Text Ten are e-mails and text messages destroying the language?

Technology has undoubtedly brought about a revolution in communication. Most people would agree that this has been a positive development. Recently, however, there has been concern over the negative effect that modern methods of communication are having on the English language.

First of all, the increasing use of e-mails and text messages is changing the way we use grammar. By this I mean that certain words are dropped in order to keep messages short. In my view, this cannot be avoided. In a text message, for instance, there is neither the time nor the space to write complete sentences. The same applies to e-mails, which are supposed to be a shorter, more direct form of communication. In both cases, the need to be brief often means that the grammar is changed in some way.

Secondly, it is fashionable nowadays to shorten the spelling of words, particularly in text messages. One example of this is when people write "CU later" instead of "See you later". To purists or to people who are not used to such abbreviations, this might be seen as a threat to the language. To my mind, it simply shows that the language is changing in much the same way as it has done for centuries.

Finally, in my opinion, writing English correctly is not so important as getting the message across. If, for example, you send someone an e-mail or a text message telling them to meet you in a specified place at a certain time, making yourself understood is much more important than your grammar and spelling. As far as I am concerned, we should allow a certain amount of flexibility. Not everyone has a perfect command of the language but that should not stop them from being able to communicate.

To sum up, the effect that e-mails and text messages are having on written English is a significant one. This may, in the future, result in major changes to the language. However, we should not let rules get in the way of communication. After all, isn't that the reason language was developed in the first place – so that we could communicate? (1 750)

Text Eleven how do you catch the love bug?

1.1 A bugged e-mail arrives in your in-box labeled ILOVEYOU.

1.2 The e-mail contains an attachment called LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TXT. This is where the virus is found and at this point it is still inactive.

1.3 When you open the attachment you launch a special programme which the bug uses to do two jobs.

1.4 It sends copies of itself to all the names in your computer's address book.

1.5 It copies itself onto music and picture files.

Read the text and put the events in the correct order.

2.1 Damian opened the I LOVE YOU e-mail.

2.2 The Your Music website closed down.

2.3 Somebody planted the Love bug in his computer.

2.4 A friend of Damian's from work phoned him.

2.5 The Your Music files were deleted.

2.6 Damian started his job at Your Music.

When eighteen-year-old Damian Hunter from Oklahoma started his first job as a computer programmer in an Internet music company in Los Angeles, he never realized quite what a big effect he would have on the company.

Damian joined Your Music in January and had only been in his new job for three weeks when his employers decided to send him away on a day's training course in business studies. Before leaving for the course, he went to the office to check if there were any letters or e-mails for him.

Damian switched on the computer and saw a list of messages, including one called "I LOVE YOU". That must be from Elsa, he thought. He was in a long distance e-mail relationship with a girl who had gone to work in Hong Kong. He didn't recognize the e-mail address but thought she had maybe sent it from a friend's computer.

He opened the e-mail and noticed it had an attachment. All it said was: "Can't resist a love message, can you? Have a nice day!" Oh well, he thought, maybe Elsa was just having fun. He didn't think any more about it and drove off to his course.

While he was driving home later that evening, he heard on the radio about the "Love bug", a computer virus that had caused chaos over the weekend. The bug was hidden in a romantic-sounding e-mail. When the e-mail was opened, vital files and information were deleted.

When he got home, there was a message on his answerphone from a work colleague. Apparently the "Love bug" had got into the Your Music computer network and had closed down the website for six hours. Damian felt very stupid. He knew it was his fault. He had ignored one of the golden rules of working for an Internet company: never open an e-mail attachment if you don't recognize the name of the sender! He was not looking forward to the next morning when he would have to admit his mistake to the President of the company. ( 2 100 )