R U 4 real? ‘Netspeak’ in schoolwork

ALEX BOYLES/Poca

By Katlin Stinespring
Hurricane High School

Have you ever been talking to your friends, and in mid-sentence hear someone slip in a “LOL” in response to something amusing?

This is how technology is affecting our society. Lessons in proper diction, grammar and spelling taught in English classes from the very beginning are thrown out when teenagers discover instant messaging.

Instant messaging has become an increasingly overwhelming everyday activity in the lives of the majority of today’s teens. The lack of formality in the style of typing used in on-line correspondence has become habitual and has moved beyond the Internet world into other areas of communication.

Simple, rudimentary grammar procedures such as punctuating sentences and capitalizing proper nouns or words at the beginning of sentences are frequently forgotten in essays and other writing assignments because they are typically not used in instant messaging conversations. Shortcuts and abbreviations like ‘lol’ and ‘omg’ are included in spoken conversation as a result of abbreviation habits from instant messaging.

“People use Internet slang in everything they do,” said Hurricane junior Sam Skelley. “They end up slipping into ‘netspeak’ while they’re writing and talking, such as saying ‘OMG’ [in place of ‘Oh my god!’] in the middle of a sentence. It’s so annoying!”

For students whose grade point averages are suffering due to grades on essays and other writing assignments, the use of slang and forgetting foundational grammar could be the problem. Remembering to capitalize proper nouns and even including the correct punctuation at the end of every sentence are quick fixes that shouldn’t even be problems in the first place.

Simple proofreading and correction of basic grammatical and spelling errors could also result in higher scores on ACT and SAT essays. The use of IM grammar and slang is dumbing down and weakening the future potential of success of this generation.

“From reading others’ essays, I’ve noticed that most people’s instant messaging tendencies carry into their schoolwork. They need to realize that it’s okay in informal situations, but it should not be used in their schoolwork,” said Hurricane junior Nick Schamp.

Another issue that will arise in the future because of this is the lack of professional ability in writing. In college and the work world, simple grammar mistakes make one look uneducated and inane. They will not be tolerated in these atmospheres, and this could affect anything from being accepted into a college of choice to receiving a promotion — vital aspects of adult life.

“Instant messaging causes mistakes often, usually with I [not being capitalized] and you [spelled as u]. Also, it makes the students’ work less professional, and it lacks the educated professional quality that will be expected in the business world,” said Hurricane business education teacher Rhonda Null.

It is necessary for teenagers to be aware of the negative habits being created by instant messaging so they can learn how to prevent the problems that may occur in their formal writing and speaking.