[Fwd: text messaging]

[Wilson Gray]

This posting contains the first use of _phenomena_ as a singular that
I've ever come across in either writing or speech.

'Scuse me while I have another hit of fresh air.

-Wilson

On 8/2/07, Joan H. Hall <jdhall at wisc.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joan H. Hall" <jdhall at WISC.EDU>
> Subject:      [Fwd: text messaging]
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> If anyone would like to talk with Dave about this, please contact him
> directly.
> Thanks.
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject:        text messaging
> Date:   Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:00:28 -0400
> From:   Dave Tobin <dtobin at Syracuse.com>
> To:     jdhall at wisc.edu
>
>
>
> Hi Joan -
>
> I'm a reporter at The Post Standard in Syracuse, Ny.
>
> I'm working on a story about text-messaging, and I'm struck by how the
> shorthand or abbreviations used in cell phone texting, or in instant
> messaging, are driving a language change.
>
> Have you noted this?  Could you speak to this phenomena, or recommend
> someone who could?
>
> Sometimes the new texted words are phonetic versions of a dialect, which
> also happen to be a few letters shorter - for instance probably becoming
> "prolly".
>
> Some times they are acronyms of several words. BTW from 'by the way'.
>
> (A few years ago I spoke to you regarding a story on the local
> regionalisms for soft drinks, soda vs pop. You were very helpful. Thank you.
>
> Dave Tobin
> 315.470.3277
>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>


--
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
                                              -Sam'l Clemens

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