Internet+Lingo

Language is and has always been conditional. I use acronyms and internet lingo daily when writing text messages as well as on instant messenger. It is less time consuming to use it and the condition is appropriate. To me internet lingo is just another way of preventing lapse in conversation. Imagine what it would be like communicating with someone who is not using internet lingo and has to search the keyboard for every letter. Unfortunately, more and more internet lingo is finding its way into everyday conversations. Some students use it as a form of code, others because it has become a part of them. Some even begin to write it in formal writing assignments. However, teachers cannot endorse this method of communication in schools. Children must understand that internet lingo belongs to the internet and should not be included in their writing. I had a situation where a student included a number of acronyms in her assignment. After explaining it was unacceptable and she needed to redo the assignment, she was very upset. To her, there was nothing wrong with what she wrote and she couldn’t understand why I refused to grade it. I was fortunate to have another student explain and get through to her what I tried to do for ten minutes. I say this because all teachers have to refuse to accept acronyms and lingo from students –not just the ELA teacher. ||
 * Gillian Edwin

== =Is Internet lingo part of Language Arts curriculum?= Created by Jamahl Black

With so many of our students using chat, bulletin boards and e-mail it is important for educators to look at what reading and writing skills students are practicing when they use these technologies. The online language world is becoming very different than the traditional English language taught in our schools. The internet is flooded with e-mails, postings, chat sessions, which are misspelled, absent of any punctuation and contain many acronyms, emoticons and Internet lingo. Do educators embrace this new language and accept it into their classrooms or do they dismiss it?

//Really solid information and question. I can't stand all of this new lingo, but I find myself using to cut out time when I am texting on my phone. I feel like such a nerd when I spell things out. I do use traditional English when I send emails though. As for my answer; no way should it be accepted in our classrooms. It is hard enough to find kids with good handwriting, add misspelled words into the mix and you have one big mess.// //(Sara)//

//I have to say that I think it's important for parents to understand this new language that their kids are using, however, for educational purposes I feel that students need to stick with the traditional proper english for reading and writing. I feel that part of the problem with society is that everybody wants everything right now. People need to slow down. That means teaching kids proper spelling and punctuation. I also means going back to teaching handwriting which is a lost art and sentence diagraming so they know what nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs are, so they can sound educated when they speak with people from other countires who are so advanced when it comes to education compared to us. Renee//

//I agree with all of you... We have to teach our students proper use of the English language. I think it would be unacceptable to allow them to use internet lingo during an online collaborative project. I have to admit that I do use it during friendly emails or online chatting, but I would never accept it in a formal assignment from a student. Internet lingo certainly is not something that should be part of the English Language Arts curriculum. (Leigh Ann)//

Wow, great question! I would HOPE that teachers dimiss it and when student use "internet lingo" in the classroom, they quickly correct it. I have gotten term papers and lab reports with "you" written as "u." One positive to blogs, instant message is that students learn how to strengthen their words per minute in typing. However, their grammar is becoming weaker. (Heidi Lappi)

This should definitely not be allowed in school. Just like there is a time and a place to use slang, there is a time and place to use internet lingo and it is mainly used to save time. School is not about saving time, it is a place to learn how to present yourself and how the real world works. People will not respect you or your work if you use "u" for you and "r" for are or "2" for to. It just makes you seem dumb and uneducated. (Marcos Cabrera)

This is definitely a problem in school..... even with my 5th graders. They love to use b/c, LOL, and u. I think that is fine for when they are emailing, texting, or IMing, but not when they are writing papers for me. In school they need to learn and practice the proper way to write. They need to be able to sound educated when they write essays, answer questions, or write letters to people. (Heather G)

I agree with all of you. Interent Lingo should not be allowed in the classroom. I agree with Marcos with there being a time and place for everything and the classroom is not the place for Internet Lingo. Students deserve to learn the proper way to speak and write and if we fail to teach it to them then we would truly be doing them a diservice that will harm them at some point in their lives, if it means that get skipped over for a promotion or miss out on getting a better job. (Jen K)

Excellent discussion. I am proud to be a nerd when it comes to written communication. I use full sentences, format thoughts into paragraphs, incorporate colorful language (when appropriate), attempt proper punctuation, use spell check when ever it is available, and gennerally try to come off as if what I'm saying is worth the time to write it clearly. I really love the flexibility technology permits when composing thoughts - no messy erasures or scratching out as in the pen and paper days, but neat copying, cutting, and pasting of electrons. I will always insist that these basic writing skills be employed in all written assignments in the classroom. (John W)

I strongly agree with Marcos that there is a proper time and place for everything. I admit that I do use Internet Lingo but not in all occasions. If I am writing an email to an employer or colleague, I use proper English and grammar. If I am simply conversing with friends through a messenger program I use Internet Lingo. We cannot stop the use of Internet Lingo just like we cannot stop people from using the word "ain't." However, this language students use outside the classroom needs to stay outside the classroom. It is essential for students to learn proper English and grammar because these are the skills that will get them into a college and get them the job they apply for. (Judy Mui)

This really is a great question! I agree with Marcos and Judy that students need to understand that while computer lingo might be acceptable to use around friends, it is not acceptable in the "real world". I try to explain to students that in eventually they are going to need to find a job and that they will not get hired if they write a resume in this fashion. Unfortunatey students are surrounded by this type of lingo (instant messenger, cell phone texting, and there is even a comercial for a cell phone company where the daughter talk to her mom this way and her mother answers her back) and so they are caught up in using it. (Patti McGibney)

This webpage can be a forum to discuss this issue and examine when Internet lingo and language trends depart from traditional English language.

In my estimation there are several distinct features of Internet language.

Language Style Acronyms Internet related words
 * Creative spelling
 * Bullet point lists
 * Missing punctuation
 * Missing Capitalization
 * Different grammar structure
 * lol = laugh out loud
 * k=ok
 * Full list http://www.netlingo.com/emailsh.cfm
 * Troll= A person who goes in chat rooms and message boards to argue with people.
 * http://www.netlingo.com/index.cfm

Emoticons
 * Icons which represent different emotions
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emoticon

The American Heritage Book of Usage says “It is too early to tell whether the informality of e-mail will begin to influence the way we write on paper.” However, if you have ever seen a teenage write using Email Acronyms, you might think differently. LOL JFYI (Laugh Out Loud, Just For Your Information) are just a couple of commonly used acronyms that are easily recognizable to a frequent email user. But how does this slang become part of the English Language? The experts at Merriam-Webster have a specific system of how a word gets in their dictionary. Editors “study the language as it's used” and “they carefully monitor which words people use most often and how they use them.” Editors are not just looking for the frequency of use but also the context. Merriam Webster also was cutting edge back in 1806, adding words to their dictionary before any other. Words such as advocate, nutrient, folder, chore, energize and surf, as well as many different foods and animals were added to their dictionary in 1806. Today’s prime example was when the word “Google” was added as a verb in today’s dictionaries. In the book “The American Language” H.L. Mencken states, “A very large part of our current slang is propagated by the newspapers, and much of it is invented by newspaper writers.” The media has a strong influence in the popularity of the word “Google.” Mencken declares that “What slang actually consists of doesn’t depend, in truth, upon intrinsic qualities, but upon the surrounding circumstances.”

(Marianne DeMarco)

I totally agree with all Internet Lingo should not be accepted in schools. I also believe there is a time and a place for everything. Students should when and where to act appropriately, even when they are writing. Eventually most students will hopefully attend a higher education institute and then someday will become successful adult in the working world. I feel that students have a right to speech however they can express it when they are among their internet buddies and not in school. I have a 14 year old daughter who uses internet lingo all the time on IM’s, email, my space and etc… however when I was discussing this question with her, she agreed that it should not be allowed in school. She stated that student using this internet lingo all the time will have it imbedded into their brain and will believe that the internet lingo in the correct way of writing. Dianne Van Dunk

I think one of the functions of English Language Arts education is to preserve our language so future Americans can communicate effectively and efficiently. The English language has always been [|changing] and some people think our language is changing faster than it ever has in the past. That’s why it’s more important than ever to protect the language so it does not turn in to a muddled mess. I hear kids using IM speak in every day conversation more and more and I wonder if I should use some of these terms in order to related and connect with them. I always remember my role as a teacher and an adult is to set an example of behavior and that includes the words I speak. (Jamahl Black)

I agree- lingo or colloquialism traditionally has not been formally accepted in the educational process. When I grade my students work, they are penalized for 'inappropriate' language eg temp. or btw. Students must understand that there are different types of writing: its like the difference between writing a personal and business letter. Would you use lingo in writing a formal job application? However, lingo goes through various stages of acceptance and in a generation or two, it will be accepted as 'language'! Example 'google' is now an accepted word! Louis Morgan