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May 14, 2008, 01:23 PM ET
OMG, Teens' Online Chatting Is Linguistically Sophisticated
Despite the worries of their parents (and professors), teenagers’ use of language online is surprisingly sophisticated.
That’s the conclusion of two researchers from the University of Toronto, who looked at spoken and IM communications of 72 people ages 15 to 20. Instant messaging represented, they said, “an expansive new linguistic renaissance.”
The research will appear in a future issue of American Speech, and was reported first by New Scientist.
Sali A. Tagliamonte, a professor of linguistics, and Derek Denis, her student, found that instant messages mix up colloquial with formal language, creating a complex hybrid.
What’s more, teenagers are more likely to say “He was like, ‘What’s up?’” than to IM it. Online, their parents may be relieved to know, they tend to type “He said, ‘What’s up?’”—Lila Guterman
Categories: Student-Life, Research
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