Thu, 19 Sep 2002
Instant Messaging Style Slips Into Formal Writing
The NY Times reports that teachers are now receiving papers from kids written in an informal style derived from their instant messaging experience. "Teenagers have essentially developed an unconscious "accent" in their typing, Professor Donath said. "They have gotten facile at typing and they are not paying attention."
The larger problem is the erosion of consciousness that this entails, not the inability to distinguish between one form of writing and another. Is this writing a choice, or merely like shifting gears in the car, ie. second nature? I'd expect somebody to be doing research on this soon.
Posted at: 08:36 | permalink
