The internetization of human communications has offered different ways of expression to mankind.
People from different backgrounds and sensibilities interact with one another through various social media platformsmay or may not be known to another but what is common between them is an informal, contracted, abbreviated and acronym based language.
This newly evolved language uses various emoticons and emojis for expression and over the years it has penetrated into business, marketing and sales.
A broken heart emoji conveys that it’s sender is sad for some reason, an emoticon of a smiling face depicts that it’s sender is in a happy state. Similarly, acronyms like BTW , AMA, LOL, K and B2B stand for By The Way, Ask Me Anything, Laugh Out Loud, OK and Business to Business respectively.The list of these emoticons, emojis, acronyms and slang words is unending.
Impact of social media language on children
What is the impact of this new internet or social media language on children in the age group from 1 to 16?
According to the language experts, the impact is positive as well negative depending on how and where such communications are executed.
Linguists and academicians urge parents and teachers for helping children to differentiatebetween where they can use this informal language and where they have to use a formal language.
Dr Sajad Hussain Wani, Assistant Professor, Department of Linguistics at University of Kashmirtold Rising Kashmir that the language of virtual media allows children to express themselves following ease of articulation and principle of economy.
He said contracted or acronym based language saves time and space though it doesn’t follow formal rules.
“This new code which is getting evolved can’t be negated in totality. We shouldhelp children to distinguish it from formal language,” he said, adding “children should be made aware not to mix the two languages as the mixing of two creates awkwardness.”
Academician, Masood Ali Mir, said that virtual world is a truth and criticising it is tantamount to criticising truth.
“We can’t deny children their right to express through virtual media ,” he said, adding that parents and teachers have a responsibility to guide children how to and where to use this language.
He added that for expressing love to a friend a heart emoji will convey that sentiment but when same emotion is to be conveyed for a mother the children may be asked for sending emoji of feet.
He added that some emojis are inappropriate in our setting.“ As parents or teachers, we should discourage using such emojis,it can lead children to addiction and sway them to different directions.”
