Paper 1

Rationale
The type of written text that I have chosen to produce is a letter to the editor, I have chosen to produce not only one letter but two so that I may be able to not only shine light on the matter of texting but to also be able to discuss the topic with contradicting view points. By using structural and stylistic conventions such as powerful adjectives, rhetorical questions, emotive language, evidence to support and a clear introduction and conclusion will help enhance the viewpoints. The first letter will be from the perspective of a school teacher who is against texting and views it as a negative subject. However in the second letter, the perspective will be from a second person who is a part of the youth of today and views texting as a positive subject. As both letters either hold a positive or negative perspective, the targeted audience will be someone who reads Times magazine and will either possess a positive or negative view on the subject of texting. The intended purpose of the letters is to show both viewpoints of both perspectives and to explain how texting has impacted both, along with explaining the insight into how texting affects language and technology.

Is Texting Killing the English Language? People have always spoken differently from how they write, and texting is actually talking with your fingers By John McWhorter
Dana Farah
18 October 2014
To The Editor,
Having seen your article last week in Times Magazine, I was absolutely disgusted by the fact that “textspeak” has been seen as a rich and complex “spoken” language. Never in my thirty years of teaching have I ever come across such a vile and ghastly “language”.
Do you think it is acceptable for the youth of today's generation to be looked down upon and be seen as unintelligent, just because this so called textspeak has affected their lingual ability to not only accept new words but to also encourage unconstrained language. As a teacher I see it as such a disappointment due to the fact that, the students who use abbreviated words and sentences are wasting their time and talent. By using such elements of text speak they are damaging their chances to express themselves through their writing. In the end where will it take them? Certainly not to Harvard, Brown or Duke; no they will end up working at some fast food restaurant that only pays them minimal wage and will have no problem with their vulgar use of language!
I will not stand by and allow such a language to surpass the divine english language. The youth of today does not have enough common sense to see the destruction that their language is inflicting on both themselves and society. I agree with the statement “Texting is developing its own kind of grammar” that is displayed in your article as it is very true, everyday before I start my lessons I ask my students to write one paragraph about any topic they desire. When I grade them, I am generally completely stunned by what is presented to me as most of the papers lack capital letters, basic grammatical knowledge, punctuation and in general, it is written in a sloppy manner. Is this the way you want the youth to continue on? Would you want your children to end up having a constricted future? I am one hundred percent positive that this is not what you want, so let's minimize the use of this language and bring back the language that was once seen as breathtaking.
I would appreciate it if my words were taken into consideration and that the youth of today and society finally open their eyes and see the real damage being caused here. I will never stop trying to prove and display the issues I uphold with the outrageous use of textspeak within the educational facility and throughout the world. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion in the end, many people believe that textspeak is just a temporary phase that we will overcome in time, or a phase that we gradually continue to develop and will eventually turn into a new from of modern jargon, I for one hope that it is a temporary phase that within due time will be surpassed by standard english.
-Sincerely Dana Farah

Is Texting Killing the English Language? People have always spoken differently from how they write, and texting is actually talking with your fingers By John McWhorter
Dana Farah
18 October 2014
To The Editor,
Having seen your article last week in Times Magazine, I was very ecstatic as you finally discussed the topic everyone has been causing controversy about, texting. You did not beat around the bush, no you simply got to the point which is that texting has gotten and continues to be a rich and complex “spoken” language, as stated by John McWhorter.
I use textspeak all the time in order to communicate with my friends, as it is something that we are fluently associated with, I see textspeak as a second language to me as after standard English it is my another language form that I associate with. I personally get a little bit aggravated when society say's that textspeak affects our ability to perform well in school just because we are comfortable with using textspeak, do you think that is fair? As part of the younger generation I can say that we are all able to distinguish between textspeak and standard english when it comes to writing tests or essays, it is rare when someone can not but I will admit to the fact that sometimes we do tend to accidentally apply textspeak into our work without realizing.
People need to realize that texting its self is “its own kind of grammar” as you stated, and that although we do not use proper capital letters, punctuation or write it in a presentable format ,we the younger generation, use a code that is mostly separate from the English language. Even if by the end of the day textspeak is not accepted into society, I personally find it useful and I hope that one day it transforms into a modern day jargon.
- Sincerely Dana Farah

Bibliography:

• Myers, Jennifer. "Texting Affects Ability to Interpret Words." Home. University of Calgary, 17 Feb. 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2014. <http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/utoday/february17-2012/texting>
• "How Does Texting Influence the English Language?" How Does Texting Influence the English Language? N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2014. <https://www.englishforums.com/content/resources/how-does-texting-influence-the-english-language.htm>
• McWhorter, John. "Is Texting Killing the English Language? | TIME.com." Ideas Is Texting Killing the English Language Comments. Times Magazine, 25 Apr. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2014. <http://ideas.time.com/2013/04/25/is-texting-killing-the-english-language/>

Rationale

Rationale

The type of written text that I have chosen to produce is a letter to the editor, I have chosen to produce this type of text so that I may be able to not only shine light on the matter of texting but to also be able to state my opinion on the topic it's self. The perspective this response it being written will be from a person who finds the topic of texting interesting and is fascinated by the discussion going around whether it is a negative or positive impact on language. The targeted audience will be the reader of the Time's magazine. The intended purpose of the response is to display the different opinions going around about texting, and to not only explain my thoughts and opinions but to also be able to show just exactly how this particular topic effects the world and everyone on it. The context of this particular piece of writing will contain both social and historical settings. The social setting will explain the modern day perception of the topic and the historical setting will the explain the older perception of the topic . I intend to explore particular aspects of both the topic and the text by communicating the explanation of how different people view the affect of texting on the younger generation and around the world, but most importantly I want to be able to explain an insight into how texting affects language and technology. The structure and stylistic conventions of type of text I have chosen to emulate are:

* Rhetorical questions

* Powerful adjectives

* Emotive language

* Evidence to support

*Clear introduction and conclusion

Written Task 1

Is Texting Killing the English Language? People have always spoken differently from how they write, and texting is actually talking with your fingers By John McWhorter

Dana Farah

18 October 2014

Dear editor,

Having seen your article in Times Magazine, It was fascinating to read about the discussion that has caused controversy around the world, along with the argument of whether or not texting has a negative or positive impact on language. John McWhorter believes that over the years texting as gotten and continues to be a rich and complex “spoken” language, he actually defines texting as fingered speech. He says that we can now thanks to texting write the way we talk, it is seen as interesting and yet it is easy to see a sort of decline in it. McWhorter states that we are able to see the loose structure and the lack of consideration towards using capital letters or punctuation, and yet he justifies it in a way by saying “No one thinks about capital letters or punctuation when one texts, but then again, do you think about those things when you talk? No, and so therefore why would you when you were texting?”

Texting has caused a revolution through out the world, due to fact that now because of technology such as laptop's, tablets and phones we are able to write as we are talking. In the past around 5,500 years ago, writing was invented and was seen as prolonged and predetermined whereas talking was seen as prompt and subconscious, and they still are till this day. Over the years texting has developed it's very own grammar and usage which eventually has led to the creation of 'text speak', now you may be wondering what is 'textspeak'?. Text speak is the language of texting, it is a language that the younger generation use and are quite fluent in as they use it everyday in order to communicate with their friends. Now this is when the controversy of the subject begin's as many people believe because the younger generation are so comfortable with using ' text speak' it causes them to perform poorly at school which aggravates school teachers, whereas other people argue that ' text speak' does not fully effect the students performance in school.

Multiple researchers have researched the effect of textspeak and the results have comeback both positive and negative. The negative effects have been that textspeak has effected people's lingual ability to not only accept new words but to also encourage not limited language. In general teachers are the main ones that claim to have a serious issue with this form of writing as they say that students who use abbreviated words and sentences are wasting their time and that by using such elements of text speak they are corrupting and damaging their chances to express themselves through their writing. The main issue is that the students have been using inappropriate punctuation, grammar and abbreviations. On the bright side of this controversy there have been many studies that have proven that textspeak is not as horrible as everyone makes it out to be. In 2006 two professors conducted a study at Coventry University in Britain, the results displayed that 11 year olds who were able to easily switch between textspeak and standard English actually were greater in both writing and spelling.

I have come to the conclusion that although there has been controversy revolving this specific subject, I see textspeak as a positive effect on the younger generation, as to me personally I see that textspeak has no effect on standard English. As part of the younger generation I can say that we are all able to distinguish between textspeak and standard english when it comes to writing tests or essays, it is rare when someone can not but I will admit to the fact that sometimes we do tend to accidentally apply textspeak into or work with out realizing. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion in the end, many people believe that textspeak is just a temporary phase that we will overcome in time, or a phase that we gradually continue to develop and will eventually turn into a new from of modern jargon.

Texting...

After taking the words of Crystal and McWhorter into consideration, I have come to the conclusion that both of these linguists support the fact that texting is not as negative as people may think.

David Crystal stated that “Texting is a startling modern phenomenon” , he also states that text speak is a language that mainly associates with a younger generation and although it has caused controversy among many and discussions have been held around the fact that it is seen as “thin and unimaginative... mask (ing) dyslexia, poor spelling and mental laziness” others view it as “communicatively adept, having linguistic creativity” People that associate with the younger generation do not purposely use “ textspeak” as an excuse of laziness or the incapability to spell, it is just an easier form for them to turn to as they have gotten used to using it. Now don't go starting to think that just because they are used to using “textspeak” that means that they must use that form of language at school whilst writing essay's or tests, no they actually now when is the right time to use it . Crystal also adds in the fact that he is fascinated by the fact that he views “textspeak” as a “manifestation of human ability” not only that but also that he is interested in evaluation of texting.

John McWhorter defines texting as fingered speech. He says that we can now thanks to texting write the way we talk, it is seen as interesting and yet it is easy to see a sort of decline in it. McWhorter states that we are able to see the loose structure and the lack of consideration towards using capital letters or punctuation, and yet he justifies it in a way by saying “ No one thinks about capital letters or punctuation when one texts, but then again, do you think about those things when you talk? No, and so therefore why would you when you were texting?”

In the end both Crystal and McWhorter agree and support that texting is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be ,and that although they both see texting in their own separate ways they both are implying that due to technology the world especially the younger generation have been able to have a new form of dialect which is their own.

Letter to the editor

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Rihanna Photo Shoot: Muslims React To Abu Dhabi Incident

Dana Farah

5 October 2014

Dear editor,

Having seen your article in the Huff Post, I read a variety of opinions given by a wide range of people. As an arab muslim myself, I one hundred percent understand the controversy surrounding this topic. Many people saw the photo shoot as a harmless act, they fully supported Rihanna's actions and even tried justifying them by saying she was fully clothed and was wearing a loose fitting garment, hence saying that she was “technically” following the law and regulations. The fact of the matter is, they still did not fully appreciate the offence in her actions. Rihanna displayed no respect towards our culture or religion. She took things that we held sacred, and she trampled all over them, regardless of the consequences. Although everyone from all over the world is welcomed regardless of their religion, “every individual still have to behave in a manner that is religiously respectful” as you wrote in your article. Personally I saw her actions as disappointing and extremely inappropriate not only to myself but also to my nation, as our father his royal highness Sheikh Zayed 's( may peace be upon him) graveyard remains there, not only that, a mosque holds a special place in everyones heart as it is a place that holds respect and value and is not a place for someone to hold their own photo shoot for vanity, personal gain and press coverage. Let me ask you a question, would you to the same to someone else'e place of worship? I am pretty sure your answer would be no, so why is it okay for Rihanna to do so...