Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL Number 5. July 2019. Pp.65-75
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/call5.6
The Impact of Texting on Standard English: The Students’ Perspective
Jamal Kaid Mohammed Ali
Department of English, College of Arts, University of Bisha
Bisha, Saudi Arabia
S. Imtiaz Hasnain
Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Arts, Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh, India
M. Salim Beg
Department of Electronics Engineering, Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh, India
Abstract
Overindulgence in social networking, in general, and texting, in particular, is much in practice. It is cutting across various population boundaries and has almost assumed an endemic proportion. Its consequential impact on the standard language has acquired greater importance. This paper aims to determine the perceptions and attitudes of English Second Language (ESL) learners at Aligarh Muslim University towards the consequences of texting on Standard English. The data were collected through a five-point scale questionnaire from ninety students who were enrolled at Aligarh Muslim University during the academic year 2010-2011. The respondents completed a 16-item questionnaire. The students from which the data were collected were grouped according to their levels. The results indicate the negative impact of this new usage of the language in breaking the rules of English language and influencing their literacy. Moreover, the questionnaire results from respondents’ point of view show that regardless of their heavy use of texting, most respondents have a negative attitude towards texting and they viewed it as a threat to Standard English.
Keywords: attitudes, consequences, negative impact, Standard English, texting
Cite as: Ali, J. K. M., Hasnain, S. I., & Beg, M.S. (2019). The Impact of Texting on Standard English: The Students’ Perspective. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL (5). 65-75 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/call5.6