Years ago, before the advent of the social media, and shorthand form of ‘English writing,’ communications via phone, fax and mails were simple and refined.
In this special report, Correspondent, Daniel Ezeigwe takes a look at how the social media has badly influenced spoken and written English.
Those who were privileged to have communicated through the pre-social media platforms found their communication skills in writing simple and understandable languages.
Things like ‘hw r u’ for ‘how are you’ and ‘I luv u’ to mean ‘I love you’ were not only non-existent but a ‘taboo.’
Unfortunately, these have become an acceptable way of writing today, and especially among the younger ones, as the real values of writing and communication are gradually going extinct.
It is sad that most users of this ‘unrefined’ communication patterns have infused them into formal and more serious conversations.
So it has become somewhat usual to come across a note that ought to convey seriousness bearing these shorthand English, and even in conversations as serious and sacred as examinations, job applications and interviews, these addictive unforgivable errors still exist.
In her reaction, Mrs Stella Okunna, a Professor of Mass Communication at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, said parents who adore originality, and respect the sanctity of Communication, should not encourage their children to write in such manner.
Professor Okunna, attributed the development to laziness amongst the followers of this trend, mostly the youths and desire to be among the social media elites who control the heat, the atmosphere of the social networking platforms.
There should be concerted efforts towards discouraging this unhealthy form of communication as we owe the upcoming emerging generation a strong duty to protect the values of communication to protect their future .
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