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The Impact of Sms

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The Impact of Sms
IADIS International Conference Mobile Learning 2005

THE IMPACT OF SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS) LANGUAGE ON LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY OF LEARNERS AND THE SMS DICTIONARIES: A CHALLENGE FOR EDUCATORS AND LEXICOGRAPHERS
Mampa Lorna Mphahlele
Department of Applied Languages, Tshwane University of Technology, Soshanguve Campus, Pretoria

Kwena Mashamaite
Sesotho sa Leboa Lexicography Unit, University of Limpopo, Polokwane

ABSTRACT The language is achieving new colours and tones in the world in which we live. Technology has become the buzzword in communication circles. The requirements in language versatility, which are universally understood, are overcome by the new short message service (SMS) language that is emerging rapidly. The cellphones that are conveniently used for social communication and in business transactions are invaluably helpful but can equally be extremely detrimental to the learning and development process of learners of other languages especially foreign language learning. The short message service (SMS) language that is used by cellphone users and the advertising industry has also been discovered to be abundantly used by the learners in their written work. This discovery has prompted one to investigate the impact of this prevalent use, for it is believed that the SMS language is influencing the language proficiency of learners in a negative way. The purpose of this paper is to explicate how the SMS language affects the language proficiency of learners, and the role dictionaries can play in the improvement of learners’ language proficiency. KEYWORDS

Language, Technology, Cellphone, Short Message Service (Sms), Sms Language, Language Proficiency, Communication, Dictionary, Lexicographers, Learners, Educators, Advertising, Metalexicography

1. INTRODUCTION
Technology plays a very important role in communication today. The cellphone is one of the most effective, convenient and widely used technological instruments used for communication


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