The abbreviations used in text message and on the internet by
group 1
Slide 2
The motivation of our research Nowadays, mobile phones and the
Internet are so popular that almost every culture has created its
own specific language. The youth play the main role of that
creation. Its interesting to discover how words are associated with
each other in the native speakers eyes. For example, how are you
can be put on the screen as how R U? Abbreviations become very
popular when young people communicate through text message or on
the internet. We do this research to study the origin, the
development, the features and the strong points, weak points of
abbreviations.
Slide 3
We do this research to solve these two questions: I How widely
are shortening words are used in text message and the internet? II
Whats the development of abbreviations?
Slide 4
The significance of our research Keeping pace with time. We are
English language learners and we should be aware of the newest
English language. We have to read as much as materials to gain a
great many new words, which can also help our reading skills.
Understanding English culture better. From Americans like
shortening words, we can easily notice their culture. As we all
know, all the new language usages are created by the native
speakers, which will help us know the development process of
English. We can learn how to create a new word, and why a language
needs to develop.
Slide 5
Getting to know the youths condition. The youth is a countrys
future. Text message and the Internet receive so much popularity
from the youth, and its a good way to get to know them by learning
about their specific language. Helping us in note taking. Many
times in daily life, we need to take notes quickly. However, it is
difficult for us to take what has been said completely, just
because the speaking speed is so fast. Thus, we need to know more
and more about the youth language like some abbreviations or
substitutes, both of which can improve the writing speed.
Slide 6
I How widely are shortening words are used in text message and
the internet? We use a questionnaire to solve this question.
Slide 7
Questionnaire about the shortening words in text messages and
on the Internet Thank you for your precious five minutes to do this
questionnaire. We are sophomores majoring in English in Soochow
University, China. Now we are doing some research about how widely
shortening words are used in text messages and the Internet, which
will help us to prepare for our final paper of lexicology. Your
help will do us a great favor. 1 please select your age group. A
below 15 B 1619 C 1921 D above 21 2 how many text messages do you
send on average every day? A below 10 B 1120 C 2030 D above 30
Slide 8
3 how many hours do you spend in chatting online on average
every day? A below 1 hour B 12 C 23 D above 3 4 how often do you
use shortening words in text messages and on the Internet? A never
B few times C often 5 how many of your friends use shortening words
in text messages and on the Internet? A below 5 B 5--10 C 1115 D
above 16
Slide 9
6 please list Top Five shortening words which you often use (1)
____ (2) ____ (3) ____ (4) ____ (5) ____ 7 please write the full
words below (1) CU ____ (2) PLZ ____ (3) ASAP ____ (4) 3Q ____ (5)
TTYL ____ 8 why people prefer to use shortening words? Please give
some reasons. 9 do you think shortening words is a kind of progress
in English usage? Why or why not? The end We appreciate your help
very much. Thank you again!
Slide 10
The target people of our research are American students and
Chinese students majoring in English. There are 50 American
students from three different universities, including Ohio State
University, Florida State University and Utah State University, 20
students in Melbourne University and 30 Chinese students in foreign
language departments involved in this research.
Slide 11
Statistic: 1 Since we mainly aim to college students, only 1
out of 100 are below 15, ten percent is 1619, half of the students
are from 19 to 21, 39% are above 21. 2 20% of students send
messages below 10, 30% are below 20, 30% are below 30, 20% are
above 30. 3 20% of students spend in chatting online on average
every day less than 1 hour, 40% less than 2 hours, 20% are below 3
hours, 20% are above 3 hours. 4 1% never use shortening words in
text messages and the Internet, 20% choose B few times, 70% choose
often. 5 none choose A below 5 about the question how many of your
friends use shortening words in text messages and the Internet, 10%
choose below 10, 20% choose below 15 and 70% choose above 16.
Slide 12
6. please list Top Five shortening words which you often use U
you 90% C see 80% CU see you 80% ASAP as soon as possible 70% 3Q
thank you 65% AFK away from keyboard 60% 7. 98% write the full
words correctly. 8. why people prefer to use shortening words?
Saving time and easy 90% Popular and fashionable 75% Convenient 70%
Funny and humorous 68% 9. do you think shortening words are kind of
progress in English usage? Yes 80% No 20%
Slide 13
Analysis: Almost every student can understand shortening words
and use them everyday no matter online or sending a text messages,
which play a very important role in our daily life now. No matter
whether shortening words are progress of English usage or not, it
has already become a part of English.
Slide 14
II What is the development of abbreviations?
Slide 15
The development of abbreviations Abbreviations are regularly
used in our daily life. When we send short messages or e-mails, we
use abbreviations. When we read newspapers or watch TV, we can find
abbreviations. Therefore, abbreviations influenced our life quite a
lot.
Slide 16
All abbreviations and acronyms are now using standard code
instead of the nested span hack for Internet Explorer. This has
meant the functionality of the site is reduced in Internet Explorer
but this is due to the browser omitting parts of the markup
standards. The pages degrade gracefully in this device, so the
pages remain accessible. The primary benefit of these elements is
for the users screen readers, which handle this important element
correctly.
Slide 17
history Alphabetic abbreviation became possible around 1000 BC
and was common in the classical world: the Greek letters and as a
result of their use the fish became a Christian symbol; the Latin
letters SPQR stood for Senatus Populusque Romanus (the Senate and
the Roman people). In addition, short forms such as IMP CAES
(Imperator Caesar Emperor Caesar) were common on inscriptions and
coins.
Slide 18
Although present-day abbreviation in English descends from such
forms, its more immediate origin was in the practices of medieval
scribes, among whom short forms were mnemonic and a means of
economizing on parchment, effort, and time. As writing extended
from Latin into the European vernacular languages, short forms went
with it, first as loans (such as AD for Anno Domini: from the year
of the Lord), then as native creations (such as BC for Before
Christ).
Slide 19
All such devices combine economy (of effort, space, and
reference) with repetition (of the familiar and formulaic);
although some are casual or temporary creations, others have become
over the centuries so institutionalized that their origins and
natures are seldom considered: as for example AD and BC, when used
for everyday secular purposes.
Slide 20
Abbreviation------the minor processes of word formation:
Abbreviation or shortening / Abbreviations/clipping (e.g. doc,
porn, expo; cab, van; flu, fridge; daily, pop) Initialism (CIA,
BBC, UFO, CD, IP, LCD, ID, N- bomb) Acronym (UNESCO,laser, radar,
SARS, AIDS, NATO, DINK ) Blend (motel, brunch, smog, chunnel,
sitcom, hi- fi,talkathon) Words from proper names: Eponyms
(sandwich, robot, Watt Back formation Back formation (reversion):
(beg, locate, lip-read, air-condition) Onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia
(clang, clik, giggle, roar, buzz)
Slide 21
Nature Although abbreviations usually need to be concise,
convenient, and easy to remember, they do not need to be fully
understood to serve their purpose. People literate in English can
work successfully with such formulas as e.g. and q.v. whether or
not they know their full Latin forms exempli gratia (for the sake
of example) and quod vide (which see). The more familiar and
successful the short form, the less need for the full form, which
may in course of time being forgotten. The full forms of mob (Latin
mobile vulgus the fickle crowd) and radar (radio detection and
ranging) have no functional value in the 1990s, and many are
entirely unaware that these words are (or were) abbreviations. The
members of organizations usually have little difficulty with the
abbreviations they use, because of sheer familiarity, but people
who are not part of the in-group may regard their use as (sometimes
frustrating and provocative) jargon.
Slide 22
However, abbreviations are not always ready to be used
properly. In formal academic prose it is considered bad form to
abbreviate words simply to save space, time or energy.
Slide 23
The research methods In this research, we used some typical
research methods to study various aspects of abbreviations and made
our research more specific and convincing. Ask some students to
fill our questionnaires ( as we have mentioned) We made a
questionnaire related to abbreviations and sent them to some
university students. Then, we analysed the result and got some
useful information to our research.
Slide 24
Initials and Abbreviations SYMBOLMEANINGEXAMPLE w/with
(something)A war was fought w/ NATO aid. w/owithoutThey fought w/o
fear. w/iwithinThere are problems w/i the company. i.e. that is A
Siamese, i.e. a cat, is a fun pet. e.g.for exampleProfessionals,
e.g. doctors and lawyers, met here. etc.et cetera, so forthCats,
dogs, etc., make good pets. b/cbecause We pay taxes b/c it's the
law. b/4beforeChicken b/4 egg? re:regarding, aboutI need to see you
re: the sales figures. esp.especiallyTobacco, esp. cigarettes,
causes cancer. min.minimumThe min. is $400. max.maximumThe max.
number of people in an elevator is 10. gov't.governmentThe gov't.
helped the people. ASAPas soon as possibleFinish your exam ASAP.
wrtwritewrt #3 (write number 3) rtrightrt side yr / yrsyear,
yearsShe's 5 yrs old. c. circa, about, around, from the year This
picture is c. 1900 vsversus, as opposed toPurple vs green
chchapterRead ch 8. QAQA question answer Q: What is that? A: I
don't know! exexampleLook at ex 4. wd wds word words 1 vocabulary
wd. 25 vocabulary wds. refreferenceref required. diffdifferenceWhat
is the diff?
Slide 25
The conclusion of the research The usage of Abbreviations has
become very popular among young people when they chat on the
internet or through text message. Most young people like new and
interesting thing, while abbreviations meet their demands. When
they communicate with their friends, using abbreviations is very
convenient and easy to understand. Moreover, abbreviations reflect
a trend of the development of English in some aspects. However,
excessive use of abbreviations also brings some bad points.
Firstly, abbreviations are very informal, they can be just used in
some informal chatting and spoken English. Besides, this is bad for
young students to learn English, it may unable students to spell
and know some words well. Above all, the development of
abbreviations is an issue which deserves our much more
concerns.
Slide 26
Through this research we know many aspects of abbreviations,
including the reasons they appeared, typical examples of
abbreviations, their strong points and weak points, and their
important role in the daily life. The research on abbreviations is
very interesting and meaningful, our research still has some
shortcomings, for example, the questionnaires are not complete, the
people we interviewed are not enough, and we can not understand the
communication culture among westerners very well. The research is
so meaningful that we should continue to study.
Slide 27
The motivation and significance of the research: The
development of abbreviations, the typical examples: The research
methods, the video found on the internet: The questionnaire and
analysis the PPT: The conclusion of the research, the pictures, the
combination of the whole paper:
