Is text-speak infiltrating academia?

Phil Zwerling started noticing the symbols, numbers and abbreviated words in e-mails he received from students almost two years ago. Those strange codes then began to appear in papers his students would turn in.

"At first, I was outraged," said the University of Texas-Pan American English professor.

Like other professors, Zwerling set aside class time to review the basics in grammar and spelling with his students. But he soon he began to wonder whether this trend was the harbinger of a new evolution of the English language.

"The English language has been changing for hundreds of years," said Zwerling.

The purpose of language is to communicate, the professor said. And the younger generation has found a new way to communicate: texting.

Students at the University of Texas-Pan American said they love the convenience of sending texts to their friends. Many said they try to restrain the mix of letters and numbers and omission of apostrophes and punctuation to informal communication, but once in a while they find themselves using that language in formal papers.

Raul Guajardo, an 18-year-old freshman at UTPA, said he used text talk in an assignment he wrote when in high school and learned his lesson quickly.

"I had to change the whole thing," he said.

Lora Ulloa, an 18-year-old freshman, said she even uses the abbreviations when she's taking notes in class.

"I'll put the B then the 4 (‘before'), but not when I write (a paper). It never comes out," said Ulloa.

Even though texting language has made its way into online class discussions, e-mails and the occasional paper, students generally know the difference between formal and informal writing, said Jennifer Knecht, interim director of South Texas College's Center for Learning Excellence, the college's tutoring center.

"It has created a whole new subculture," she said.

Knecht said she has seen students use the abbreviations, numbers and other symbols in online discussion, but for the most part the students pay attention to traditional grammar and spelling rules when they write papers for classes.

The most common mistake she has seen is that students forget to use proper punctuation because they don't use it when they text.

Like Zwerling, Knecht said she thinks this may be a new step for the English language.

New words and phrases are constantly added to the vernacular. It wasn't too long ago that words like "byte" or "disc" were discouraged from being used in writing. Because more people began using them, they are now considered formal words, Knecht said.

"That is the way language evolves," Knecht said.

Jennifer L. Berghom covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4462.