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Lillian Wallace

Professor McGriff

ENC 1101

23 October 2018

Effects of Social Media on Communication

Over the past hundred years, more so in the last several decades communication forms

have extravagantly made strides in evolving. The evolution of communication is positive in ways

of being able to interact with people. However, more recently people have expressed their views

on how communication forms such as texting and social media are ruining and limiting our use

of the English language. Those opposing could argue that we have newer multiple ways to

communicate and have increased our social interaction and vocabulary, but the many forms of

communication available have decreased the levels of interaction, weakening our vocabulary,

and damaging the use of the English language.

The first main argument is that these new social media platforms provide us with more

social interaction. As stated in the book ​They Say/I Say ​“With just a few taps of a keyboard, we

can be connected with what others have said not only throughout history, but right now, in the

most remote places”(Graff and Birkenstein, 166). Using this quote the opposing side could go

onto argue that the internet provides us with unlimited resources and participate in endless

conversations we would otherwise never be able to participate in. However, most conversations

online in chatrooms and instant messaging end up portraying as statements and not questions
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(Graff and Birkenstein, 167). It is so easy for people this day in age to log on to the internet and

have no verbal interaction whether that be through typed messaging or video chat. In present day

our dependability on the use of the internet and media platforms is outrageous. Steven Pinker,

writer of “Mind over Mass Media”, claims that in our “reality check” that even in cases with

scientists and professors we are never far from the tough of a digital device. Especially in this

profession they are “never far from their email, rarely touch paper and cannot lecture without

PowerPoint” (Pinker, ​Everyone’s an Author with Readings​, 1030). Proving to be true in our

everyday lives as college students through the use of Blackboard or Canvas where we receive

class information and ever turn in our assignments.

Another point of view people tend to debate on the subject is the weakening or lessened

use of vocabulary. This factor that is primarily used through texting and the posting of a status is

more important than we seem to think. Since the unlimited access to the internet can open us up

to the opportunity to expand our vocabulary but to a certain extent we are weakening our use of

vocabulary by instituting slang and long abbreviations. In ​Everyone’s an Author with Readings​,

David Crystal explains the difference between traditional abbreviations and those commonly

found in long text strings. Using examples such as “iohis4u” and “2bctnd” he says “One

characteristic runs through all of these examples: the letters, symbols and words are run together,

without spaces” (Crystal, 903). Crystal continues to show how stringing together these long

sequences of abbreviation create puzzling messages. In another example, we examine SMS

sonnets and how the abbreviated use of words and phrases disallows a complex formal patterning

of a traditional sonnet, losing the overall original effect (Crystal, 905). While everyday
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abbreviations like exams and fridge may not be harmful the use of extremely long abbreviation

sequences weaken the practice of correct vocabulary.

The final key point being made is that the excessive use of social media and its

platforms are damaging the use of the english language. Authors like David Crystal who

question the effect abbreviations have on our vocabulary will continue to state that “humans are

linguistically creative” and that “we will not see a new generation of adults growing up unable to

write proper English” (Crystal, 907). And people will continue to argue that this texting language

will have no influence on their regular use of the English language. But the fact of the matter is

texting has developed into its own kind of grammar and we find it slipping in to our normal ways

of communication everyday. In a Time magazine article John McWhorter shares that no one

speaks this texting language casually yet we have helped it integrate into our conversations

(McWhorter, 2013). He continues to state that some of the things we say like “LOL” has lost its

literal sense. “Instead of having a literal meaning it does something- conveying an attitude- just

like the -ed ending conveys past tense rather than “meaning” anything” (McWhorter, 2013). The

literal meaning of a word or an expression shifts and does not mean what we mean or want it to

express.

After examining and diving deeper into the aspects of social interaction, vocabulary, and

use of the English language in our everyday conversations and communication through social

media we have grasped a deeper understanding no matter what stance you take on issue. Overall

there is a certain impact that texting abbreviations, vocabulary and practice of the English
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language on our everyday lives in multiple different ways. In no way should we get rid of social

media communication all together but we should be cautious and continue to use correct forms

of words in our writing and verbal communications.

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Works Cited

Crystal, David. “2b or not 2b?” ​Everyone’s an Author with Readings​: Edited by Marilyn Moller,

W.W. Norton and Company (899-907).

Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. ​They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic

Writing​. W.W. Norton and Company (166- ).

McWhorter, John. “Is Texting Killing the English Language?” ​Time​, Time, April 25, 2013,

ideas.time.com, accessed October 19, 2018.