Txt lingo aint so bad, innit

DISCARD YOUR TEXTING misconceptions now – SMS is responsible for neither bad spelling nor moral decay.

Leading linguistic academic David Crystal says text messaging yoof may be improving their spelling, by experimenting with the form.

His report: Txting: the gr8 db8, argues: "Almost every basic principle that people hold about texting turns out to be misconceived,” he explains.

According to Crystal’s research, misspelling isn't universal, as lengthy analysis shows that only 10 per cent of words used in texts are mis-spelt and 80 per cent of these are sent by businesses and adults, not by children at all.

Crystal told the Guardian there is no evidence that texting teaches people to spell badly at all. In fact, kids who text more frequently turn out to be more literate and better spellers – they have enhanced their ability to manipulate language.

The main problem is that people have always had a fear of technology, and the impact it could have on language. Texting is just the latest in a long line of technology thought to disrupt the English language.

Crystal said, "What people are really worried about is a new generation gaining control of what they see as their language." µ