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Yanely Cruz

ENC1101

Professor McGriff

10/23/18

Is Social Media ruining our Communication Skills?

Have you ever been told to put your phone down or to stay away from computers as they will

make you useless or ruin our language. Nowadays many people are questioning the benefits of

electronic communication and how it is hurting the younger generation and damaging our

communication skills. Although many believe that social media and texting damage the English

language, it can help others communicate, and help foreigners that are from different countries

learn the language better and it can in fact help the younger generation expand their vocabulary

and social interaction.

The fact that many believe that social media and texting is somehow damaging

the way people communicate with each other is quite absurd. Electronic Communication itself

has evolved further than we could imagine and has allowed people from all over the world to be

able to communicate with each other. For example, in the book “They Say I Say” it sates “almost

instantaneously, communities can be created that are powerful enough to change the world”

(166). Electronic communication has created an impact within communities that can make an

enormous change.
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Many say that electronic communication is somehow damaging the English language but

in reality, it can help foreigners from all over who come to America and do not know the

language; which can be a struggle for them as they need to communicate with others. With the

help of social media and texting, it can help them learn the language better and find others with

the same experience and support one another as well. “Mind over Mass Media” “The internet

and information technologies are helping us manage, search, and retrieve our intellectual

output.” Stating that there are ways the internet can help with the language barrier, or other find

other resources that are useful and will help them be more fluent.

Although some may think that texting will ruin our vocabulary due to texting and

abbreviating. According to the article “2b or not 2b?” “The most important finding is that

texting does not erode children’s ability to read and write. On the contrary literacy improves. The

latest studies show has found strong positive links between the use of text language and the skills

underlying success in standard English in pre-teenage children. The more abbreviation in their

messages, the higher they scored on test of reading and vocabulary. The children who were

better at spelling and writing used the most textisms. And the younger they received their first

phones, the higher their scores” (906).

Even though many believe that electronic communication will impede us from writing a

proper sentence or stop from expanding our vocabulary. In the end everyone has their believes

and will decide what they want. In conclusion, electronic communications can help

communicate with others, help foreigners that are from different countries, and expand our

vocabulary.
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CITATION

Crystal, David. “2b or not 2b?”, Everyone’s an Author with Readings, edited by Marilyn Moller,

W.W. Norton and Company, 2017, 899-907.

Graff, Gerald. “They Say I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writings.” “Is Digital

Communication Good or Bad or Both?” W.W.Norton And Company, 2018.

Pinker, Steven. “Mind over Mass Media”, Everyone’s an Author with readings, edited by

Marilyn Moller, W.W.Norton and Company, 2018.