Internet Safety News
EZ Shortcut?
by Maria Montiel
As instant messaging, chatting, and writing e-mails become more common, so does the alteration of the English language. Slowly but surely "net lingo" or "webese," is emerging as the preferred language of Internet users. In an effort to quickly get their message across, Internet users have developed a standard shorthand based on acronyms, symbols, and phonetics. Some would argue that it has evolved into the hieroglyphics of a modern generation.1
"Net lingo" includes more than typical acronyms. The language is quick and easy, describing actions and emotions, using a couple of letters instead of a lot of words. Traditional acronyms like "ASAP" (as soon as possible) as well as ones that are unique to the Internet like "JK" (just kidding) are used. And, while using all capital letters is considered to be shouting according to proper netiquette, it is common for capital letters to be used with acronyms.2
Emoticons are the smiley faces :-) and other symbols or pictures that are used to give the recipient a hint as to how he or she should interpret the text being read. They can let the reader know that the person sending the message is kidding, angry, or even flirting.
Other forms of word mutation are also present in "net lingo." Words are shortened, spelled phonetically, or can have letters replaced by numbers. For example a common spelling for the word "you" is "u" and "before" is often written as "b4."
In her article "Internet English," Anne Collier points out that this new "shorthand" is creeping into students' formal writings. For example high-school students are using words like "wuz" and "cuz" in English papers.3 This is not unusual considering almost 60 percent of those younger than 17 currently use an instant-messaging program.4 This brings up two key issues. First it demonstrates how much we have incorporated the Internet into our daily lives. Second it tells us that children are not recognizing the distinction between conversational and formal writing.5
In September 2002 the average user in the U.S. was online for approximately 11 hours while at home.6 While this number may seem low, it is enough time to chat, surf, or send e-mails. Instant-messaging and e-mail programs have greatly expanded the methods in which we can communicate. These programs allow us to immediately get in contact with a person at anytime of the day. In the case of instant messaging the interaction takes place in real time. There are many benefits to this new method of communication; however, it has also altered the way in which we communicate with each other.
While instant messaging, chatting, and sending e-mail are now integral to the way in which we communicate, they remain impersonal. Since you cannot see senders' reactions or hear their tone of voice, the written text is often ambiguous. This ambiguity is one of the "most significant problems in processing natural language."7 To compensate for the ambiguity the writer can use "net lingo." Couching the words between smiley faces and terms like "LOL" (laughing out loud) can have an impact on how the text is received.
While this might not be as common among adults who use the Internet, it is becoming the new way of speaking among youth. Aside from invading formal writing, it is also permeating spoken language. In college dorms, for example, it is not uncommon to hear someone say "BRB" (be right back) or "JC" (just checking) instead of the actual words.
At American University in Washington, DC, after receiving e-mail messages, which included "net lingo" such as "thnx" (thanks) or "imo" (in my opinion), English Professor Cynthia Bair Van Dam addressed her class regarding the content of the e-mails they were sending her saying, "Use words. I'm an English teacher. I like words."8 Professor Bair Van Dam also noted that while she did not see signs of "net lingo" in final essays submitted by her students, she did say that it wasn't uncommon for it to be scattered throughout early drafts.
It will be interesting to see the effect that this new net language will have in the future, now that children are growing up with instant messaging, chat, and e-mail. We may even see the emergence of an "Internet dialect." My advice to parents would be to proofread your child's papers and listen to what they're saying. You never know what you might read or hear. :-)
1James A. Martin. "LOL :
) -- A Guide to Internet Lingo and Emoticons." PC
World.com. October 11, 2002, http://www.pcworld.com/resource/printable/article/0,aid,88686,00.asp.
2Michelle MacAfee. "Learning the Internet
lingo." CNEWS. August 4, 2000, http://www.canoe.ca/TechNews0008/04_Internet.html.
3Anne Collier. "Internet English." SafeKids/NetFamilyNewsletter.
November 2002, www.netfamilynews.org.
4Ibid.
5Ibid.
6September 2002 Global Internet Access Average
Usage. Nielsen//NetRatings Audience Measurement Service.
November 2002, http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/hot_off_the_net.jsp.
7Jerry R. Hobbs. Computers and Language.
Linguistic Society of America. November 2002, http://www.lsadc.org/web2/computers___lg_.html.
8Interview with Professor Cynthia Bair Van Dam.
American University, Washington, DC, November 6, 2002.
Maria Montiel is a staff assistant for the Parents & Educators component of the NetSmartz Workshop® at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children®.
