Tuesday 23 July 2013

Thumbs of destruction

I think an alien sent me this text "xaxa,xema btw chrix, fwendx foweva i mixx you xo much" i appreciate the effort that this particular being put in the murder of language, the thumb being the murder weapon. Admittedly, i have never been a man of flair and pomp, i try to keep it simple and excellent in whatever i do. That i am the traditional communicator is the worst kept secret. I have never conspired or participated in the murder of language. To replace the letter "S" with "X" or "R" with "W" and other misdemeanours.
     I understand the thinking behind making communication faster and fun. Shorthand texting is allowed, i mean so long as your message is delivered. we have created room for emotions, messages are ridden with emotions, sometimes emotionally saturated "i miss you big:-)::->::-P", come on, such a message will make me rush and check if your fever has developed into something else requiring mental care.
      But this new phenomenon of utterly destroying language, its senseless murder and its widespread corruption is what annoys most. On close examination, this new lingo does not satisfy brevity, it is not time saving and it does not look good on my inbox. If its an invented language, then its an invention set for doom. It is right up there with the gulliotine as a sour invention that was done away with after its brutality and malice could no longer be taken anymore. I foresee a similar fate with this pathetic "xaxa xema" iingo, it will reach a point drafters of such messages will be slapped by sense and cease brutalising English and Swahili or distant voices of reason will prevail. It's commonly used by girls and boys. Ladies and gentlemen would never corrupt language to such destructive extents.
    Where has this craze for destroying language come from? I may not have the right answers but what i know is that it is wrong. It also comes down to peer pressure, the notion that everyone in cyberspace is doing it and its the new flavour of the month, so no one wants to be left behind. It does not make any humane sense to draft a text that defies the only one alphabet that exists in English and Kiswahili. As far as i know we don't speak Khoisan in Kenya. My thinking, in black and white, is that the decency of our languages should be maintained. The spellings should check out, the grammar should be right and the meaning should come out clearly. And shorthand should be clear and meaningful.
     I am not overlooking the need for fun and games, but let's not get carried away lest we extend this irregularity to formal forums where we could get an "X" on the most important deal of our lives.

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