Txtng is killing language. JK!!! by Jhon McWhorter (2013)

TED Talks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmvOgW6iV2s ​

When one thinks about texting, one thinks of written words typed on a cell phone, and of teenagers and young adults today. Technology is so ingrained in today’s society that to the younger generations, texting shorthand and having conversations without verbally speaking is the norm. The younger generations have, and still are, growing up with technology while technology is developing alongside humanity. Words like “LOL” and “hashtag” are so common, that one can not only see it being used in texting, but also in everyday speech. Some see this as the decline of humanity’s literacy, but it may not actually be what they suspect. John McWhorter, in his TED talk “Txtng is Killing Language. JK!!!” brings to light a whole new understanding of this supposed decline of literacy. McWhorter’s TED talk clarifies that today’s communication technology has not caused literacy to decrease; it has actually allowed humanity to grow as a society and as a result, a new language has appeared in the form of texting..

Technology is a growing field in today’s society. Technology has become a major factor in the way human society is run. Stocks are controlled through computers, millions of emails are sent out every day, many people would go through their daily life lost without their smartphones, and many people’s lives would become much more difficult than it is with all of the helpful gizmos and gadgets available to everyday people. This large reliance on technology for some is simply a fact of everyday life, but to others, it is a threat to human society. Literacy is one aspect that some believe is threatened by technology, specifically the use of cell phones and texting. Niall Ferguson, in his article “Texting Makes U Stupid,” discusses one of society’s fears about texting. Ferguson states that, due to texting, “half of today’s teenagers don’t read books – except when they’re made to” (Ferguson 11). Ferguson is voicing society’s concern that texting may be causing literacy in the younger generations to slowly decrease. This concern seems to have amplified as time has gone by due to the way that the relationship between technology and culture has developed.

This technology culture is what McWhorter indirectly addresses in his TED talk. McWhorter is a linguist and a professor at Columbia. As an author of several books on language and race, including What Language Is (And What It Isn’t and What It Could Be), McWhorter studies “how language has evolved – and will evolve – with social, historical and technological developments” (“John McWhorter”). With his past research, McWhorter explains in his TED talk that texting is not bad writing. It isn’t even writing. Texting is a form of “fingered speech” (Txtng is Killing Language. JK!!! 5:20). McWhorter states that it is a new language all in itself, and it has developed alongside of technology and texting.

To persuade his audience that texting is a whole new language, McWhorter uses the personal credentials, or more generally an ethos, proof. McWhorter’s credentials are made apparent simply uses the high reputation of TED talks to persuade viewers that he knows what he is talking about when he presents to them. Indirectly, McWhorter is using TED’s and his own personal credentials to help prove his point about texting as a new language. This “credentials” proof of ethos is the use of authoritative or knowledgeable sounding credentials, luring the viewer to the conclusion that this source is legitimate and knows what it is talking about. The most obvious use of this proof is the fact that McWhorter is voicing his ideas on a TED talk. TED talks are very well known and have a great reputation. One Forbes article explains that the TED philosophy is simplicity and authenticity, and if one “combine(s) both with a remarkable TEDx organizer and speaker… one get(s) the 18 minute presentation equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster” (Fidelman 1). TED talks are so well known that if one goes to one, one expects an amazing speaker with a well-thought out and legitimate presentation, and McWhorter uses this credibility to help prove his point.