Investigating the impact of SMS speak on the written work of English first language and English second language high school learners
Date
2009-03
Authors
Freudenberg, Kristy
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
This study examined the impact of SMS speak on the written school work of English first
language (L1) and English second language (L2) high school learners. The general aims of
the study were to establish how widespread the use of SMS language is among high school
learners, and to assess whether there is any evidence of the use of features of SMS speak in
the English written work of these learners.
Eighty-eight learners from an English-Afrikaans dual medium school in a middle class
neighborhood in the Western Cape participated in this study. The participants included 43
grade 8s and 45 grade 11s, of which 51 were English L1 speakers and 37 English L2
speakers. The participants completed questionnaires from which the frequency and volume
of their SMS use was determined, as well as the features of SMS speak they reportedly use
while SMSing. In addition, samples of the learners’ English written work were examined
for specific features of SMS speak. These features included (deliberate) spelling errors,
lack of punctuation, over-punctuation, the omission of function words, the use of
abbreviation or acronyms, and the use of emoticons and rebus writing.
The results of this study indicate that high school learners are avid users of SMS and/or
MXit. All participants reported using features of SMS speak in their SMSes, and many
reported using SMS speak in their written school work. Despite this, the samples of written
work did not contain a great number of incidences of SMS speak features. It seems that the
general lack of SMS speak in the written work of these learners is a result of being able to
assess when it is and is not appropriate to use a certain variety of language: These learners
are proficient in SMS speak and use it when chatting to friends on MXit, but they can
produce written work that adheres to the formally approved standards of written high
school English. That said, a number of SMS speak features were indeed present in their
formal written work, which indicates that SMS speak had some impact on the written work
of these learners, which could in turn be attributed to the high frequency of their SMS
usage. However, not all of the non-standard features of their written English could
necessarily be attributed to the influence of SMS speak; specifically some of the spelling
and punctuation errors could be unrelated to SMS speak, as they have been noted in the
written English of high school learners from before the advent of cellphones.
The learners in this study were from a school that has a strict language policy, one which
does not tolerate the use of SMS speak in written work. Seven of the teachers completed a
questionnaire compiled for all teachers at the school in question. Responses to this
questionnaire, especially those of the language teachers, indicated that teachers either
deduct marks for features of SMS speak in written language or refuse to mark written work
that does not conform to the formally approved standards that the school has set in place. It
is possible that the actions of the teachers and the language policy of the school play a
significant role in the lack of SMS speak features in the written language use of the
learners.
Description
Thesis (MPhil (General Linguistics))--Stellenbosch University, 2009.
Keywords
SMS language, High school learners, Dissertations -- Linguistics, Theses -- Linguistics