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Abstract
The effects of new technology on language was investigated. It was found that all technology has an effect on language, both positive and negative. Every field of technology that was investigated showed some effect on the way that language is used in and around it. The more that people got used to the technology, the more language was effected. The internet has weakened our ability to communicate with each other face to face. Cell phone use etiquette should be a priority to cell users. It is shown that society is becoming rude. The medical field has grown significantly, adding many new terms to language. Medical organizations have come up with ways of dealing with all this new technology.
Effects of Technology on Language
Technology has influenced our language in a myriad of ways. The introduction of
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communication satellites has ushered in a new era of near instant communication around
the globe. We now have the internet with its online chat forums, private chat, and Email.
Satellites have also facilitated cellular or wireless communication via devices such as
cellular telephones, pagers, or personal digital assistants.
The various elements of this technology have had both positive and negative
effects on our language and the way we communicate. In the following text our group
will briefly examine each of these elements and identify their impact on our language.
The "Galactic Network" concept originally conceived by J. C. R. Licklider of
MIT in 16, laid the foundation for what we now know as the internet. The internet has
existed in various forms since 165 when a TX- computer located at MIT was
connected via a low speed dial up connection to a Q- computer in California. The
internet has evolved from a system limited to use by researchers only, into a world wide
domain accessible by virtually anyone with the required linking device. Licklider's vision
of the internet has impacted 0th. Century communication and access to the written word
much like Guttenberg's invention of the printing press impacted people of the 15th.
Century.
The internet has ushered in the age of Email and online chat. Now, rather than
writing a letter to a friend or family member, we can create a single document and send it
to any number of friends and family members at once. In addition, we have the ability to
attach photos or other data. Unfortunately, since "a picture is worth a thousand words",
we no longer make the effort to describe what we can simply attach. As a result, our use
of expressive, descriptive language is becoming more and more limited. This technology
has also seen the rise of electronic slang or shorthand, particularly among participants in
online chat. A visit to an online chat room will reveal terms such as btw (by the way),
damhik (don't ask me how I know), eod (end of discussion), hhok (ha ha only kidding),
and plos (parents looking over shoulder). Considering that all the communication is input
via keyboard, terms such as these are certain time savers. Especially for the digitally
challenged among us. However, there is cause for concern as well. How long will it be
before we see these terms accepted in regular communication? Recently, we have
witnessed the acceptance of "nine eleven" as reference to the attack on the World Trade
Center. In contrast, we do not refer to the attack on Pearl Harbor as "twelve seven".
Cryptic terms are becoming more and more accepted. A simple search for internet
abbreviations for pen pals will yield a listing of one hundred eighty four examples of
such terms.
Another more troubling aspect of these abbreviations is the ability of the user to
prevent others such as parents or guardians from understanding what is being sent and
received. To the uninitiated, it may as well be a foreign language. Similar shorthand is
employed by users of mobile messaging, a feature of many cellular telephones. In this
instance, such shorthand seems appropriate given the limited method of input. Using a
numeric keypad to type out a message may appear fun or cool in television ads, but the
reality is far different for most users as it is actually cumbersome and time consuming.
Advancements in computing technology have resulted in personal computers
becoming economical and available to users worldwide. To date, in excess of one billion
personal computers have been sold since Intel's introduction of the microprocessor in
171. According to an Intel press release dated July 1, 00
Today PCs are in roughly 60 percent of U.S. households, followed by 4 percent
in Western Europe and 8 percent in Asia Pacific. At the end of last year, nearly
half a billion people around the world had access to the internet from their homes.
The computer age has spawned a wealth of new words and terms in addition to
new meanings for existing words. Many are in the form of acronyms such as BIOS (Basic
Input/Output system), others bring new meaning to old terms such as cold boot. Most people
living in a cold climate can relate to a cold boot as what one feels while getting dressed in winter.
However, thanks to the computer age, we now think of a cold boot as starting our computer after
it has been shut down for some time. The lexicon of computer related words and terms make
most novice or casual computer users feel as though they have entered a foreign country upon
entering a computer store. The ever helpful staff is most willing to impress you with their
knowledge by bombarding you with product information such as "this one has a .75 Gig
processor, 51 megs of Ram, and a 100 Gig hard drive". For many this only makes them feel
even less a part of today's computer age. However, there is hope. A web site (no not a spider's
hangout, but an electronic catalog of sorts located on the internet) called Bella Online
offers an informative dictionary of common computer terms. Expressed in layman's
terms, this offering is most helpful in understanding the geek speak of the computer sales
staff. This is a must read for any but the most computer literate, prior to purchasing a
computer.
In addition to technical terms related to computer performance as mentioned
above, the internet has fostered countless new words and phrases. Most of these are like a
secondary language, born of English, yet unique unto itself as geek speak.
Searchstorage.com offers the following
Geek speak often sounds like normal English that doesn't quite make sense
because familiar words have been given a new meaning. A port is no longer
where a ship docks, and a spool is no longer what thread comes on. And for that
matter, a thread is no longer a thin strand of cotton. And executing a program is
not the same thing as killing it.
To those in the know, technical terms and acronyms are often useful as an
expedient method of communication. The government and particularly the military have
used acronyms for many years. Many of which over time, have been assimilated into
everyday language. Most adults are familiar with ICBM, and when the occasion arises
will use this acronym in place of intercontinental ballistic missile. However, when this
acronym was first introduced, only a select few understood it's meaning. The same holds
true for most of the geek speak lexicon. It is quite likely that some of the geek speak will
find it's way into everyday use by the general populace. Unfortunately, until that time
most of us will be relegated to the unknowing masses, unable to speak or understand this
language. There is hope for us. The Tech Target Network offers an online, searchable
reference of internet acronyms and lingo. Terms such as "egosurfing" looking to see
how many places on the web your name appears, "hacktivism" the act of hacking, and
"googlewhack" searching the Google search engine with a two word or more search
argument that will produce exactly one result as indexed by Google. Examples of which
are maladroit wheezer, blithering clops, and comparative unicyclist. This web site offers
a listing of 07 unique terms. Visitors may click on any term to see the definition, and
may also enter a term in the search box to see the definition. Interested web surfers
should go to http//whatis.techtarget.com to access the listing and dictionary.
From this we can see that the impact of technology is multi-faceted. First we have
the wealth of new technical terms such as ram, cdrom, and megs, which are rapidly
becoming commonplace in everyday language. Second, there are the sub-culture terms
and Email/chat shorthand which are used not only as timesavers but as a means of hiding
from outsiders. Whether it is kids trying to keep their parents in the dark, or cyberpunks
and hackers trying to evade prosecution, use of technology driven terms is here to stay.
The benefits of technology on our language are significant. We now have the
ability to communicate both verbally and in print with others across the street and around
the world in real time. A wealth of information is virtually at one's fingertips via the
internet. However, there is a price we must pay for this technology in addition to the
obvious costs of hardware and services. Word processing programs today offer not only
document formatting, but spell checking, auto correct, punctuation and grammar
correction. Users no longer need to concern themselves with spelling or punctuation, as
long as they remember to have the computer do it for them. Even more troubling is the
increase in the number of form letter type inserts in Christmas cards, and the printed
envelopes or address labels. It seems that what was once a meaningful, thoughtful
expression has been reduced to an electronic bulk mailing Even worse are those who opt
for a generic Email message to all in lieu of a card or letter. Receiving a card that is
personally signed by the sender is becoming the exception rather than the rule.
Technology is robbing us of the ability to communicate effectively, on a personal
level. Staring at an Email message on a monitor, one cannot accurately discern the
sincerity of the sender. Just as the truly classic movies with excellent dialogue have been
replaced by mediocre dialogue, gratuitous sex, explosions and car chases, our language
itself is under attack by technological terms and acronyms. Just as nine eleven has
become accepted, it is quite possible we will soon be using terms the likes of ezine,
internesia, and webify.
Another term that has become common place because of technology is cell phone. Cell phone is term that comes from a group of transmitting towers arranged so that the towers overlap each other to create a cell of wave lengths for the phone to connect to. Each tower's own area is called a cell, and the phone is used in the area to place calls. Up until ten years ago cell phones were only for on the go business men. Today the use of cell phones has drastically changed the way that we communicate. When cell phones were first introduced, they had two major problems, they were the size of a VW beetle and they also relied on cellular wave towers to give a signal in the majority of locations and many areas didn't have cell towers. Since then phones have been made smaller, and towers appear everywhere. Cell phones have become a part of everyday life. Families use cell phones to keep in touch with each other. Mom and dad can keep tabs on the kids, and the kids can keep in touch with each other. Businesses use cell phones to stay on top of the competition. If the main office hears of a possible big deal, they can call the salesman in the field, and get him on it right away.
Cell phones have also made travel safer. A cell phone is almost a necessity when traveling anywhere. If the car breaks down, it is much easier and safer to call for a tow truck. Close to one hundred thousand emergency calls are made on cell phones everyday, but technology isn't sophisticated enough to track the location of the calls like the 11 system can (Vanzi 00, pg. ). When in an unfamiliar area, the cell phone can be used to contact AAA (Automobile Association of America) to get directions. No more stopping at the local gas station to get directions from a twenty five year old with a bad sense of humor sending the way ward traveler in the wrong direction.
There are 100 million cell phone subscribers in the United States (Schumacher 001, pg. 1). Many people have abandoned the home phone, for the cell phone. This means that the majority of phone calls are made on a cell phone. As most people have noted, cell phone conversations do not have much meaning. Most calls are just a quick "Hi" or "how are you"? There made simply because we are in the car or walking around the mall. Calls are made just because they can be made. Ease of access has made our conversations less and less meaningful. Instead of calling relatives once a week with new information, families contact each other frequently. Traveling in a car or walking through the mall is not a meaningful way to have a conversation with loved ones. Everyone around becomes part of the conversation. The person making the call usually has to raise their voice to drown out the sound of the people around them.
In this day and age of technology and personal communications there is a concern for the uncharacteristic change of language. Children as young as ten years old are given cell phones by there parents. The parents say that they give these phones to extend the reach of their parenting arm (Vanzi 00 pg. ). Children think that there parents give them the phones to show trust or a level of responsibility. Many of these phones are equipped with text messaging, a simple form of e-mail. Since the message is typed in over the key pad, the messages take a long time to prepare. The solution to the problem is shorthand.
The shorthand that people use in text messaging is turning up in school work and everyday life. As a teacher in the Philippines stated, "I have been reading student essays recently and noticed the frequent use of common text messaging in these essays. Terms such as, 4u, gthr, and yrs." (Vanzi, 00 pg.). These students also stated that they didn't see any negative effect on language. At such a young and impressionable age these children should be learning the proper form and spelling of language. Much of the population already has a difficulty with spelling. Shorthand use only makes this problem more evident.
It is almost impossible to go anywhere in public without seeing someone on a cell phone. Unfortunately the people having these conversations aren't shy about what they are saying. Most people have been interrupted by that annoying person with the cell phone. Classes in schools are distracted by ringing phones. Business meetings are constantly interrupted by cell phones. We are starting to become a society of rude people. Constantly having to answer the call waiting during the middle of a conversation is common place.
The cell phone companies try to sell these phones as personal communication devices. Are they, or are they just another road block in the way we communicate with each other? The first time that you meet someone, a new bud or possibly a new flame, the conversation turns to communicating with each other, "How do I get a hold of you?", is a popular question. It just used to be, What's your phone number? Imagine someone trying to use this pick-up line. What is your email, cell phone number, or what chat room do you frequent? Technology is a wonderful thing, but at what expense. When is enough technology enough. There are already people who have social anxiety. At what point does technology help to create a generation of people who can not communicate with each other. When we can no longer express ourselves with speech have we gone too far? In a recent conversation with a computer technician, the statement that struck me as interesting was, "I would much rather e-mail someone then talk to them on the phone." What a sad statement from someone who is in a position of influence on people.
Business people are always looking for ways to organize their lives. The invention of the PDA or the palm pilot has made instant personal organization possible. Once again these devices take some time to use. The message or note is put in with a small pen tapping on the letter that is to be input. Shorthand is used immensely. Unfortunately this shorthand has found its way into written communication. Too many people have lost the ability to communicate with each other without technology. It should not be surprising that teenagers have hard time answering the easiest questions about their lives, but put a kid on a computer, and he can talk all night.
Understanding and dealing with the rapidly increasing number of technology driven
terms and acronyms on an individual basis is no small task. However, when a specific sector of
society is faced with managing a proliferation of self-generated terms, it becomes a Herculean
task.
The advances of technology in the medical field have influenced our language in numerous ways. With advances in medical technology progressing at a rapid pace our language is impacted profoundly. With new drug treatments comes new terminology. With a more complete understanding of the human body come new procedures for treatment. With new information technology comes a whole new system of communication from the most simple diagnosis to the most complicated surgical procedure to the most complete follow-up care.
These technologies have differing elements that affect our language and the way that we communicate. The following text will examine these elements and identify how they have impacted our language.
Perhaps one of the language groups most impacted by medical technology is the field of "Medical Informatics". Medical Informatics comes with varying definitions depending on the background, viewpoint and preoccupation. According to Tolentino (1), the definition most encompassing for our discussion is,
"Medical informatics is a developing body of knowledge and a set of techniques concerning the organizational management of information in support of medical research, education, and patient care….Medical informatics combines medical science with several technologies and disciplines in the information and computer sciences and provides methodologies by which these can contribute to better use of the medical knowledge base and ultimately to better medical care." Association of American Medical Colleges, (186, p.1).
In short, Medical Informatics is a dynamic field in which medical and information technology is combined with our existing language to create new terminologies and languages that better serve our medical knowledge and treatment systems.
The sudden growth in medical informatics has had a far reaching affect on all portions of our health care system in America. With the introduction of computers into medicine we have seen an explosion of efficiencies that out-pace the cognitive ability of all but the most gifted human beings.
Medical informatics is a discipline which involves the coordination of various types of data. These include but are not limited to medical records, vocabularies, data coding classifications, data bases and analogue and digital imagery. As technology influenced medical language it became necessary to coordinate the technological language into a new system to better handle the onslaught of information. Over the last 1 years the national Library of Medicine has been working on this unique challenge. This work has resulted in an ongoing work categorized as The Unified Medical Language System. This project is an attempt by the medical industry to standardize language in order to create better and more accurate efficiencies while using the advantages that technology has to offer. The main components of this system work together when a chronological application of the information vocabulary allows a computer to recognize the relationships between the individual parts of data and formulate the type of result that the computer is programmed to achieve.
The Metathesaurus is the first main component. A metathesaurus is a database of information that is designed to connect the vocabularies of different systems into semantic types. Each of these semantic types form a semantic network that links the concepts to one another. This allows either a system or a human to create an information sources map that allows for efficient placement and retrieval of that information.
The United Medical Language System Metathesaurus is issued annually to subscribers who sign a licensing agreement. This agreement allows for respect of the intellectual property rights of the contributors to the metathesaurus. This in turn allows for broad participation in the medical field to advance the positive effects this technology on language.
The second main component is the Semantic Network. Each of the Metathesaurus terms is assigned a Semantic Type. This allows for the standardization of meaning so that relations existing between these concepts can be recognized by computers and formed into a network. This network allows the technology to apply the information in the most efficient manor.
The Information Sources Map is the third component. This organizes the information into a workable draft for the efficient storage and retrieval of that information.
The result of the first three components of the United Medical Language System is a Specialist Lexicon. Simply put this is a unique language that serves as a basis for the use of technology in all aspects of medicine. Without this specialized language, developed by and for the medical industry, the impact of technology on medicine would not be as powerful and sustained as it has been.
As a result of the exponential growth of technology in medicine over the last 1 years the 18 Metathesaurus contains 1,051,01 biomedical terms, 476,1 concepts and 40 source vocabularies. Clearly technology has a major impact on language.
There are many positive and negative impacts that medical technology has had on language. The most important positive impact is the afore-mentioned impact on efficiencies in patient care and records. Information is power and the ability to efficiently use that information is the key to advancing the quality of our medical care system. The language used in the medical arena can help to strengthen our use of its technology.
The most recent negative impact may be the introduction of Telemedicine. Telemedicine is the use of remote audio and visual technology to hold appointments for routine medical matters. In this situation efficiencies are greatly increased because the doctor can see many patients from a single location. This saves time for the doctor and ultimately the patient, however the personal contact between doctor and patient is lost and the relationship must rely more heavily on language to substitute for the lack of physical contact. In this situation technologies impact on language has made the language more important to the situation but less desirable to the patient.
Another negative impact that medical technology has had on language is the vocabulary of acronyms. Acronyms are the abbreviation of words in order that the words can be used more efficiently. This works both ways, while AMA can be an acronym for the American Medical Association; AMA also is used medically to mean Against Medical Advise. Without the proper Metathesaurus structure in place the information would be lost in translation.
In the world of medicine there is a multitude of technology that both influences and controls language. These vocabularies have their strengths and weaknesses based on their intended and actual uses within the field of medicine. It is our observation that the proliferation of technology has led to a wider use and development of language vocabularies that inevitably leads to their improvement in both meaning and efficiency. We must welcome medical technology and the nuances it brings to our language.
As our group has demonstrated, technology in these fields, has effected our language in numerous ways. While some forms of technology have been beneficial to our language, others have been quite detrimental. Whether a good influence or a bad influence, technology will always have an impact on our language. The way it affects our language is totally up to the people who use it. We all have a duty to ourselves and to our future generations to keep language pure and uncontrolled by the effects of the technology. On the other hand we all need to embrace new terms, and use them in the proper manner.
Understanding and dealing with the rapidly increasing number of technology driven terms and
acronyms on an individual basis is no small task. However, when a specific sector of society is
faced with managing a proliferation of self-generated terms, it becomes a Herculean task.
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