CollegeFinder Blog

Pseudo-Communicating

May 1, 2008 – 11:47 am by Nick

Technology was supposed to set us free. Bring the world together with the ability to communicate with anyone, anytime. MIT psychologist, Sherry Turkle believes that gadgets are ushering in major linguistic change, dominated by text-messaging or instant-messaging argot. She argues that Western Society is entering the age of “linguistic whateverism”. Texting and blogging have led to the disappearance of punctuation and grammar. Abbreviations overwhelm most of our teenagers conversations (“LOL” this and “ROFLMAO” that). Our most cherished technological leaps have turned into our most atavistic accomplishments.

Naomi Baron, a linguist at American University in Washington, is convinced language does not matter for our culture. We concentrate on speed and output, neglecting structure and substance. “Because language is the primary vehicle for thought, this has consequences.” A “mash-up culture” arises, where original thought is absent. Thinking, writing and speaking in “snippets” is the foundation for irrational, underprepared and undemocratic society.

Yesterday, the Chronicle of Higher Education revealed that 77 percent of high school students, who wrote the ACT examination, were grossly underprepared for college-level work in English, math, reading, and science.

As a first step in the right direction, we present Orwell’s 5 rules for effective writing and Ernest Hemingway’s Top 4 Tips for Writing Well to aid students, preparing for a higher education.

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

*Break any of these rules sooner than saying anything outright barbarous.

 

1. Use short sentences.
2. Use short first paragraphs.
3. Use vigorous English.
4. Be positive, not negative.