Agree with the critic that “SMS is corrupting our language”. 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 cell phones 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 cell phone 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.
INTRODUCTION The mobile phone is viewed as an important communication tool and has become an integral part of the Malaysian and global society. Malaysians are increasingly using the mobile phone rather than the fixed line telephone as a way to keep in touch with their family, friends, colleagues and business associates. The first mobile phone appeared in Malaysia in 1998 and was mainly used by professionals. The first generation of the mobile phone was built with basic features such as voice call.
The first concept of brainchild a handheld phone was demonstrated by Dr Martin Cooper a former general manager for the systems division at Motorola and with the help of his team. The first handset was born in April 1973 weighing in at two kilos. Just a few months later on March 6 1983, Motorola received approval from the U. S. Federal Communications Commission and become the world’s first commercial handheld cellular phone. Motorola’s DynaTAC 8000X is the first series when it was made available for purchase.
The demand for these handsets were immense and in high demand. The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X featured were limited to dial, listen and talk specs that included Total Area Coverage’ let you talk for 30 minutes, 10 hours to recharge, eight hours of standby time, LED display, memory to store thirty “dialing locations and a cool size of 13 x 1. 75 x 3. 5 inches. The price was some $3,995 in 1983 dollars. Motorola’s DynaTAC 8000X phone and the cellular system behind it changed how the world communicates. What is SMS?
Short Message Service or SMS is a communications protocol which allows the intercommunication of short text messages among various mobile phones. SMS allows people to send or receive text messages of up to 160 characters from mobile phones. This technology was instrumental in the growth and advancement of text messaging. In fact, SMS is so closely identified with text messaging that in some parts of the world, “SMS” is used as the vernacular for text messaging (the act of composing, sending and receiving although with MMS, a different fundamental protocol is in use).
SMS messaging history began in the 1980s when telecommunication authorities started deliberating on the technical parameters of sending short messages through a network, between mobile phones. This would be the forefather of GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications). Some of the telecommunications experts advocated that SMS will be used mainly as an alert for individual mobile users – as an example, for incoming voice calls. Others envisioned more advanced considerations, such as telemetry. The first ever short message sent commercially was by Airwide Solution’s an engineer called Neil Papworth, on the 3rd of December 1992.
He sent the message from a personal computer (PC) to Vodafone’s Richard Jarvis on the Vodafone GSM network located in the United Kingdom ,according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) . The message was short and simple – “Merry Christmas”. On the other hand, the first SMS message that was typed on a GSM phone was allegedly sent in 1993 by an engineering student in Nokia, whose name is Riku Pihkonen. SMS was launched commercially in Malaysia for the first time in 1995. Nowadays, the majority of teenagers and adults in Malaysia carry at least one mobile phone.
A slogan ‘don’t leave home without your mobile phone’ is not uncommon anymore. The hand phone is seen as personal and not household equipment. This is because hand phones are normally taken away by their main users when they leave the house or office. Also, when the hand phone rings at home, more often than not the person who answers it is the main user as calls received by that device are expected to be for him. Communication among people, whether through phone calls and short messages (SMS) has been increasing tremendously. An interesting phenomenon that has been going for the last ten years is the abbreviation of words in SMS.
Some people are worried about the corruption of our national language (Bahasa Melayu) through abbreviation, newly created words, code-switching, code-mixing, and emoticons or symbols in their SMS. Still some others find that SMS has opened up new opportunities for our national language to survive and some mother tongue languages to be revived as they are able to Romanize their languages in their SMS. I do research used a survey instrument to gather data from Malaysian people across all states in Malaysia with the total of 30 of them responded.
The questionnaires were mainly distributed to Malaysian people who directly use mobile phones in their daily routines. According history market and service of mobile of telephone in Concept and Proposed Principal in Implementation of IMT 2000 Mobile Cellular Service in Malaysia by Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission, First generation systems started from 1985 onwards were : 1. Nordic Mobile Telephone System (ATUR 450) 2. Extended Total Acess Cellular System (Celcom 900) 3. Advanced Mobile Phone System (Mobifon 800)
Second generation were : 1. Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System or the IS-136 standard (Mobifon Digital 800) 2. Global System for Mobile Communication at 900Mhz (Maxis and Celcom GSM) 3. Global System for Mobile Communication at 1800Mhz (TM Touch and TimeCel – formally known as ADAM, and Digi1800) The recent growth of mobile phone use is a phenomenon that crosses all age and gender boundaries. More than just the latest electronic gadget, mobile phone has become integral parts of our business and personal lives.
According to the Handphone User Survey, 2005 by Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission and with my alone survey, thirteen percentages of people aged below 20 years old owned a mobile phone. Nearly 80 % of people living in the Malaysia between the ages of 20 and 49 owned or used a mobile phone. Below 15 1. 6 percent, 15-19 11. 5 percent, 20-24 20. 9 percent, 25-29 16. 2 percent, 30-34 15. 0 percent, 35-39 10. 1 percent, 40-44 9. 7 percent, 45-49 6. 3 percent. SMS usage reports a significant 84. 9 percent of users in the subscriber base. The percentage of users sending out 0 SMS 15. 1 percent, 1 SMS 7. 6 percent, 2 SMS 8. percent, 3 SMS 8. 1 percent, 4 SMS 3. 0 percent, 5 SMS 7. 4 percent and more than 5 SMS messages in a day on average is 49. 6 percent. [pic] [pic] BODY Human progress depends on the use of language that allows the user to think creatively involved languages other than the environment will encourage the growth of mind. The issue of mobile phone users sending short messages (SMS) using short and simple language and I saw the tendency of mobile phone users as a natural thing in the context of information technology and it is not something to worry about as long as the use of abbreviations does not take place in formal writing.
Consumers will shorten the word and violates the principles of grammar or spelling system because of space constraints on mobile phones than chasing save time for the phone bill. The SMS language corpus stands categories that have been accepted as customary and conventional in the ‘Dictionary,’ not a threat to the Malay language that is acceptable in formal writing. There are two categories of SMS language corpus cannot be used in formal writing as to mislead readers and damage the standard language, short vowels or consonants loss and common abbreviations colloquial.
The first category involves the abbreviated words are consistent, i. e. one or two vowels and consonant letters dropped well short practice is dependent on the creativity of the user and the context of the conversation that occurs. The second category, the words used in language-based SMS and childish colloquial-driven for intimate personal relationship between mobile phone users involved. This category can be considered a threat to Malay identity if not controlled such as the word ‘ari’ (hari), ‘pastu’ (lepas itu), ‘lak’ (pula), ‘amacam’ (apa macam), ‘fon’ (telefon), ‘cite’ (cerita), ‘kuar’ (keluar) and ‘nape’ (kenapa).
Acknowledge SMS language there is a clear threat to Malay identity as the word is spelled the extreme to those not familiar with the use of such words cannot construe the words actually. Among such SMS language is ‘giler'(gila), ‘aper’ (apa), ‘summer’ (semua) and cayang cangat (sayang sangat) and there is also a mix Malay with English as kol (call) and pu3 (puteri). At the time of initial appearance, the communication channel SMS only involves two parties (sender and receiver) and SMS can only be read on the screen (the screen) phone.
But now, in line the development of communication technology, SMS, which was originally only can be sent from one phone to a mobile phone the other, and can only be read by screen phone, it is not more so. SMS sent by mobile phone users to a network or television channel (TV) (such as RTM1, RTM2, TV3, NTV7, TV8 or TV9) has been read by millions of viewers who watch television channels that display SMS concerned. SMS messages are usually broadcast on television screens broadcast the certain times, and its text published on the sides of the left, or at the bottom of the tv screen in slow motion or crawl.
Coincident with the development of SMS is also a good SMS can only be read on screen or the phone can be found at screen TV a new symptom that also grow the language of SMS. SMS language is the language used to communicate writing through SMS and the language is commonly used language is not standard or colloquial language. The language aspect lexical has elements of a mixture of Malay, English and local language or dialect. Abbreviations and also used a combination of words arbitrarily.
Language use Short Message Service (SMS) are not controlled simply by SMS users, particularly the SMS broadcast on television screens have been expressed concern to linguists because these symptoms can affect the development of Malay language. On the awareness, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) take the initiative to organize “Research Seminar: The development and influence of SMS on the Malay language” in 19 April 2005. One of the proposals submitted in the seminar is DBP need to publish a guide SMS stands for the use of language or the standard.
Consequently, the DBP has undertaken a further study SMS stands for and publish pamphlets Guide Short for Short Message Service (SMS) Bahasa Malay. Hopefully Guide Short for Short Message Service (SMS) can be used as a guide in writing SMS standards, particularly for SMS which is used in situations or official business (such as to communicate official information to certain parties, whether governmental or private). Interests SMS use in formal situations is not denied because the information can be delivered quickly in a very short time. Information can also be stored for particular uses.
SMS language is not regulated and indiscriminately SMS users, particularly in the broadcast SMS at the tv screen has produced anxiety because of the language symptoms This can affect the development of Malay language. It is also troubling Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), as an organization given the responsibility by government to develop and uphold the Malay language. Depart from the worries of the Nation has taken initiative to organize one-day seminar on 19 April 2005, and between recommendations made to the DBP include: i. Identify short list of SMS, i. Making reference or guide the use of language or SMS stands for, iii. To provide guidance SMS web site and iv. Promote the language of the standards or standard SMS. Consequently, the DBP has undertaken a further study SMS stands for and publish pamphlets Guide Short for Short Message Service (SMS) Bahasa Malay. Sheet This is expected to serve as a guide in writing a standard SMS particularly for SMS which is used in formal situations (Eg to communicate official information to certain parties, whether governmental or private).
In fact, the decline in performance for the approval of English in the Lower Secondary Assessment examination (PMR) in 2003 is said SMS services due to culture and Internet chat among students. Many candidates use the abbreviated words in their essays like done when chatting or SMS. CONCLUSION Short Messaging System (SMS), which is the connecting device between two individuals with a fast and economical method, said damage language.
Use symbols, codes and abbreviations of certain words is widely said to be the cause of the declining standard of Malay in the community and schoolchildren. Minimizing time in relation to the SMS language is not rejected because of limited space available. Use simple language is not one, but the language will be damaged if carried away in the official language. This happens if the user is not able to distinguish various official and unofficial. If consumers cannot distinguish the diverse range of official languages colloquial language, the language of pollution will occur.
Therefore, one should not assume, follow the colloquial language diversity to use when doing official business, such as essays, formal letters and memos. For DBP is not responsible in controlling the use of language as on the personal nature such as the SMS, as well as the use of language in daily conversation among community. DBP responsibility it is the development of national languages in official business, such as in education, administration, media, language in a public place and the law.
DBP did not pay attention to the language used in SMS, but if the range of language used in official business affecting the public, DBP will pay attention to avoid damage to language. For the avoidance of contaminated due to the use of official languages SMS language, teachers must emphasize to the students to know language to distinguish between official and unofficial. For the avoidance of contaminated official language of SMS language should be undertaken by all parties, such as DBP also gives advice language courses, lectures and awareness campaigns.
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