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Vol.2 , No. 4, Publication Date: Jan. 12, 2016, Page: 58-66
| [1] | Rockson Kwasi Afriyie, Department of Information and Communication Technology, School of Applied Science and Technology, Wa Polytechnic, Wa, Upper West Region, Ghana. |
| [2] | Solomon Ali Dansieh, Department of General and Liberal Studies, Wa Polytechnic, Wa, Upper West Region, Ghana. |
Texting is a useful method of communication patronised by individuals and organisations. This paper investigates the possibility of adopting a standard lingo for SMS communication. The study used a survey strategy and a random sampling technique to select 418 students from two tertiary institutions in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region, Ghana. The feasibility of a standard lingo for SMS texting community and its ensuing benefit of effective communication were established. Results show broad support for a general and standard SMS lingo, with the implications for social effective discourse and interaction. These results indicate that the texting community will readily accept the language and the fears of people regarding texting will be allayed. Therefore to avert the affective nature of the current situation as well as promoting SMS socialising dimension, development of this contemporary life language should not be delayed further. The study revealed that 45.6% of the respondents use their own abbreviations and short form of words in SMS communication which affect effective SMS communication. Poor network service, difficulty in understanding SMS messages, and drudgery of typing were identified as the leading constraints to SMS communication. Since a significant number of tertiary students are immersed in SMS texting, addressing these hindrances will enhance SMS communication.
Keywords
SMS Texting, Standard Lingo, Effective Communication, Contemporary Life Language, Socializing Dimension
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