Language use in telephone conversations and text messages

Abstract

Language is the means by which human beings communicate with one another, through speech, non-verbal signs and sign language, letters, telegrams, telephone, the internet and now text messages. Texting is revolutionising the means of communication. Similarly the internet has enabled people to reduce the distance between countries. Though few studies have been done regarding this area of communication, nevertheless, it is an area of language which is currently debated by many educationalists and linguists. The first part of this work looks at the earlier invention of the mobile telephone and the ways it is used cross-culturally. A comparison is made between the way people from different cultures answer the telephone and openings of conversations. An inter continental comparison is included as part of the study. This research project also aims at analyzing the language used in text messages by Maltese society. The data was collected from television programmes and analysed qualitatively. This made it possible to come up with detailed descriptions. The study attempts to answer questions such as: Is English or Maltese the preferred language? How is the language being transformed? Is texting having a positive or negative effect? Do the Maltese use the 'T9' dictionary as the path of least resistance? These are some of the questions taken into consideration by the researcher in the observations of text message language. Explanations regarding language are sought in the study regarding this mode of communication.