Text Language And The Education Sytem

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Most of us in the Caribbean speak an English Creole as our first language.  Despite this, we are expected, and sometimes forced, to speak and write a standard form of English in formal situations, such as what occurs in the classroom. As a result, we are likely to learn a standard, Caribbean English as our second language. However, this process has become more challenging with the influence and interference of text language which has seeped into formal writing and expression. Text language is an abbreviated form of jargon and or vernacular which has gained acceptance by users of various social media platforms. It is widely utilized by users of cellular phones to communicate with each other. Some educators refer to the process of development which all second language learners experience as interlanguage. Interlanguage includes some forms of the second language, with a mixture of other structures from the first language as well as from environmental influences. Ever since the increase of Social Media, such as Twitter, WhastApp, Facebook and Instagram among others, many of our students have been using text language for academic purposes.  This development should be a cause for concern not only for educators, but the wider society since many students who regularly use text language will sooner or later not realize or know when to “draw the line” and conform to formal language.  The widespread usage of text language in formal communication and expression also serves as a barrier to communication. In many instances there is a disconnect between the intended message of the writer and how the reader interprets that message. The period of adolescence is a time of exploration.  However, our youngsters, for the most part have not fully yet developed their language competencies and therefore the flexibility with which adults can use both forms of the language is not afforded to them.  Additionally, text language has become trendy among teenagers, and at that phase of their development there is a strong will to feel a sense of belonging.   It bears thought that as a society, we need to revisit our efforts in safeguarding the language of our people in order to ensure that our youngsters are prepared to continue the journey toward sustainable development. With the proliferation of social media we might not be able to eradicate text language usage; however, we can slow its progression by making a conscious effort not to be a part of this new wave of short-handed communications method.
Wayne Campbell
waykam@yahoo.com
Twitter@WayneCamo

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