Isn't it funny how addictive Twitter is? At first I just didn't get it. Then I started meeting people who used it and following them. Pretty soon I found myself tweeting inane details of my own life.

I think it is a way to reconnect. We used to share these little details in face-to-face conversation. But, networks of friends are becoming more and more distributed. Its very common now to have friends you've never met in countries you've never been to. This allows you to stay connected to them even so very far away.
Dana Kashubeck | Homepage | 04.21.08 - 8:22 am | #

That's an interesting approach, though not one I'd adopt myself. I've had multiple conversations with co-workers on a similar topic: text messaging; actually, it's really the same topic, as Twitter's 140-character limit is born from SMS.

I'm just enough of a language geek that I don't sacrifice punctuation, capitalization and grammar to the limitations of the medium. I will find a way to make my message fit into those 140 characters with little or no abbreviation or omission of punctuation, etc. Occasionally, when I find myself running up against that wall, I'll substitute numerals (1 for one) or drop in an at-sign (@) instead of the word "at", and "International" does often become "Int'l", but that's as far as I'm willing to go.

If I can't express my thoughts in 140 characters and within the boundaries of my self-imposed grammar and spelling requirements, I'll either do a full blog post or (more likely) the thought will simply fade away.
Kris Johnson | Homepage | 04.21.08 - 10:27 am | #

Thanks for the plug David!

Actually, your post touches on a crucial point, rather overlooked by commentators and pundits--how will language evolve in response to the 140 character limit? It's especially apropos if use of Twitter and similar applications spreads widely.

I've been thinking a bit how we use abbreviations, such as those you refer to for mobile phones. There's a dreadful ad for some product or other. The only thing I remember is how this teen is talking with her mom using mobile phone abbreviations (or IM slang) such as OMG, LOL and so forth.

That was the interesting step, when the written (or typed) word started to drive the spoken language. For most of history, it's been pretty much the other way around.

So will language evolve (some might say devolve) on account of abbreviated electronic usage?
Roger | Homepage | 04.21.08 - 10:30 am | #