What is the relationship between our spoken language and the language we use when we text?
There is a clear relationship between the way we speak and the way we communicate when we text, both relate to each other and both differ to each other, due to the fact that their main function is to communicate in real-time between individuals, share a range of similar linguistic features. Not only is ‘text-speak’ influenced by the linguistic effects we use when we speak, but also some modern speech is influenced by the way we text and initially what we text.
In spoken language, we use omissions in speech for various reasons to initially add further effect and to remove words from sentences so it its true meaning . This is dependent on who the person using them is and where they are from. “got sent out” This quote is an example of a sentence where the “I” has been removed from the sentence to have an overall effect on the speakers. Due the word “I” being removed from the sentence it signifies to me that the speakers know each other very well and there is no need for the speaker to use the word “I” as they both will understand what the sentence means even though some words have been omitted form it. This also relates to texting. In texting we would use omissions when we write as it is a more efficient way and much faster way to initially text. In both spoken language and in text language omissions are used on several occasions to either add effect or to just simply speed up a conversation.
In spoken language we use repetition for several reasons, either to emphasise a point or to show how much it doesn’t affect the speaker that is experiencing the use of repetition. For example during a conversation a speaker repeated the word “and what” in order to show how the facts and information being thrown at him didn’t affect him in any way, so instead of using factual information he repeated the word “and what” to make it seem like he doesn’t care and he doesn’t need facts to be ahead in the conversation. In many cases the speaker would repeat a specific word to show that they are dominant participant and are initially the leader of this conversation. Another possible reason why the speaker would use repetition in a conversation is due to the fact that in many cases they have nothing to comeback with and initially fail to provide a factual answer so are then forced to repeat what they are saying to make it look like a point. However in normal speech repetition can be possibly used to make a point seem stronger and to give power to the speaker. In text language we use repetition to show that the speaker is the leader as using repetition can signify that the speaker isn’t bothered to text or they are repeating a point to make it seem stronger.
Idiomatic phrases are used for several reasons in both text language and spoken language to create humour and add more effect and emphasis. “Going to the docks” This idiomatic phrase is widely used in our school to signify that we are going sailing and are going down to the docks for lessons pr activities however if this idiomatic phrase was to be used outside of school many people would not understand what it means, making this phrase “Going to the docks” an idiomatic phrase as its true meaning is only known by a certain number of people. In text language we use idiomatic phrases such as “You going corams” this idiomatic phrase is also widely used by a certain number of people to show that we are going to play football or if you are going to play football. However if this idiomatic phrase was used outside with different people it would not be understood at all and its true meaning will not be known. This at the same time can be effective and humorous as only some people will know about it and in some cases making it an inside joke
abbreviations are used in both text language and spoken language to shorten a word and add more effect to the speaker. In this case the word “Al right” has been shortened to “Ight” to add more effect and to show a much quicker way of saying the word without having to say all of it, this is okay to use when talking to someone the same age as the speaker as they will understand the abbreviated word and will know what it means. Abbreviations such as L.O.L are used to show how humorous a sentence is, in spoken language the word L.O.L is used to signify laughter and the amount of effect it is having on the speaker, this relates back to text language as using the word L.O.L so many times can cause the speaker to use the abbreviation when speaking. The way in which the speaker texts or speaks the abbreviated word can suggest where they are from and who they are, for example the word “Ight” is widely used with people aged 13-21,this shows us that it is used by teenagers and is common around teens.
emoticons are widely used in texting to express the emotion of the speaker and is used to show their mood at the moment of sending that emoji. The emoji🙂 is commonly used to show that the speaker is in a happy mood, these emoticons are used to express facial expression and in this scenario it is used to show how happy the person is. In other cases emojis like this !!! are used to signify laughter and are used to exaggerate how humorous a word/sentence is, this relates to paralinguistic features in text as it adds further effect and exaggerates its overall meaning, either through adding an emoticon that signifies laughter in a much more exaggerated way or adding an emoticon that signifier’s anger in also a much more exaggerated way. However in spoken language we do not require the need of emoticons as emoticons itself were first facial expressions which were then converted into emojis in text form to add further meaning and exaggeration.
Paralinguistic features are widely used in spoken language for everyday usage such as an alter in voice tone could suggest how angry someone is or how friendly someone is, facial expressions could signify the mood of a person, whereas hand gestures can be used for exaggeration and can be used to show feeling and the way in which someone is saying something. In text language, paralinguistic features are commonly used to perform the same act and meaning as they do in spoken language, for example, the word “GET OUT” is used in texting to over exaggerate the overall meaning of the word “Get out” and to make it seem that the person saying/writing it is in a angered mood, making the full capital letters a perfect example of anger being portrayed. In spoken language we also use paralinguistic feature to exaggerate a point, such as when we are talking to someone and we alter our voice, we do that to show anger and emotion. The things that we do when we speak are being portrayed through exaggeration in text such as when we are with the score in a football match we tend to portray our anger through either shouting and raising the tone of our voice or putting an angry emoji through texting
To conclude, the words we write when we text and the things we say when we speak I can make an overall judgement. In spoken language we use paralinguistic features to either exaggerate speech such as raising your voice, or to ass extra to one thing such as hand gestures. In text language we use emoticons to signify how the person using the emoji is feeling. Also in spoken language we use repetition to either repeat a point over and over or to make the repeated word seem like its a point or a argument when it is not really one. In both spoken langue and text language we use abbreviations to shorten a word such as Laugh Out Loud to L.O.L and many more reasons. These language features and many more are used in everyday life and will still be used in the future.
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