Is the Internet Lingo a threat to English language?

This has become one of my newest pet peeves actually. I am fine with using such lingo when texting on your phone, or in emails/chat programs etc. When it comes to school work, business paperwork, or anything else for that matter, USE YOUR WORDS *lol* (see, there, even i do it when i am typing online...but i would never include a "lol" or an "OMG" in an email to my boss or something). It peeves me even more when people use them in conversation. I literally cringe inside when i hear someone actually say OMG or IDK in a conversation. There is a reason to use them online or in text messages, as many times characters are limited, or it can be very very time consuming to type it out on a phone...but when speaking, does it really take that much time to SAY "Oh my god"? or "I don't know"?

I think english in changing more and more everyday. I think there are more aspects of other languages affecting it. I do not think it will be just the internet that will force change of the english language but other languages becoming more and more prominant, and thus will become more incorporated into english.

Do you think it is a threat, or just further evolution of English. The language has changed significantly in the past, and will do so in the future. Whether, text lingo will get into business, and news English remains to be seen. The two have remained apart, and might in the future, time will tell. Thanks kevchua for an interesting topic.

English is a language that always take a regular change according to the modern culture and tradition. The usage differs in each and every country. We are not speaking English in a way as it has to be spoken exactly and many times we tend to violate the grammar rules and regulations. English is a language that can be changed according to the society necessity and that is why Indian English is different from the American English which is different from the UK english and hence I think that the Internet Lingo is not at all going to affect the English language and to be precise it is not at all a threat and infact it is one of the forms that the English language has taken recently. Thats it.. Nothing there to worry.

Yes I believe it is a threat to English language. I have been using this for awhile and when I joined myLot I had to brush up on my English all over again because I forgot most of the basic spellings and sentence formation. It could affect the younger generations drastically as texting and internet lingo increases, and eventually posing a threat to the English language.

I hate "cyberspeak" and texting lingo for that matter. It is definitely affecting proficiency in the English language. People get lazy because abbreviations, a lack of punctuation and grammar, and terrible spelling are easier and more convenient. The argument is that "as long as the point gets across." But typing in proper English always gets the point across, yet people still revert to the easy way out. I wonder if there are studies about this topic...

In a way, yes because when you ask a person to say something in English, or spell a word, they cannot do it, or they have to think about it. Although, there are some people who can speak text or instant messaging and English and easily switch between the two, most people cannot.

I think it could be a threat to the younger generations as they have grown up with all this text talk. In my job, I am an office manager, I now have to check everyone's letters every day because they usually have some kind of text talk in it. It is very frustrating but I am not sure what we can do about it to be honest.

Yes because in the future when people stop using internet lingo they will forgot what it means and someone could end up using internet lingo for valuable information and the people in the future won't be able to understand.

hhmm I do and I dont lol, sitting on the fence here lol, the internet language is a language in its own right, so yeah I think it is affecting the written language of english though I dont thing the effect is a negative one, although it isnt affecting the spoken language. I also think its good to have a new upto date language as languages evolve, new words are added, old no longer used words are lost in time. So yes and no lol, but I guess that is the evolution of any language if enough people use it then it becomes part of the norm which can only be good.

no

I do think it has it's effects to its users. I mean, I got used to abbreviate or short cut the words when sending IM's whether it is through phone of web. It is a big inconvenient for me to read those type of words when I receive them so from then on I typed the whole words. It effects writing. Being expose to terms like that almost all day, everyday in almost any form. May it be a conversation, a note or a mere expression. I'd say it is how language picks up the pace with the fast moving world that we have. But I still believe in proper and correct usage of it. They just need implementation and discipline.

Nah. I don't think so. There will always be obsessive profs who want perfect everythings.

No

I think there is a threat, yes. For people like me who did not really use the internet lingo while growing up, its not that bad. When I write a formal mail/project proposal etc, I stick to formal English.But then kids who are learning now, especially teens who get exposed to the net lingo will have some trouble.I am sure. Since they use it very frequently, its very natural for them to use it even when they attend classes.

kevchua, yes.. it's true that the Internet Lingo is getting deep into the younger generation nowadays... Even I am trying my very best to type as fast as possible, I will try to avoid using the lingual... Even in SMS, I will type in full instead of using that.. I keep reminding myself that the English Language need to be in good so my child will not have this bad habit too...