The linguistics of SMS

The linguistics of SMS Rich Ling

Contents • Introduction • Linguistic analysis of SMS • Predictive texting • Historical and theoretical background • Method • Results • Conclusion

SMS – raw numbers

SMS z-score

Mean traffic by type of service

Distribution of mobile communication “events” in Norway, 2008

Data collection • Ca. 850 SMS messages • “The last three messages that the person sent” • It is important that we asked for the messages sent • Ethical issue • Methodological issue as to who sent the message • Methodological questions • Filtering • Poor translations

Categories of SMS messages • Coordination (33%) • is anything happening tonight?(M 23) • When does school start today? (K 16) • Can you pick up the children at daycare (K 30) • Grooming (17%) • hello how are you doing?(M 17) • Good night and sleep with a picture of a sleeping bear (W 16) • god night sex bomb (W 35) • Answers (14%) • yes, no, ok (2.3% of all messages) • Not going to practice (K 20) • Questions (11%) • have you colored your hair? (K 15) • Which operating system do you use? (M 15) • are you awake (M 31) • Have you caught any fish? (M 40)

Categories of SMS messages • Information (6%) • I found the sponge it was in the cork of the bottle (W 28) • Commands or requests 6%) • Call me (1.5% of all messages) • remember to buy cola. (K 19) • Personal news (5%) • i am at Osen again a week until I move, can you call me? (W 18) • i didn’t pass the exam (W 19) • we are enjoying ourselves here in the sun and fine weather (M 58) • Diverse other categories (9%) • Where are you? (1.4% of all messages) • Damn you, Rune. (M 13) • thanks for the birthday present. Regards s (W 17) • I am at home alone on Friday, things are going to happen thenr. (W 16)

Specific types of SMS use

Content of SMS messages

Mean number of words per SMS for men and women

SMS sentence complexity • Simple messages • 66% of all messages • Takk, ja, ok • møttes klokken 5 • [We will] meet at 5 o’clock • Complex messages • 33% of all messages • hei du! joda det går bare bra med mæ vettu! prøvde å ring dæ nettopp men nr var iikke i bruk? vet ikke om æ kommer opp eller ikke • (hi, yea things are good with me you know! tried to call you just now but the number was not in use? do not know if I passed [my exam] or not

SMS sentence complexity by gender and age

Sample: Young adult female SMS messages super! Now we have landed at Steilende and the hot dogs are on the grill. The first landing from our own boat. M&MandT greetings. We are looking forward to saturday. :) (29) supert! Nå ha vi lagt til på og pølsene ligger på grillen. Første ilandstigning fra egen båt. M&MogT hilser. Gleder oss til lørdag. :) Hi. Mamma saw that you had called. I would like to come on the bike trip. Because then we can do it now before I leave. Hugs (stylized) (21) Hei. Mamma sa du hadde ringt. J vil gjerne være med å sykle en tur. For da kan vi gjøre d nå før j reiser. Klems I have talked with mom. Sitting to wait for the plane. Lands 10.40. Can you get my purse. Kiss (Infantilized) (25) Eg har snakka med mora. Sett å venta på flyet. Lander 10.40. Kan du hente veska mi. Suss Corpus also includes several instance of “ok,” “yeah” and “”super”.

Sample: Young adult male SMS messages Buy a harddisk (23) kjøp en hardisk OK (33) The pub isnt open today (32) Pubben åpner ikke idag. Am in strømstad, it is pouring rain, and I will unfortunately be late.(31) Er i strømstad, det pøsregner, og jeg blir dessverre sen.

The use of openings and closings in SMS by age and gender

Use of punctuation in SMS by age and gender

Use of complex capitalization in SMS by age and gender

Use of abbreviations and emoticons by age and gender

Use of nynorsk in SMS by age and gender

Type token analysis of SMS use

Most commonly used words in SMS

Parts of speech in various media

The mobile phone as a tool of romance • The mobile telephone is well designed for romancing • It is a technology of the individual • It allows for the communication of both synchronous and asynchronous messages • Can be used for phatic interaction • It is directly routed between the concerned individuals • Messages need not be observed by others

The role of SMS Rita 18: (. . . ) if you meet a guy when you are out for example, then it is a lot easier to send a message instead of talking like. Somebody you don’t really know. It is more relaxed. Anne 15: It is easier to tell if you like a person. Interviewer: Via SMS? Ida 18: Then your voice will not either shout or disappear. You need time to think [when constructing your turns].

The role of SMS (continued) Espen: It is super dumb if you call and you hear that the hag is really uninterested, that she just doesn’t say anything. Cato: Embarrassing when it is completely quiet. . . . Espen: “Why are you calling me” you know, that is not cool.

The ability to claim “it was only a joke” Im an alian and I`ve transformed myself in to your phone. While you`re reading this Im having sex with your finger. I know you like it because you`re smiling;) (From Hege Andersen)

Phatic interaction and saying ”good night” • The mobile phone allows for phatic interaction • This can be extremely important between lovers • Teens can not wish their partner good night directly • There are many different tones and registers that can be used • Normal • G’nite (Female 15) • Have a good night, hug (Man 47) • More rakish • Do you want to spend the night? Hug (Female 17) • Good night sex bomb (Female 35) • More infatuated • Nite, I love you (Female 27) • I wish you a good night and I love you (Female 28) • Use of internal code • Hug, has the prince slept well? Use the signal (Female 48) • Good night and sleep with an image of a sleeping bear (Female 16).

Text interaction • The expression of deeply held urges • “It’s insane... Just met you three times, but have never felt anything like this before... Want so much to hold you... Kiss you... Going crazy!” (From Lin Prøitz) • Texting in Japan • I really want to see you (>_<). I am starting to feel bad again. My neck hurts and I feel like I am going to be sick ( ; _; ). Urg. • I get to see you tomorrow so I guess I just have to hang in there! (^o^). (Ito and Okabe)

Texting in the Philippines Leticia: Does it mak u hapy 2 stel a kiss? Remember tho shalt not stel, best to ask! Captain: I kno wen 2 do it Leticia: Com show me how so I myt also Captain: Jaz lyk a magican… I nevr reveal a secret… Leticia: (sent a message with the graphic of a dancing bear) Captain: wers my kiss? Leticia: Y dnt u cum n get it? Latr, im nt yet going 2 bed. I’s stil her at d prayer meetn, prayn 4 you… Captain: Ur not praun. Ur thnkn of me (B. Clayton – Ellwood)

The process of having a date • The device is used for dynamic planning of when and where to meet • Can generally agree as to the time and place • Goes through several iterations • Becomes increasingly specific • The device is also before and after the couple has been physically copresent • Blurring of the time that a date starts • Anticipation of the time together • Filling one another in on the issues of their day • Preserving the afterglow of a good time together

Physical copresence vs. being connected Night Morning Work Transport Transport Sleep Physical copresence Date

Outline • Why SMS is a success • A statistical picture of SMS • The content of SMS • Attitudes toward SMS • SMS and romance • Gendered differences in use • Linguistic issues • Conclusion

Ok, first I got an SMS from my mother earlier today. She wanted to know how my youngest was doing because she had been sick last nightAnd so I sent a message (SMS) back and answered that (ha ha)And so, so I sent a message (SMS) to a friend of mine, we were actually going to meet, to say that I couldn’t come.And so at 8 o’clock I called because I needed to have an appointment at the doctor’s but there were so many people that were sick right now so, yeah, so that it was nothing, it sounded like a normal cold, ehh.And so I got a message (SMS) a little past 8 and she said that she could drive my oldest child to day care.And so I got a message (SMS) from a friend of mind, ehh, it was me who sent the first one and she said that we could meet another day.And so. . . I sent a message (SMS) to my mother to confirm that she could drive the oldest one to day care.And so at 8:30 I got a message (SMS) from my mother that said that she would pick up the oldest child when she came.So at 9 o’clock I got a call from the children’s father, he wondered how it was going.And so at 9:30 I called the day care to say that Luna would be a little lateAt 10 past 10 I sent a message (SMS) to my father’s wife to ask if she could pick up Luna and buy a couple of things for us. And so at 11:30 I got a call from her and she said that she could do that.Ahh, and a quarter to one I got a message (SMS) from a friend who wondered if we could meet sometime and I answered that at about 1:20.At 1:40 I called to day care again to say that she [Luna] would be picked up by my father’s wife.And at eight past 5 I sent a message (SMS) to a friend, just a cosy greeting.And at 13 past 5 I got a message (SMS) from her.Ahh at 25 past five I called the children’s father again, no, we called him because the kids missed him.At twenty past six we got a call from the father again because he wondered if he could loan our carAnd at eight past seven you called to say that you were late. Use of SMS for specialized purposes

Ok, first I got an SMS from my mother earlier today. She wanted to know how my youngest was doing because she had been sick last nightAnd so I sent a message (SMS) back and answered that (ha ha)And so, so I sent a message (SMS) to a friend of mine, we were actually going to meet, to say that I couldn’t come.And so at 8 o’clock I called because I needed to have an appointment at the doctor’s but there were so many people that were sick right now so, yeah, so that it was nothing, it sounded like a normal cold, ehh.And so I got a message (SMS) a little past 8 and she said that she could drive my oldest child to day care.And so I got a message (SMS) from a friend of mind, ehh, it was me who sent the first one and she said that we could meet another day.And so. . . I sent a message (SMS) to my mother to confirm that she could drive the oldest one to day care.And so at 8:30 I got a message (SMS) from my mother that said that she would pick up the oldest child when she came.So at 9 o’clock I got a call from the children’s father, he wondered how it was going.And so at 9:30 I called the day care to say that Luna would be a little lateAt 10 past 10 I sent a message (SMS) to my father’s wife to ask if she could pick up Luna and buy a couple of things for us. And so at 11:30 I got a call from her and she said that she could do that.Ahh, and a quarter to one I got a message (SMS) from a friend who wondered if we could meet sometime and I answered that at about 1:20.At 1:40 I called to day care again to say that she [Luna] would be picked up by my father’s wife.And at eight past 5 I sent a message (SMS) to a friend, just a cosy greeting.And at 13 past 5 I got a message (SMS) from her.Ahh at 25 past five I called the children’s father again, no, we called him because the kids missed him.At twenty past six we got a call from the father again because he wondered if he could loan our carAnd at eight past seven you called to say that you were late. Use of SMS for different purposes

Contents • Introduction • Trends in the mediation of social interaction • Linguistic analysis of SMS • Predictive texting • Historical and theoretical background • Method • Results • Conclusion

Predictive texting • Predictive texting (PT) is a commonly used way to enter SMS messages • Facilitates the entry of text by reducing the number of keystrokes. • Alternative forms of text input • Text recognition on touch sensitive screens • Virtual keyboards • Voice recognition • Two-tap systems • Bluetooth keyboards • Thumb pads • “HELLO” with multi tap (T9 or eZiText): • 4 4 (H) 3 3 (E) 5 5 5 (L) 5 5 5 (L) 6 6 6 (0) • “HELLO” with PT: • 4 (H) 3 (E) 5 (L) 5 (L) 6 (0) (8 fewer strokes) • Other systems are also used

Predictive texting • Does PT make texting on mobile phones faster • Heavy mobile phone users are using PT • Efficiency for those who send many SMS messages • Is there is a gender question • Many elements determine the net speed of texting • Manual dexterity • The learning curve (infrequent texters never really learn the keypad) • Software sophistication • The time to think and formulate text • Dealing with secondary issues (like • Other research shows only marginal speed effects • 5 – 6 wpm with multi tap • 6 – 7 wpm with PT

Contents • Introduction • Trends in the mediation of social interaction • Linguistic analysis of SMS • Predictive texting • Historical and theoretical background • Method • Results • Conclusion

The historical background • SMS draws on lettering originally introduced as a mnemonic device in the 1920’s • Shift from operator assisted to direct dialing • Bell engineers feared misdialing • The names were used as a mnemonic devices • William G. Blauvelt designed the device • At first the letters described the location of the telephone exchange • ELm for the Elm Street exchange • FRanklin for the Franklin exchange • After the Second World War a number was added to extend the system ATlas 8 – 3786 • Some quirks with the system • No use of 1 or the number 0. • No use of “Q” or “Z” • Became a part of the culture • Glenn Miller song PEnnsylvania 6-5000 • Film called BUtterfield-8 with Liz Taylor

US no “Q” or “Z” UK “O” and “Q” on the 0 key, no “Z” Australia “Q” and “Z” on the 1 key

Contemporary mobile keypad The missing letters of the 26 letter alphabet are restored on the mobile but not the landline

Development in the use of the keypad • Currently the “culturally specific” letters and the numbers are hidden behind various keys • The “6” has • M N and O • Ñ,Ö,Ø and 6 • The # key doubles as a space key. • T9 and eZiText support different languages • Bengali, French, Korean, Malay, Slovak, Tamil, Urdu etc • Not necessarily dialects and minority orthography • The 12 key – Arabic numeral keypad seems to be the de facto standard • Arabic letters • Korean letters

The linguistics of SMS

The linguistics of SMS

Presentation Transcript

The Future of Linguistics

The Birth of Modern Linguistics

The scope of linguistics

The Linguistics of Euphemism:

The scope of linguistics

The Basics of SMS

The London school of linguistics

Linguistics of Swearing

Linguistics of swearing

Applied Linguistics Overview of course’ Linguistics’

History of Linguistics

The Linguistics of SLA

The Future of Linguistics

The History of Modern Linguistics

CORPUS LINGUISTICS STUDY OF SMS TEXT MESSAGING

Theories of Linguistics

THE LINGUISTICS OF SLA

The Linguistics Society

The Linguistics of SLA

Linguistics of ASL

Linguistics—the Study of Language

Branches of Linguistics