The gr8 db8 is a book written by linguist david crystal the title is a logogram which stands for texting. Dont let that the gr8 db8 subtitle fool you theres very little in the wa potential readers should take note of the fact that author david crystal is a professor of linguistics, and so the focus of the book is on the changes be they positive or negative or both that the exponential growth in text messaging may or may not be making to. A linguist finds text messaging nothing to fear, discovers tom lamont. As a linguist, any new communication medium is bound to be interesting, but the interest isnt so much the new abbreviations as the behaviors surrounding texting. If you have access to a journal via a society or association membership, please browse to your society journal, select an article to view, and follow the instructions in this box. The gr8 db8 by david crystal, the author of several linguistics books written for the nonspecialist audience, fills in this gap for the texting aka sms quite nicely.
But its a work that needed to be written, its wholly. Db8 is an entertaining and enlightening discussion of the great debate surrounding the medium. Traces txtng system back to the origins of writing. The gr8 db8 is a book written by linguist david crystal. Crystals answers are convincing, particularly when he quotes clever text message poetry as proof that.
But texting the idea of it, the practice, the mere word sometimes does get peoples goats. With its astounding rise in popularity since 2001, text messaging has been widely deplored as the ruin of teens, language. Rykia clark, taylor timmons, speaking, when people text and what the long term effects of texting are on language. However, i found that just answering inviting texts from a lady are the best motivation. Finally, i must acknowledge the help i have received from friends and colleagues in various parts of the world listed in the appendix who have taken the trouble to compile lists of texting usage in their countries. It is bleak, bald, sad shorthand, writes a commentator in the uk guardian. Some see, for example, the rapid spread of texting as disastrous. The thesis of his book is that far from harming the english language, texting. The worlds best known linguist takes a hard look at txtng. Young people who seem to spend much of their time texting sometimes appear unable. Crystal s answers are convincing, particularly when he quotes clever text message poetry as proof that. Dec 02, 2008 text messages and instant messenger programs have spawned a variety of abbreviations and shortcuts that are sneaking into everyday english. He has written or edited over 100 books and published numerous articles for scholarly, professional, and general readerships, in fields ranging from forensic linguistics and elt to the liturgy and shakespeare.
Access to society journal content varies across our titles. And although the first experimental messages were sent in finland init took five years or more before numbers of users started to build up. I wont say i got all the answers i wanted, but it did help some with the crazy shortcuts. He cites data, both contemporary and historical, to place txtng in a realistic context. David crystal, an extensively published linguist, has written a sane, balanced account of the txtng phenomenon. He comes up with some surprising and controversial conclusions. David crystal this book takes a long hard look at the textmessaging phenomenon and its effects on literacy. One of the truly controversial impacts of the internet and other electronic communication methods has been that upon writing.
And for the most part, david crystal does a wonderful job at that. David crystal quotes two such commentators with relish. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The gr8 db8 by david crystal there is a widely voiced concern that the practice is fostering a decline in literacy. His linguistic sophistication and extensive knowledge of language enables him to provide an insightful analysis. The gr8 db8 from the worlds largest community of readers.
This book takes a long hard look at the textmessaging phenomenon and its effects on literacy, language, and society. Professor david crystal is an eminent linguist and the author of over 100 books on language. The gr8 db8 is a linguists take, as of 2008, on this rapidly evolving and highly intriguing topic. Summarizes that many people generalize texting in a negative way. Crystal points out that 1 similar phenomena have existed throughout english history, 2 many of the reports of linguistic corruption because of texting are overblown or patently untrue. This book is not written by a cranky old man, an exasperated teacher, nor a giggly 15 year old girl twitt. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading txtng. It masks dyslexia, poor spelling, and mental laziness.
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