Running head: Electronic Mediated Communication Regressing Language Penick 1

Research Paper

Is Electronic Mediated Communication Regressing Language?

Aja C. Penick

North Carolina A&T State University

ENG 101

Professor Acobe Cheek

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“I feel like kids are getting more and more used to communicating through a glass screen than

they are face-to-face, and that worries me a little” -Mark Foster (2014).

Today there are many different methods of communication such as, texting, tweeting,

IM’ing, or simply speaking face-to-face with that person. However, of all the communication

methods speaking face-to-face seems to be the least popular method of communication in society

currently. A main concern many have with electronic mediated communication is the effects it

has on the English language. In a book by Elizabeth Winkler titled “Understanding Language”

Winkler examines how electronic mediated communication affects people language and

everyday behaviors. Today electronic mediated communication has become one of the most

common types of communication and may play a bigger part in our society than we expected.

After researching and gathering data we finally, are able to see if electronic mediated

communication has affected the English language and our behaviors, and decide what to do

about the future of communication electronically.

One of the main pieces of evidence that goes along with how electronic mediated

communication plays a big role in our daily lives is through the concept of youth progression

with technology. Today’s younger generations progression with technology has increased rapidly

from the previous decades. Now a day’s more than 1/3 of teens use their phone to communicate

on a daily basis (Lenhart, Arafeh, Smith, Macgill, 2008). One student recalls how she

communicates through electronic mediated communication and states that, “I put in 20 hours

[per week] plus [texting]. I can’t even count because I mean it’s not like you’re spending a

continuous hour writing/texting. It’s just like text, text, text, while you’re doing other stuff -

10/12th Grade Girl, Southwestern City” (Lenhart, Arafeh, Smith, Macgill, 2008). A similar theme

seen in another academic article is that texting is one of the top influential forms of electronic
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mediated communication with students today. As stated in the article, “Results from this study

indicates that 50% of faculty participants and 39% of undergraduate participants perceive that

the particular type of electronic communication that has the greatest impact on undergraduate

students' written communication is short message services (SMS), also known as text

messaging” (Houser ,2012,pg.99 ). A common misconception that many adults and teachers

believe is that electronic communication negatively impacts the written-communication skills of

students as they become more accustomed to writing in a relaxed fashion, with lack of attention

to spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Although the progression of electronic communication

continually increases with today’s youth, “most teens do not regard their technologically

facilitated text-based communication as “writing,” since writing is considered to occur in more

formal settings, usually for school” (Lenhart, Arafeh, Smith, Macgill, 2008). This means that

kids today are able to deviate between writing formal and writing casually, as many students are

not going to include phrases such as LOL or OMG in their academic papers. Not to mention there

is a lack of evidence to prove that students are actually doing poorly in their written-

communication skills due to electronic mediated communication.

Similarly, we are also able to see how electronic mediated communication plays just as

big a role in our behavior as it does in our language. In study researcher look at the relationship

between eWOM (electronic word of mouth) communication and the impact it has on the Danish

consumer’s behavior with marketing and buying products. According to the study “Web users

employ eWOM communication to share their opinions and to find other users’ opinions about a

product or a company. These opinions can then be used to make a decision, to confirm an

already formed opinion or to alter it” (Pedersen, Razmerita, Colleoni, 2014, p.127). Companies

now employ people to write positive feedback because according to the researcher, studies show
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that when people have a positive idea of a product and then their idea is reassured by more

positive feedback they are more willing to purchase to product. This method is most commonly

used to reduce uncertainty of a pre-determined concept and now “it can be argued that eWOM

has an influence on consumer behavior and purchase intentions. One respondent directly replies

that he/she uses social media to read information about relevant products or companies”

(Pedersen, Razmerita, Colleoni, 2014, p.126). Even our behaviors are influence based on

electronic mediated communication, as we find ourselves looking online and listening to

strangers, family, or friends for product reviews. Not only has this discovery affected our

behavior but it has also created whole new job opportunities as companies and businesses now

employ users to write positive feedback on their products.

There are also many benefits with Electronic mediated communication especially for

those who are EFL (English First Learners) and trying to communicate through the English

language but lack another person sufficient in the language. According to the academic Article

“The results of this study found that CMC involving native speaking students was superior to

face-to-face interaction with nonnative peers in two regards: significantly improved fluency for

the experimental group, and, to a lesser degree, improved accuracy (Mahdi, 2014, pg. 72). CMC

(Computer Mediated Communication) helped nonnative speakers of English learn the language

without the pressure of using correct accents or pronunciations. The students stated that using

CMC they felt more comfortable and at ease communicating in English and gave them access to

continue practicing their English without needing a fluent English speaker present.

Correspondingly, in one of the previously presented articles the author stated that “Electronic

communication has contributed to a new genre of writing that will continue to be the study for

educators” (Houser, 2012, pg.89). The advancement of electronic mediated communication has
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definitely contributed to a new form of writing that has helped nonnative English speakers

communicate and learn the English language in a comfortable and less chaotic way.

In conclusion, communication is a big part of our society that shapes how we interact

with one another. From the way we behave, to the way we react to certain things, or even how

we use language, all root from how we are communicating with one another, even if it means we

prefer one platform over the other. More specifically, communicating by means of electronic

mediated communication has become one of the most common types of communication that

plays a bigger part in our society than we assumed. Electronic mediated communication, while

convenient and exciting brings along many complications to how we behave in society and

sometimes how we use our own language. It is important that we all become aware of how

electronic mediated communication is changing us in one way or another, and gain more

knowledge to understand how electronic mediated communication affects language skills and

behaviors too.
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References

Houser, L. A. C. (2012). Perceptions of undergraduate students and faculty regarding the impact

of electronic communication on the written-communication skills of undergraduate

students (Order No. 3510698). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global:

Literature & Language; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global: Social Sciences.

(1018425831). Retrieved from

http://cmich.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1018425831?ac

countid=10181

Lenhart, A., Arafeh, S., Smith, A., & Macgill, A. (2008, April 24). Electronic Communication.

Retrieved March 23, 2018, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/04/24/electronic-

communication/

Mahdi, H. S. (2014). The Impact of Computer-Mediated Communication Environments on

Foreign Language Learning: A Review of the Literature. World Journal of English

Language, 4(1). doi:10.5430/wjelv4n1p9

Tegtmeier Pedersen, S., Razmerita, L., & Colleoni, E. (2014). Electronic word-of-mouth

communication and consumer behaviour - an exploratory study of danish social media

communication influence. LSP Journal, 5(1), 112-131. Retrieved from

http://cmich.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1692279363?ac

countid=10181

Winkler, E. G. (2012). Understanding language: A basic course in Linguistics. New York:

Continuum.