The Analysis of The Talk "Txtng is Killing Language" by John Mcwhorter

There has been lot of improvements in the field of technology and communication. Texting is one of them. This is something that you don’t need verbal speaking and is very short. Basically, young generations are more influenced in this type of thing called texting. The words like lol, hashtag, lmfao etc. are so common now that they not only use this in texting but also in everyday speaking. “Txtng is killing language” is a TED talk by John McWhorter produced in 2013. McWhorter’s TED talk clarifies that today’s communication technology has not caused literacy to decrease; it has actually allowed humanity to grow as a society and as a result, a new language has appeared in the form of texting.

McWhorter’s TED talk is very influential as it uses ethos, pathos, and logos to inform and persuade of today’s texting culture that texting is not killing language, because it is actually a new language all in itself. Technology is growing very fast today as compared to old times. People rely more on technology than they used to a decade ago. It has made people’s life much more easier than before with the help of smartphones and all the electronic gadgets. People fear about texting that it will deteoriate the literacy but it is just a new form of language with technology as a medium.

With his past research, McWhorter explains in his TED talk that texting is not bad writing. It isn’t even writing, texting is a form of “fingered speech”. McWhorter states that it is a new language all in itself, and it has developed alongside of technology and texting. He says those short abbreviation is making people even smarter and better. To persuade his audience that texting is a whole new language, McWhorter uses the personal credentials so called ethos. Since he is in TED talk it means he is highly reputed which brought him into this platform to persuade speak through his public speech.

McWhorter knows what he is talking about. McWhorter is using TED’s and his own personal credentials to help prove his point about texting as a new language. Everybody knows TED talk is a great platform for presentation so McWhorter uses his credibility to prove his point. Basically, it is easy for him to be credible because he is already in Ted Talk and audience know that only high reputable people come here to present something. Moreover, he looks professional and his confidence while speech delivering also makes him credible.

Another way he persuade his audience that texting is a whole new language, McWhorter uses real facts and examples which are also called logos. He not only gives daily life examples but also gives examples from the history long time ago. He uses several examples from historical events. He uses logos to prove his idea since he uses a lot of examples to prove his idea that texting is a new language. To persuade his audience that texting is a whole new language, McWhorter, during his TED talk, uses pathos by explaining that this texting phenomenon isn’t society’s slow loss of literacy.

It is actually the development of a new language. McWhorter uses different type of pathos like audience’s fear and negative emotions that texting might decrease their literacy like they might lose their quality of writing but he explains that texting is not even writing it’s like speaking through typing. He says that nowadays younger generation can explain more through texting and people of old generation do not need to be afraid of texting as a loss of literacy.

McWhorter uses these examples to show the audience that, fears are unnecessary, their fears are completely normal and happens to everyone. In this way pathos is used to help the audience relax and become more accepting of McWhorter’s proposal about texting as a new language. Technology is a part of life. It keeps up growing every day. Many people may feared that technology is making new younger generations lazier but it is not what most of us thinks. Technology will keep growing and it will continue making things easier but it does not mean that it should be feared. It is normal part of life since it is a new thing and learning new things has always been part of human life.