and important.
I think that acquiring language and literacy skills is a lifelong journey. In saying that, I believe that having a good grasp of how language works actually makes it easier to be able to abbreviate and or using slang more effectively. As for being able to decipher the acronyms using on social media platforms, well that seems to be an ever evolving thing where the younger generation are adding to everyday language and the older generations are struggling to keep up! There will always be mixed opinions on what is acceptable language/literacy standards. I do think that having the knowledge of language and when/how to use holds the key to successful communication for all ages.
Excellent points Rachel, as you have noted if we want to be effective communicators we need to continue this lifelong journey of learning, this applies to both young and old. I must admit there are many text abbreviations that I don’t understand.
I do not believe we are losing the skills and therefore the ability to express ourselves in a meaningful and interesting way. My background in communication has taught me that the sender of a message encodes it in some way according to their mood, background and perspectives and sends it out in a mode of communication such as Social Media (or talking). Another person then decodes the information based on their mood, background and perspectives to make meaning. I believe that Social Media usually lacks important non-verbal communication so it is so important that people know conventional language and literacy skills are learned so that everyone using English has a common background.
My favourite English teacher told me that we need to know the rules of English so that we can break them for a purpose and know our intended outcomes instead of breaking rules unknowingly and being susceptible to unwanted outcomes.
I do believe and hope that everyone has their own style, my 85-year-old grandmother knows more about conventional English language rules than anyone I know and her Facebook messages are the most difficult and rewarding to de-crypt.
I also believe and am thankful that different places have their own conventions with language and literacy. My husband is from Southern Queensland and tells me the most interesting sayings that he thinks everyone knows. My family also have many unique euphemisms and they help bond us together. My brother intentionally uses incorrect spelling, punctuation and grammar to annoy me and is very quick to alert me when I have made a mistake. He often posts the most interesting and meaningful thoughts when he does this. Where there is a will to be interesting and meaningful, there will always be a way.
Emily, this is a very interesting comment. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
As someone who contributes to employing people in the office I work in, one of my first port of calls is to search for that person on their social media accounts.
People have commented on this above and they are absolutely correct.
My manager has followed my example and will now search every applicant’s social media accounts (extremely revealing not only from a LLN point of view). People who have read well in their resume can blow it with the posts they have put up.
If that person cannot spell, uses too many abbreviations or cannot construct a sentence appropriately, is this someone I want to work in my office?
This is especially true of the younger generation and I am not so sure they understand how this can affect their futures. Ffs!
This is a good point Jake, I think some people forget how visible their online persona is and how much information they may be unwittingly give away.
I agreed most of comments in here, as per these comments (all above) shows us the significance of literacy skills when using Social Media in nowadays. In the findings, our new generation may not be reading the books, but they are clearly interested in modern social networking. So, the question becomes whether modern social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube are spoiling or helping our new generation with reading the books. The Modern social networking sites, which began as social communities, are becoming increasingly important. Furthermore, we to understand how to use literacy skills at appropriately and safety approaches in the Modern social networking sites.
I would suggest that well developed language and literacy skills are still extremely important in order to accurately communicate vital information, as a tool to influence, build a strong structured argument or to effectively demonstrate comprehension.
This argument is especially true when using social media given how instant and far reaching these communications platforms are.
Abbreviating language, use of slang, acronyms and colloquialisms constantly whilst communicating amongst friends via social media and texting may be acceptable in context but in a professional sense, I believe this demonstrates either a lack of respect for the audience, laziness on behalf of the sender and possibly a lack of understanding of the subject matter or indeed may mask more serious LLN issues. It assumes comprehension on behalf of the reader but unintentionally may lead to miscommunication or mis-interperation of the intended message.
I agree with the author in that “there is a critical need for the continuing development of language and literacy skills.” or use it or lose it and “The effectiveness of a post depends on how engaging the post is and how easy it is to understand – the reader should be able to ‘get it’ quickly without having to interpret what the writer is trying to say.” The more interpretation required the less effective the communication.
I believe that Language and literacy skills are still important and there is a need for the continuing development of these skills. Social media posts do need to be interesting and the reader definitely needs to understand what the writer is trying to say. Otherwise the message could lost or misinterpreted. Perhaps the quick and easy communication styles of social media maybe limiting our ability to express ourselves and give substance to our thoughts.
Good point Frazer, the key word used is substance and it is often missing in social media posts.
Language can be spoken, written or visual depending on the audience. The main thing is that the message is understood by the audience it was intended for.
Social media has grown so much over the last few years that maybe it could be perceived to be a new genre. If it encourages more people to read and write I think it is wonderful and hopefully it continues to do so. With continued usage this may even improve some of those poor LLN skills that are prevalent in our society.
I must admit I do find it very hard to abbreviate even the simplest of text messages, but sometimes it is quicker and the intended audience do understand. LOL.
Social Media and the inherent need for all participants to keep ahead of the field has greatly encouraged the use of minimal language. This is undoubtedly a tragedy because it is unable to have brakes applied. The less thought given when contributing to social media posts now will only lead to the use of more minimal language. We are heading for a return to caveman grunts, growls and chest beating.
Yes – language and literacy skills are needed now more then ever before.
I believe good language and literacy skills are vital now more than ever especially with the increase of the use of social media. Messages on social media are often misconstrued leading to a plethora of comments showing evidence of misunderstanding of the original post. Posts are often shortened (not succinctly) leading to misunderstanding by the reader which is evident in comments. Users of social media need to be extremely careful of how they word their posts especially when they are in the public domain as poorly worded posts may have serious consequences. Another aspect to consider is our literacy and language skills are deteriorating as a result of predictive text.
Posts on social media are made without the visual assistance of facial expression. Without good literacy skills, it is very easy to misinterpret a poorly written comment.
I don’t think we are losing Literacy skills, I believe we have already lost them.
People in general feel that it is ok to misspell, mispronounce, abbreviate & obliterate the English language.
The art of writing, comprehension & story telling through our words are all but gone.
It is a sad blight on society, that we have become so lazy….
In a participant based course where everything matters, there should be no excuse for bad spelling, or Grammar. Do we have a schooling Issue?
As a prospective teacher & trainer I feel it is part of my job description to instill into my students the love of words, and writing in general. Penmanship has already been lost.
Yes, literacy skills important when using Social Media. As most of the responses above have touched on, it is important that the author of any message understand the audience, context and substance of their message be it spoken, written or visual. The language used could change with a change in audience. The importance of the words selected also changes with the audience.
The author needs to be able to ensure that they are articulating what is accurate, true and correct. Even minor changes or errors in punctuation can completely change the meaning of a sentence or phrase. At the end of the day what is the point of ‘saying’ something that is not what you set out to say or need to convey.
Like the majority of comments, I believe it depends on the post. The importance of language and literacy skills in a professional post compared to the relaxed level required for social social media. I also believe it would be beneficial to have a higher level of language and literacy before choosing to adopt the ‘quick and easy communication styles of social media.’
I love Helen’s reply the best. My daughter is a teacher and she constantly reminds me when I make a mistake, then, on the other hand some of her posts are hard to read because of the abbreviations she uses.
As far as social media goes, you can love it or hate it, but lets face it more words are spoken behind the scenes than if it were to be face to face. I believe that a lot of bullies out there just love social media.
It is annoying to see words spelt wrong, or sentences not worded correctly, but hey when you see your 19 year old daughter corresponding with an 85 year old grandmother, how good is that.
Is it a case of The generation Gap??
I enjoyed reading these comments, as Helen says LOL
Great points Elizabeth, thanks for sharing.
I believe it really depends on the audience at the time as we all understand and relate differently to how we communicate.
I don’t use social media – exactly – at times I am ‘pressured’ into as I feel I am in danger of being seen by my family as old fashioned. When I text I use a type of personalised short hand which my daughter says is really odd but funny, yet it is functional as the message needs to be short and simple. This may have originated early in the sue of mobile phones when people were charged by the telecom companies virtually per character to send texts.
I have read and heard that younger people today are in danger of not being able to construct stories as they don’t read books as much as books were once read. They may be in danger of not being taught the story line of the beginning, the middle and the end so to speak.
Anyway It deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. …
The rise and rise of social media is unique to our time, but the the rise and fall of literacy and numeracy in the population over time is a recurrent theme. My view is that with the increasing use of digital voice and voice recognition in machines, the literacy levels will decrease evermore. In the past we had the merging of languages for instance in Olde England when French words and phrases infiltrated the English language. Due to only a small portion of the population being literate (or even having access to the written word), we now have a mixed bag of a language. Hundreds of years later, the same is occurring online – those who don’t frequent the medium, are left behind as the language marches ever forward with new words, new abbreviations, new acronyms and new meanings for old words. Embrace change for it is the only constant, I say!
To be honest I know I am very guilty of this. To give some background, my use of social media is limited to being an arm chair expert on Facebook, other platforms are too confusing to me. Further, when I first came to Australia, I had limited English. Though I survived the school system, my uses of grammar and punctuations was always a weakness, and still is. Then came along the mighty computer with grammar and spell-check. Though figuring out the grammar mistakes tested my patience, the quality of my work slightly improved. Then the social media revolution, now I can write my thoughts without the care of disapproval. I still re-read my postings before submitting to catch any obvious mistakes but often in the moment I still miss a bit.
But where as those days I was paranoid of a lower score resulting in my mistakes, which made me try to constantly improve, now it seems rather normal most of the time and often I only realize my mistakes when someone makes a comment directing attention to it. I have no constant need to improve and so bad habits just continue to creep in. So this can be seen as a detriment to ‘proper’ English.
But to be honest I do not find it so much of a problem when it is two people just arguing, and if anything sometimes the ‘text’ talk format makes conversations online appear as if it is a real conversation. Sometimes emoji’s etc can make meaning silly, but it is just another way to express ones feelings. I actually think this is important as that style of conversation makes people feel connected. Where as if discussions occurred in ‘proper’ English you might not get the same connection with other parties as the informal nature allows for better interaction.
There will be a place for that older style of English in books, in publications, in formats where we seek that professional, formal English. Though the quality of literacy may reduce, there will always be a need for it, hence people will be constantly exposed to it. As long as continue to educate future generations using the old English. But, just like with many languages, where varying dialects were formed over centuries, the English that is sighted in social media should be seen as a new secondary dialect.
You have made some valid points Dinusha, thanks for sharing your thoughts
Kerry
I do believe that language and literacy skills are important when using social media. Many posts are “reactive” in nature and people tend to forget that once the post out in the public domain it is there forever.
This is where context becomes extremely important & in particular whether the post has been used in a professional or personal capacity; remembering also that a person’s reputation may be “coloured” by the words they use.
The use of social media often means that the intent of the words on the audience are lost, due to the absence of nuances, facial expression, tone and gestures. This may lead to the words being misunderstood.
This is a very thought provoking discussion that has made me reflect on my own relationship with language and literacy. As a child books were read to me. As a teenager and younger adult I loved to read books for myself. Now as a mature age adult I find I am reading less and listening more (to books).
I have exposure to only 1 social media platform, being FaceBook, and the occasional blog. However I find that I become instantly disengaged from posts that use poor grammar & spelling. When I reflect on this reaction it tells me that I am being judgmental about the person behind these posts; assuming that their level of education and literacy is somewhat lower than my own. This may or may not be true, but it is not my right to judge based on a social media post
Thanks for your comments Angela you have made some interesting and valid points.