An Analysis of English Text Messages in Nepalese Context

Abstract

This research entitled“An Analysis of English Text Messages in NepaleseContext”attempts to find out the use of EnglishText Messages in terms ofsomedistinctive features such as logograms and pictograms, initialisms,omitted letters, non-standard spellings, and shorteningspracticedin Englishtext messages. Similarly, the collecteddataare analyzedin terms of age andgenderof texters as well. The study was carried out using both primary andsecondary sources of data. Since it is a descriptive study the major tools ofdatacollection were check list fortext analysisandinterview survey questions. Forthe study, the data have been collected from naturally occurring text messagesof different mobile users. Those messages were judgmentally selected halffrom male and half from female.Bothincomingand out going text messagesused by texters in their natural communication were used for analysis. After therigorous analysis of data she found out that pictograms and logograms whichincludenumericaldigits, English alphabets, alphanumeric homophones, andsigns and symbols are used to represent words or phrases in short form.Similarly, different types of initials, omitted letters, i.e either omission ofvowel sounds or consonant sounds, non-standard spellings, and shortenings arefound in text messages to represent words or phrases in short form and to savetime and money. In the same way, collected data have been categorized on thebasis of the age background and gender of texters. It is found that teens andyoung adults texted more than middle-agedpeople and female were far forwardin using text language, i.e. use of abbreviations and emoticons, etc. thantheirmale counterparts. This study consists of four chapters. The first chapter deals with the generalbackground, literature review, objectives and the significance of the study. Thesecond chapter deals with the methodology used in the study, the sources of thedata, population of the study, sampling procedures, tools of data collection,process of data collection, and limitation of the study. The third chapter dealswith analysis and interpretation of the collected data and both simple statisticalas well as descriptive approaches have been used in this chapter. The fourthchapter deals with the findings andrecommendationsderivedafter the analysisof the collected data.