Communication is changing. Can we use social-media-inspired abbreviations in language and remain “correct?” Is it okay for business people to use the abbreviations, even in social media? How do you decide when to use them and when not to use them? Is the recent major shift in language (the laxness of grammar, informality of spelling and increase in specialized jargon) causing society to degenerate into anarchy? IDK (I don’t know), maybe it’s inevitable. For the answers to these questions–or at least to hear some very compelling thoughts related to this issue, some of which I had to rely on my children to understand, read on…and leave a comment to let us know how YOU feel about it.
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We may think abbreviations used in texting and instant messaging are not “real” writing, but the fact remains that they communicate ideas. As my daughter Maggie pointed out: “No offense, but if they understand what it means, nobody cares if it’s correct.” She’s as put-out sometimes about that as I am, because she’s studying to be a writer at the university. She’s ALREADY a great writer, as is my son, Eddie. I suppose that’s a side effect of having a mother AND a father who are writers. But we didn’t push it on them. They both chose to care…to do the work it takes to become a good writer.
I’ve watched something amazing happen as they have grown into adults and become writers. They have taken a loyalty to proper language into the new world of cyberspeak. They use expressive “misspelled” or nonsense words such as “Noooo!” and “Erk.” But you’ll rarely catch them using “LOL” or “IMHO.” In fact, I still reel from a chewing out I got from Maggie one day when I was texting in a rush and used “thx.” I’m so proud. They might be doing it because they don’t want to follow the crowd (which still makes me proud), but they also might be doing it because they realize we should, as a society, be choosing our language carefully because it has a real effect on the character, social framework and politics of our era. The fact that my children understand and believe in that connection makes me REALLY proud. A society that allows language to run amok is saying it’s okay to run amok. (Another topic altogether, which the two of them have heard me expound upon many times.)
IMHO (“in my humble opinion,” for those of you who don’t have teenagers to help translate), the operative question to ask yourself when choosing whether to use classic language rules or New World language rules in any given piece is: “Who is going to read it.” Use the most formal form of language possible without sounding so much like a stuffed shirt that no one listens to what you’re saying. That will help us keep the seams of society in tac
