Language and Dialect Contact

This article highlights the evolution of the written language in mobile phones. Most mobile phone users prefer shortening their messages. This has led to emergence of a language that varies from the Standard English thus referred to as dialect. The use of the phrase “c u soon” instead of “see you soon” in messages is an example of a dialect. In an attempt to make the text message brief, the writer uses letters instead of pronunciations that correspond. 

The text message is grammatically incorrect and not punctuated. In the second phrase “wat time u ova” in place of “what time will you be over” the same pattern is repeated. The author attributes this to mobile phone devices with no full key boards. He makes a satirical comment of the government anti -driving while texting sign, regarding it to be outdated. The use of corrupted English by the government in sign is an indication of how rampant this dialect is.

The author admits he still prefers well-formatted text messages despite the fact that most people send shortened messages that are grammatically incorrect. While scholars have attributed dialect to social class and regional isolation, this article brings to light the role played by modern telecommunication devices in linguistics and dialect contact. As the writer concludes, he displays uncertainty over the future of the dialect by asking a series of questions. The survival of this dialect, SMS language, will largely depend on the cellular phone users.

If they continue to use it then the language will grow and in time will have an effect on the established English language. The author views the emergence of this dialect negatively and applauds mobile phone devices equipped with full keyboards, social networks and e-mails as the way to combat it. Most scholars have associated this dialect to sluggishness and regarded it as a case where the mobile phone use prefers style over substance.