I <3 emoticons. The little textual facial expressions are perfect in a time when most of our communication is via text or e-mail messages. They help provide context and emotion to words that may otherwise be misinterpreted. A comment looks a lot less sinister when it’s followed with a 🙂
I also see the benefit of abbreviated language, although I don’t use it frequently. BTW, I was interviewed for a broadcast pacakage where I disagreed that using “text” language makes people worse writers. My official stance has developed into one’s need to understand the correct language in order to use an abbreviated version.
My personal favorite is the LOL. I know it maybe out of style, but LOL is the abbreviated text version of 🙂 For a person like me with a sarcastic sense of humor, these three letters probably keep a lot of people from being angry with me.
My new concern is not that these abbreviations are making younger people somehow unable to write. I no longer find this true, although, in the name of transparency, I should say that I one time was concerned about this.
My new worry is that young people don’t think about when it’s appropriate to use this abbreviated language.
A professor friend told a story just this week about receiving an e-mail including a student excuse and “FML.” This, obviously, is not appropriate.
I also recently received an e-mail from a journalism senior that included this type of abbreviated communication. I ignored the first case, although I thought it was highly inappropriate, and responded to the student’s concern. The next e-mail was practically incoherent because it contained so many of these abbreviations. I felt like I need a codebook to read it. I was offended. I hit delete. Perhaps even more important, I adopted a policy that I hope you will consider as well.
Judge if you must, but I no longer will respond in any positive, active way to official student communication that includes emoticons or abbreviated language. Quite simply, if a student wants to ask a question of their faculty, adviser, mentor, boss, professional reference, etc., they should use professional language – no matter how informal the communication method might be. Using informal language in these types of communications sends a message, and it’s not positive.
Sam says
During the orientation for the graduate program I am in, one thing that was extremely emphasized was: use a professional tone when sending emails! This was again reiterated by almost every professor. Thus, I now think twice before sending out an email to…to anyone for that matter, not just professors.
I have a question for you: Is it okay for professors to use curse words? Or maybe they’re not curse words, but words that wouldn’t typically be used in a normal conversation? As professional as my professors are, some words tend to slip in lectures. I find this highly offensive and quite annoying. Can you shed some light on this matter?
Thanks!
thekrg says
This is a tough question for me because I am not offended by profanity. I admittedly have used profanity in courses, specifically in context of discussions about legal cases, but in other cases as well. In addition, I wrote a post on this blog about the vice president’s use of profanity during a press conference. The blog raised a few eyebrows of people who didn’t think it was appropriate for me to use profanity here. I guess I think of it as college students being adults. However, I am curious about what other professors think about this topic. Anyone else want to weigh in?
Barbara Nixon says
In my classes, I never intentionally use profanity; there’s always another way something can be said that is more thoughtful and respectful for my students. And it’s extremely rare for me to let something slip even unintentionally. I even feel awkward when I show a video clip that may have some NSFW language in it. If the video is the best way for me to get that particular point across, I typically warn the students ahead of time.
NOTE: I teach at a university affiliated with the Assemblies of God now, though even when I taught in a public university, my standards were still the same.
thekrg says
I certainly agree, Barbara, that there is always a better way to say something. I tell my young children that people use profanity when they aren’t intelligent enough to use “real words” to express themselves. However, I am guilty of this practice. I honestly never thought about offending students. I should reconsider my narrow view.
Sam says
Kenna,
I agree we are very mature adults capable of handling profanity. However, I don’t see that as a reason, let alone a justifiable one to use inappropriate language in lectures.
I personally don’t use profanity in my day to day life, thus, hearing my professors speak this way is very disrespectful.
thekrg says
Sam,
This is a good point as well. I had never consider it that way. What about if the profanity is actually part of, for example, a legal case. Would you feel differently about it then?
Kenna
Sam says
Kenna,
I can see how it’s important to keep original content as is so that the content can be analyzed accurately, but at the same time this would really be a tough call… I still wouldn’t be “okay” with the situation, but I could understand the usage of profanity here.
Tough Cookie Mommy says
As an English Language Arts teacher, I completely agree with you. I have actually had this conversation with my students in class. We use the Columbia University Teacher’s College Writing Process to publish writing. As a result of this, students collect entries in their Writer’s Notebooks to use as a resource for their drafting. I have told my students that they are free to use slang and Ebonics in their writing entries but that they must use standard English in their published pieces. In order for students to be effective writers and readers, they must be able to code switch according to the situation. Obviously, using emoticons, abbreviations, slang, or Ebonics in academic correspondence or published writing is inappropriate.