UAE | General
Languages evolve to keep pace with changing times
Millions of text messages fly around the world every day, and most people Gulf News spoke to said they were guilty of using the abbreviations.
- Gulf News Report
- Published: 00:19 May 23, 2008
- Image Credit:
- If there is e-government, e-commerce, e-banking, the inevitable must happen: e-language.
Dubai: If there is e-government, e-commerce, e-banking, the inevitable must happen: e-language.
Yes, we have already seen the evolution of the English language from Elizabethan English during the era of Shakespeare to modern English used today. And we have witnessed that revolution called Americanism.
As the world becomes smaller with the means of communications undergoing a mini revolution with each passing day, it is but natural that a language would evolve to communicate that must faster. Purists might cringe, but the language is changing because of communication devices @ ur fingertips.
Millions of text messages fly around the world every day, and most people Gulf News spoke to said they were guilty of using the abbreviations. Is this the language of the future? May be, may be not. But for the moment this is the lingo most often used to communicate in today's fast paced world.
According to Belinda Palubiski, English Faculty at Dubai Men's College (DMC), the use of abbreviated forms of the English language dates back to the early 1970s.
The language developed further with the advent of the internet chat rooms, where users would abbreviate some words to allow quick responses. The trend became even more pronounced with SMSs (short messaging service).
Palubiski said she spots a couple of messaging-related errors in her work, the most common one being 'u' for the word you. "Language must change to survive," Palubiski said. "Because Latin didn't change, the language died."
And if you log into an Arabic chat room you might be puzzled. A native English speaker would not understand a word, but neither would a traditional Arabic speaker. It is often referred to as Arabenglish or Arabizi by young Arabs. So do u use the new lingo?
Are you a frequent text messager? Has this caused languages to become corrupted? Give us examples of how text language has invaded every day language? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com
More from UAE General
More from UAE
Latest news
- Tracks to be laid on recycled material
- Golden Hour crucial to a patient's survival
- Opening show worthy of UAE
- Sun is shining on prospects for solar power
- Artists focus on craftsmanship
- World leaders committed to supporting civilians
- Schools open a new page in teaching English
- Special parking to help disabled tourists
- Helping hand surgeons have long sought
- Blind woman lights up corridors of power
- In Mind
- At times, I think of committing suicide
- Designer of a creative haven
- Fund to help Dubai taxi drivers' families
- New life-saving fleet of vehicles
Community Reports
-
Warming up to ‘Mobilise the Earth' theme
Dubai school dedicates a whole week to celebrating Earth Day with can-collection drives, sapling plantation and painting competition among others
-
Drivers using mobiles put others' lives at risk
Speeding is dangerous for the driver and other motorists
-
Supporting the needy with food supplies
Group of families engaged in serving isolated labour community hopes to motivate more people to help underprivileged and hungry
-
Leukaemia boy granted wish to meet footballer
Emirati meets hero Al Qahtani, Al Ain team
