Clive Thompson’s “The New Literacy” brings to us the idea that even though technology has broken down the English language to short hand and slang; it has actually made people today more proficient at writing. Thompson brings up the work of Andrea Lunsford who is of the opinion that “we’re in the midst of a literacy revolution the likes of which we haven’t seen since the Greek civilization” (par 4). Both Thompson and Lunsford believe that due to technology we are going through a new renaissance in writing because people are witting more with like twitter, MySpace and face book texting also factors into this. Lunsford calls this life writing because most of the writing that is done in these mediums are updates on an individual’s life from their own perspective. Thompson believes that because of the amount of exposure these types of writing get, due to being on the internet, that the writing done today is the closest that we have come to open public conversation like that of the Greeks. Thompson then goes on to explain that because people are writing in a public medium that these writers have become masters of kairos- the ability to understand who you are writing to and how to adapt to that audience. Thompson concludes that the internet and the new hyper exposed public forum are pushing literacy into new and exciting directions. It’s almost like these short hand writing styles are becoming a whole new language unto themselves. We can take a look at all of the commonly accepted abbreviations that have come from this style of writing such as LOL, BRB, ROFL, even things like ;) and XP that make expressions. Most of these short hand messages are understood and accepted in today’s culture. It kind of makes me wonder that if by speeding up the way that we communicate are we also speeding up the way that language evolves? I can agree with both Thompson and Lunsford in that technology is pushing the boundaries of language, literacy, and communication but at what point is it going to stop. If we continue on the path we have chosen one day we will look back and realize that we are communicating in a completely different language that the one we started out with. In retrospect though hasn’t this always been the way language has behaved? I think the thing that interests me the most is that the core vocabulary of our language is so slow to change its like the rock that holds our ability to communicate steadfast in its place, but the meanings of that vocabulary are the things that change from culture to culture and slang slang. Let’s take a look at the word fag for instance in Europe it is a commonly accepted term for a cigarette but here in the states it is a derogatory term for a homosexual. It also seems like every generation has its own form of slang. Even slang has redefined itself over the years for example in the 60’s people used the term ball as in it’s a ball or it is fun/ it’s a good time. The term later became a slang term for having sex. Or the term bag which then meant to steal, but now is used more in the way that you got something like I bagged a deer last week when I was hunting. I guess when it comes down to it language is going to continue to change and evolve over the course of time regardless of what anyone does so we might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.
Clive Thompson’s “The New Literacy” brings to us the idea that even though
ReplyDeletetechnology has broken down the English language to short hand and slang; it has actually made
people today more proficient at writing. Thompson brings up the work of Andrea Lunsford who
is of the opinion that “we’re in the midst of a literacy revolution the likes of which we haven’t
seen since the Greek civilization” (par 4). Both Thompson and Lunsford believe that due to
technology we are going through a new renaissance in writing because people are witting more
with like twitter, MySpace and face book texting also factors into this. Lunsford calls this life
writing because most of the writing that is done in these mediums are updates on an
individual’s life from their own perspective. Thompson believes that because of the amount of
exposure these types of writing get, due to being on the internet, that the writing done today is
the closest that we have come to open public conversation like that of the Greeks. Thompson
then goes on to explain that because people are writing in a public medium that these writers
have become masters of kairos- the ability to understand who you are writing to and how to
adapt to that audience. Thompson concludes that the internet and the new hyper exposed
public forum are pushing literacy into new and exciting directions.
It’s almost like these short hand writing styles are becoming a whole new language unto
themselves. We can take a look at all of the commonly accepted abbreviations that have come
from this style of writing such as LOL, BRB, ROFL, even things like ;) and XP that make
expressions. Most of these short hand messages are understood and accepted in today’s
culture. It kind of makes me wonder that if by speeding up the way that we communicate are
we also speeding up the way that language evolves? I can agree with both Thompson and
Lunsford in that technology is pushing the boundaries of language, literacy, and communication
but at what point is it going to stop. If we continue on the path we have chosen one day we
will look back and realize that we are communicating in a completely different language that
the one we started out with. In retrospect though hasn’t this always been the way language
has behaved?
I think the thing that interests me the most is that the core vocabulary of our language is so
slow to change its like the rock that holds our ability to communicate steadfast in its place, but
the meanings of that vocabulary are the things that change from culture to culture and slang
slang. Let’s take a look at the word fag for instance in Europe it is a commonly accepted term for
a cigarette but here in the states it is a derogatory term for a homosexual.
It also seems like every generation has its own form of slang. Even slang has
redefined itself over the years for example in the 60’s people used the term ball as in it’s a ball
or it is fun/ it’s a good time. The term later became a slang term for having sex. Or the term bag
which then meant to steal, but now is used more in the way that you got something like I bagged
a deer last week when I was hunting. I guess when it comes down to it language is going to
continue to change and evolve over the course of time regardless of what anyone does so we
might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.