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SMS Language

Presented to:

Miss Shagufta Jabeen

Presented by:

Hina Javaid

ID# 100884006

Mphil Applied Linguistics

Batch VIII

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SMS Language

University of Management & Technology

Table of contents

Sr.n

o

Topics Pg.no

1 Topic for analysis

2 Abstract

3 The selection rationale

4 Introduction

4.1 What Is Sms

4.2 Objective of SMS language

4.3 History of Sms

4.4 SMS Language

4.5 Features of Sms language

4.4 Use of Sms

5 Literature review

6 discourse analysis of SMS/text analysis

sample selection rationale

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SMS Language

6.1 Gricean co-operative principle and Maxim’s

6.2 Language play and ethnography and politeness

6.3 Code-switching

6.4 Psychoanalysis of the Sms language

6.4 Critical Discourse Analysis

6.5 Difference in teen and elderly people’s text language

7 Discussion (Scope of this analysis/new directions)

8 Conclusion

9 References

10 Appendix

Chapter 1

Topic for analysis

Discourse analysis of SMS language as e

novel genre

SMS language has revolutionary and influential effect on everyday

language

SMS language of teens differ from the elderly people

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Chapter 2

Abstract

This project intends to analyze the SMS language ethnographically and psychologically within

the domain of discourse analysis and critical discourse analysis.

CMC technology (Computer-mediated Communication) has diversified the way of

communication to many genres. Texting emerged as a novel genre in 20th century and caused

the revolution of language at its heart. ‘Texting’ or ‘SMS’ language has great potential to

influence language inclusively and is a growing area of interest within Applied Linguistics. Its

non-gloom-and-doom impression has convinced the linguists that this innovative, extended and

diversified modality of communication has proved itself in every aspect whether it is an issue

regarding its lexicology, morphology and syntactic levels or its apprehension by the

sociolinguists to roll over the process of pidgin and Creole. SMS language brings into play

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abbreviations, acronyms, random-seeming jumbles of letters and numbers. This typo-texting

has obtained many permanent terms and also lots of ephemeral neologisms, but who knows

what is next? As from gaming chats to blog comments to text messages more and more terms,

within this new genre language, are cropping up every day. In this project of CDA I intend to

analyze these three dimensions specific to SMS language:

Discourse analysis of SMS language as e novel genre

SMS language has revolutionary and influential effect on everyday language

SMS language of teens differ from the elderly people

To analyze these assumptions I would apply discourse analysis, ethnographical analysis, code-

switching and psychoanalysis. The discourse analysis will help me to delve deep into the

nature of SMS language. Further I would apply ethnography approach on SMS language to

scrutinize the impact of this novel genre on other spoken and written languages. In order to

refine and substantiate my analysis I would pour comparative study and psychoanalysis into

the project which will assist in conforming and to reflect the underlying assumptions regarding

the use of language in SMS, teens language and language used in SMS by elderly people.

Chapter 3

The selection rationale:

Instead of selecting stereotypical discourses to analyze, I opted for a distinctive and digressive

field which is absolutely novel, entirely modern and utterly influential on traditionally

constructed language. Short Messaging Service (SMS) has started contributing a major role in

our life; it became a necessity and culture. It has its own moods, styles, expression, alphabets

(or I must say alphanumeric) but no rules, no regulation and no check and balance. A general

assumption is prevailing that SMS language is corrupting our language as Lee, 2002 states, “(it

is) a continuing assault of technology on formal written language use.”

This project will facilitate further research proposals as it varies from psychological to social and

ordinary language to revolutionary diversified language which itself is replete with free hand

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variations like code-switching, code mixing, abbreviation, acronym, smiley, pictogram, rebus

emoticons and so on.

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Chapter 4

Introduction:

Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.

William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939)

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) whether synchronous (real-time) or asynchronous

(delayed time) has manifested many divergences and convergences of language and paved way

for a revolutionary influential novel genre. And now we can see that mobile phones are

everywhere, in our hands, sitting on our desks, in the media, in the class, in the meeting and

constantly buzzing, jumbling and fluttering fingers tips can be witnessed.

According to statistics there were 2.4 billion active users of SMS text messaging, but in 2008 it

augmented to 3 billion (Moore, Anderson) and at the present 76% of the mobile phone users

are texters as well. As compared to other communication mediums, SMS and its language has

great potential to influence language inclusively and is a growing area of interest within Applied

Linguistics. Social acceptability of SMSs has fully-grown to the extent that there are

approximately 30 billion SMS messages sent globally each month (Courtesy: GSM digital mobile

phone standard).

CMC

Internet-based/PC based

IM chatChat rooms

e-mailswww

MUD & MOO

Language: netspeak, weblish, netlish, cyberspeak

Mobile/cell-based

anterior messagelanguage:

texting, text, SMS, message,

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4.1 What is SMS?

Short Message Service (SMS) is the text

communication service component of phone,

web or mobile communication systems, using

standardized communications protocols that

allow the exchange of short text messages

between fixed line or mobile phone devices.

(Wikipedia)

Short Messaging Service, otherwise known as text messaging, mobile messaging, or

alphanumeric paging is a digital cellular network feature which emerged during the 20th century

and now is widespread enough to be established as a novel genre within the domain of

language and communication.(courtesy:funSMS.net)

Basically a message is meant to be a way of communication or a way to pass on the information

through some sources. Short Message Service or text messaging has paved the way of

transmitting information in a fast and furious way which is time saving, swift and available easily

to everyone now-a-days. SMS is an asynchronous mode of communication as it does not

require receiver to be online simultaneously rather there are lapses of time between replies

(exception is for some latest iphones). It employs writing as means of expression and is

considered unimodel or monomodel in its setting.

4.2 Objective of SMS language

The objective of SMS is to send speedy information while sacrificing the grammar, punctuation,

which has become a habit and acceptance in our culture.

4.3 History of SMS:

SMS is considered to be originated from radio telegraphy in radio memo pagers using

standardized phone protocols. Later, it was defined as part of the Global System for Mobile

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Communications (GSM) series of standards in 1985 as a means of sending messages of up to

160 characters, to and from GSM mobile handsets.

4.4 SMS language:

Wikipedia defines SMS language that,“SMS language or Textese (also known as txtese,

chatspeak, txt, txtspk, txtk, txto, txtk, texting language, txt lingo, or txt talk) is a term

for the abbreviations and slang most commonly used due to the necessary brevity of

mobile phone text messaging, in particular the widespread SMS (short message service)

communication protocol. SMS language is also common on the Internet, including in

email and instant messaging. It can be likened to a rebus, using pictures and single letters or

numbers to represent whole words (e.g. "i <3 u" which uses the pictogram of a heart for love,

and the letter u replaces you).”

We can generally say that the terms ‘text messaging’ or just ‘texting’ refer to the brief typed

messages sent using the SMS (‘short message service’) of mobile/cell phones, PDAs (‘personal

digital assistants’), smart phones or web browsers. This service had developed enough that

there are images, videos and music embedded in text messages to modify the need of

communication.

SMS language emerged in previous century as a complete new language far more deviated

from the traditional grammar stricken language. There is an assumption that SMS language is

patterned according to the age, gender, region and qualification of the people. These are new

dimensions to be studied under the province of discourse analysis and other linguistic studies.

Sms technology has developed so far that the phenomenon of convergence and divergence of

the boundary between social, personal, interpersonal, marketing and broadcast messages is

fused or we can say rather confused.

4.5 Features of SMS language

As compared to the Computer mediated communication, mobile phone technology provides

small equipment eponymously ‘mobile’ that is more affordable among texters as an

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unobtrusive and relatively inexpensive means of communication. As far as language of SMS is

concerned it includes formal and informal features both i.e. the use of written facial expression

(emoticons), the choice of words with amalgamation of numeric and so on. The dominant

features of Sms language are:

Abbreviations Contractions, shortening, clippings Acronym or initialisms code-mixing code-switching Slang Syntactic reductions Accent stylization Asterisk emoting Letter/number homophones Misspellings an typos Emticons Smileys Rebus Onomatopoeic, exclamatory spellings (e.g. haha! arrrgh!

WOOHOO! rahh, ahhh Deletion of parts of speech:

o subject pronouno prepositiono punctuationo articleso copulao auxiliary/model verbso contractionso ignore capitalization

The variation of using words, alphanumeric or acronym depends on the type of

message and also the context of the texter’s time and effort. The representative

keypad of mobile phone is designed in a way that the texter has to type on

‘multitap’ that means to press same key 3-4 times to get the desired alphabet

(not applicable to iphone and 3g phone) and also have to keep in mind the

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character limitation of words to 160 which results in cumbersome,

terse and rude text input. Although a T9 mode that is dictionary mode

is offered in almost all mobiles but the use of type/style is specific to

the texter. With the advent of SMS language a whole new alphabet

emerged because SMS messages took a long time to enter and were

quite abrupt as people attempted to say as much as possible with as

few keystrokes. Abbreviations such as “C U L8er” for “See you later”

sprung up for timesaving and coolness. The use of “smileys” to reduce

the abruptness of the medium and to help indicate the mood of the person in a way that was

difficult with just text became popular.

4.6 Use of Sms language

The product of short space and typing complexity has its users of all ages. From teens to adults,

elders to older ones can be spotted texting everywhere. But the use of texting has increased its

scope to marketing, advertising and commercial field so much that the President of America

Obama was marked using text message to journalists and Democratic Party senators and

supporters to announce his choice of vice-presidential running mate. This act has raised a lot of

questions on the advent and scope of SMS language use.

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Chapter 5

Literature Review:

Being a modern technology based language, SMS language only really went ‘live’ in the mid-

1990s, and it took scholars a while to attend to texting (Thurlow & Poff 2010). Since the early

2000s, however, research from a range of disciplines and a number of countries has been

growing. The increasing work done within this field shows the great interest of the

scholars/researchers to the importance, acceptance and application of texting but

simultaneously much fuss has been made over the dangerous or poisonous nature of SMS

language too.

Carter (2003) research indicated that the computer mediated communication

environment precludes the exchange of nonverbal communication cues normally

present in face-to-face conversations.

Ling (2005) has studied and documented the tenant linguistic characteristics of text

messaging which include infrequent abbreviation (343) and infrequent punctuation and

capitalization (344).

Ling & Baron (2007) created a more specific and thorough list of these and other

linguistic characteristics of SMS language.

Segerstad (2005), Fandrych (2007), and Carter (2003) also opined that SMS language

mimics the spoken word.

Researches on SMS/text language vary from medicine to academics, environmental

development psychology have looked at many dimension like compulsive texting, cyberbullying,

use of texting for patient reminders, texting as library support, as a pedagogical tool, political

campaigning. Within the Cross-cultural contexts, gender and age pattern with reference to

syntactic complex sentences in texts and stylistic techniques has shown a discrepancy to new

vistas. In the Pragmalinguistic contexts, more emphasize is put on stereotypical features

including use of abbreviations (e.g. txt), letter number homophones (e.g. gr8), and non-

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standard spelling (e.g. luv), dropping the closing and opening words, texting as status symbol

and code-switching

Books related to the topic:

1. SMS Language - Text Message Abbreviations: quick reference ebook

2. Txtng: The Gr8 Db8 by David Crystal

3. Language and the Internet by David Crystal

4. A glossary of netspeak and textspeak by David Crystal

5. Computer-mediated communication: linguistic, social, and cross-cultural perspectives by

Susan C. Herring

6. The Language Revolution by David Crystal

7. CyberSociety 2.0: revisiting computer-mediated communication and community by

Steve Jones

8. Always on: language in an online and mobile world by Naomi S. Baron

9. The inside text: social, cultural and design perspectives on SMS by Richard Harper,

Leysia Ann Palen, Alex S. Taylor

10. Email, SMS, MMS: the linguistic creativity of asynchronous discourse in the new media

age by Carmen Frehner

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Chapter 6

Discourse analysis of SMS/text messaging

Sample selection:

For the analysis of SMS/text messaging, I have taken sample from my own friends, their

messages sent to me, my replies to them and also available examples available on Google

image search. The justification for using such online data is to give glimpse at a general

conception of messages overall.

Approaches to be used for text analysis

Gricean maxims

Politeness theory

Code-switching

Ethnography

Psychoanalysis

Analysis:

6.1 Gricean co-operative principle and Maxim’s:

Based on my own corpus of real text messages and some variant online available text iphones

and other messages, Gricean cooperative principle and maxim’s can be analyzed against the

orthographical/typographical practices in these messages. Grice defined the principle of

cooperation as follows: 'during the talk the current stage, you talk to the party as a participant

in your turn-out in the discourse should be in line with common speech recognition goals or

direction.’ Thus the mechanism of text language works under the cooperation principle and its

four basic criteria or maxims to provide its texters socialize in a positive way. A broad analysis of

these messages indicates that these texts bolster three of the key discourse/pragmatics maxims

of Grice which all serves one general principle of ‘sociality’. These being

1. Brevity and speed

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2. Paralinguistic restitution

3. Phonological approximation

6.1.1 Brevity and speed:

First maxim, being a twofold maxim of brevity and speed in manifested in terms of most

commonly used

a) Abbreviations of lexical items ( alphanumeric or including letter number homophones)

b) Relatively minimum use of capitalization and standard, grammatical punctuation (e.g.

commas and spaces between words)

Now if we go for the reasons of such typo reduction, it will be clear that such so-called

discourse is context-based or pragmatically motivated. As I have discussed in introduction that

the limit of an SMS is 160 characters only so the brevity is little dependent on technology

constraints but the option to send as many as messages as texter can send and the SMS

packages at lowest rates minimize this vulnerability of this factor. Under the manifestation of

Grice’s maxim we can analyze the pragmatic or contextual factor of the texter as well. In sample

14, 15, 17 we can see the ease of turn-taking (i.e. back-and-forth exchanges) which is totally

mingled up. There is more fluidity of social interaction but still there are variations in the

reciprocity and response time of the texters because synchronous and asynchronous tools lack

the face-to-face conventions of turn-taking, floor taking and adjacency pairs, with implications

for rate of topic decay, coherence and cohesion, and simultaneous and overlap of messages.

6.1.2 Paralinguistic restitution:

It reasonably seeks to restore the visible loss of such socio-emotional or prosodic features as

stress and intonation, while phonological approximation (e.g. accent stylization) adds to

paralinguistic restitution and creates the kind of playful, informal register appropriate to the

relational orientation of texting. On occasion, the second and third maxims appear to override

the brevity-speed maxim (Spilioti 2009), but in most cases all principles are served

simultaneously and equally. Thus, for the sake of paralinguistic restitution, capitalization (e.g.

WHAZZUP) and multiple punctuation (what???!!!) may be more desirable for texters. Lexical

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items such as ello (‘hello’), goin (‘going’), and bin (‘been’), meanwhile, serve both the need for

abbreviation and phonological approximation.

It is noteworthy here that the texters follow ‘write it as if saying it’ to set up a more informal

register, which in turn helps to do the kind of small-talk and bonding they desire for maximizing

sociality.

6.2 Language play and ethnography and politeness:

‘Besta luck’, ‘boo hoo’ are such playful acts and means on behalf of the texters which they use

to affirm their social identities by deviating from conventional forms; in doing so, they

differentiate themselves (from adults, for example) and align themselves with each other.

Texting facilitates an interesting mix of intimacy and social distance. There develops a relative

anonymity between the sender and the receiver that is universal in its nature because still if

the texters know each other, there are complicated traditional boundaries between private and

public image. The face-saving capacity of this type of anonymity likewise accounts for texters

who send messages to say something they would ordinarily avoid having to say face-to-face,

such as breaking up with a romantic partner or, in the case of our own study, discussing an

unexpected pregnancy. Ling and Yttri (2002:164) have referred it as the ‘culture of concealed

use’ as texting nicely facilitates this kind of co-present exchange, allowing texters to interact

covertly in an immediate and potentially very intimate form of

communication.

Analysis:

In the samples 1-9 and 16 there is syntactic brevity of morphological

items. No punctuation and contraction of words to few letters

conforms to the above discussion. Thus the use of ‘fyr’ in place of

‘fire’, s’’ in place of ‘is’, deletion of ‘e’ at the end of ‘house’, small ‘i’

indicate the texters’ intention to be brief as much as he/she can and

also to restore the paralinguistic features.

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In the sample 14, 15 there is another example of brevity and speed, not morphological but

discourse related. What does ‘pizza tonight?’ has to do alone with the ‘sounds good to us….’

This kind of ellipsis takes form of sentential contraction whose sole aim is to be speedy, less

wordy and more socialize.

6.3 Code-switching:

“In linguistics, code-switching is the concurrent use of more than one language, or language

variety, in conversation” (Wikipedia). People of multi language use the codes and registers of

their own language and amalgamate it with the metalanguage to converse in a new style. This

code-switching is different from other language contact phenomena, such as borrowing, pidgins

and creoles, loan translation (calques), and language transfer (language interference). Now the

question arises that what are the latent reasons to use code-switching or to use multi-

languages in Sms. The answer lies in the paralinguistic features related to the text messaging

i.e. the fluency effect, dominancy maintaining, as a fashion code or to give a intimate relative

anonymity effect. Code mixing is a thematically related term, but the usage of the terms code-

switching and code-mixing varies. Both terms denote the same practice, but still some scholars

apply code-mixing to denote the formal linguistic properties of said language-contact

phenomena, and code-switching to denote the actual, spoken usages by multilingual persons.

Whatever the use is, code-switching relates to, and sometimes indexes social-group

membership in bilingual and multilingual communities. Socio-linguistics describes the

relationships between code-switching behaviors and class, ethnicity, and other social positions.

Analysis:

The exemplified corpus is an example of code-switching, in which

‘challo’ is an Urdu word taken in place of expression of ‘let it go,

well etc’. Such type of code-switching can be interpreted as

fashion symbol or language style/attitude or may be as gaining

approval in a social situation or to show intimacy. In Urdu such

words are used as fillers or habitual terms and its translation in

English also vary within the discourse markers and fillers.

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6.4 Psychoanalysis of the Sms language:

The underlying psyche of texters, with regard to my own corpus, indicates the creative process

of social and personal consciousness of the society and the texters as well. The effect of one

newly developed alpha-numeric and use of symbols within language is not solely bound to a

single region or person or society. Rather it, along with other features, has profound effects on

the cultures, societies and individuals. At individual level, the unconscious mimicking of

symbols, contraction, numeric use, acronyms etc reflects the hidden desire of texters to come

up with the social status level with the peers. Texting in a more irregular or untraditional way

has also made teens and adults a kind of fashion freak which clearly mirrors the core

complexities of human personalities. Other areas discussed under psychoanalysis within the

domain of SMS are text bullying, anger shown via smiley and emoticons (:@ = angry).

Analysis:

The corpus 7 & 8 represent the forwarded messages in its true

terminology. The language and discourse can be interpreted as a

way to persuade and socialize the thought of texter. Regardless of

its typical text message orthographical/typographical form, such

type of text messages reflect the interest and inclination of behavior

of the texter, whereas the reason to forward such messages are to

socialize, motivate, convey own thoughts via quotations, jokes etc,

to peruse some dear one in covert way and so on. In the sample 7,

no spelling consideration ‘semi-column’ states the intellectual level

of the texters as well, as this message has been forwarded through

many mobile holders who are masters level qualified but still no one

has bothered to correct the spelling. It clearly indicates the

indifferent attitude of young ones toward the language and its deterioration.

6.4 Critical Discourse Analysis:

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“The strengths of CDA lie in making connections between social and cultural structures and processes on the one hand, and properties of text on the other” (Fairclough & Wodak, 1997:277).

The social interaction happens within the discursive practices, which produce text, so through

the analysis of text messages; evidence of social practices can be revealed or noted. The

discursive practices are influenced by the situation or environment in which a participant is.

Fairclough (1992) contends that every

discourse instance has three dimensions:

1. either spoken or written text;

2. it is an interaction between people

involving processes of producing and

interpreting the text;

3. Or it is part of social action, and in

some cases, virtually the whole of it.

Copyright © 2008, IGI Global

Within this framework of analyzing Sms/text language, the dimension of discursive practice

upon which texters draw a new style of language is identified and linked to the underlying

power relations, which may be reproduced by the interaction. The production of text draws its

meanings from the social practice and vice versa. Thus the ethnographical practice also deals

with the text within the context of interaction as a part of social action. The production of this

type of new genre is bound to the social production and social conditions of interpreting it.

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6.5 Difference in teen and elderly people’s text language:

My analysis of difference in SMS language according to age pattern couldn’t affirm my assumption but the reason behind can be the lacking of sample as I could avail only one SMS from an elderly person and one from teen. Both were same in contracting the words, although use of ‘x’ which is more modern use occurred in the sample of the teen.

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Chapter 7

SMS/text language as a new genre:

The linguistic and communicative practices of text-messages emerged from a particular

combination of technological affordances, contextual variables and interactional priorities. Thus

SMS/text language came into being as a new hybrid or a creolizing blend of written and spoken

discourse. The kinds of orthographic (or typographic) choices that texters make in their

messages are motivated primarily by pragmatic and communicative concerns. Research focuses

on the linguistic (and orthographic) form of texting; the defining feature of text messages is

ultimately their sociable function. Text-messages are thus communicative events only

superficially recognizable from their look; their real significance (in both semantic and social

terms) lies primarily in their discursive content and communicative intent.

Useful genre-defining feature of texting ot text messages thus lies in typical discursive features:

(a) The comparatively short length of text-messages;

(b) The relative concentration of non-standard typographic markers; and

(c) Their predominantly small-talk content

But it is noteworthy here that these generic and stylistic features are not plenty individually to

characterize texting. If we compare this genre to other formal letters and academic essay they

also com up with chatty features and short length but what makes this language distinctive

genre is its social usefulness in any culture scenario.

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Discussion (Scope or new direction):

I started this project with a passion of a zeitgeist and my analysis embodies the same pattern of

thought at the end. We are living in an age where the diminutive, the brief and the simple are

highly prized in communication. Clearly, texting embodies this zeitgeist. The history of the

development of so-called new communication technologies i.e. IM chat, MUDs ad so on, has

been marked by periods of excessive hype and hysteria about the kinds of cultural, social and

psychological impacts each new technology is likely to have. Study within these technologies

warrant many researches and same is the case with SMS language especially from discourse

analysts and other language and communication scholars. It would be bad luck not to mention

here that US President Barack Obama and his campaign organizers announced his vice-

presidential running mate in August 2008 via text massage. Such use of SMS language in

political discourse as a persuasive content has extended the mental constituency of researchers

to turn and do research in this specific field which has attained so much importance.

I also came in account an example on internet used by President

Bush to warn Iraq by using SMS language including rebus,

contractions and aggressive language. The use of rebus has some

psychoanalytical implications as well. As the use of pictogram

indicate the mental phenomenon of the texter to socialize via

societal terms and conditions. The pictograms used in this text are

universally known (although not all). Such innovation in political

discourse province also accounts for the face-saving strategies as

the pictograms help the texter to deviate the attention of the

reader from the aggressive impression of the text.

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References:

Lee, Carmenforth. Texts and practices of micro-blogging: Status updates on Facebook. In Language in the New Media: Sociolinguistic Perspectives, C. Thurlow and K. Mroczek (eds). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Shortis, Tim 2007a Gr8 txtpectations: The creativity of text spelling. English Drama Media Thompson, Lee and Julie Cupples 2008 Seen and not heard? Text messaging and digital sociality. Social &Cultural Geography 9 (1): 95-108.

http://www.google.com.pk/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=gM6&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=language+attitudes+towards+text-messages+%28SMS%29+in+pakistan&oq=language+attitudes+towards+text-messages+%28SMS%29+in+pakistan&aq=f&aqi=&aql=f&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=3798490l3802672l0l13l13l0l12l0l0l552l552l5-1

http://www.oppapers.com/subjects/does-sms-language-affects-english-language-page1.html

http://kshif01.wordpress.com/

http://www.funsms.net/sms_dictionary.htm

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Appendix:

Transcripts:

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

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10 11 12

13 14 15

16 17 18