Die mate van konsekwentheid in SMS-Afrikaans

Abstract

In SMS-Afrikaans kom inkonsekwentheid van spelling en verkorting van taal na vore en dit word in hierdie artikel ondersoek. In hierdie artikel word 'n oorsig gebied oor die sosiolinguistiese agtergrond waarin SMS-taal funksioneer aan die hand van relevante literatuur. In 'n empiriese ondersoek peil hierdie artikel die mate waarin verkorting deur knipsels en inkortings toegepas word deur universiteitstudente op grond van geslag, soort selfoon, taal, gebruik van Engelse inhoud en verandering in betekenis. Hiervolgens het manstudente die SMS-tekste die meeste verkort. Daar is ook bevind dat die soort selfoon geen beduidende invloed het op die verkorting van SMS-tekste nie. Tog het Afrikaans as moedertaal, die gebruik van Engelse inhoud en die verandering van betekenis wel tot korter SMS-tekste gelei. In 'n tweede deel van die empiriese navorsing het die respondente enkele boodskappe oorgeskryf in SMS-Afrikaans. Uit die ontleding van hierdie response is dit duidelik dat verskillende vorme van fonetiese spelling toegepas word tesame met die uitlating van vokale en diftonge. Engelse woorde, logogramme en klank- of simboolwaardes is ook aangetref. Dit is egter duidelik dat hierdie vorme nie konsekwent deur die navorsingpopulasie of selfs deur individue gebruik word nie. Deur die verkorting word die betekenis vernou of selfs heeltemal verander. Dus is SMS-Afrikaans nie 'n homogene entiteit nie en al word sekere vorme as standaard deur SMS-gebruikers aanvaar, is daar baie variasie, wat egter nie noodwendig kommunikasie tussen gebruikers laat misluk nie. ABSTRACT: The degree of consistency in SMS Afrikaans SMS Afrikaans displays inconsistency with regard to spelling and shortening of language and this issue is explored in this article. This article provides a literature review of the sociolinguistic background against which SMS language functions. The article empirically determined the degree of shortening through clippings and reductions that are employed by university students in terms of gender, type of cellular phone, mother tongue, use of English content in Afrikaans text messages, as well as change in meaning. In this regard, the male respondents in this study shortened SMS texts the most. Furthermore, the study determined that the type of cellular phone does not have an influence on the shortening of SMS texts. However, Afrikaans as mother tongue among respondents, the use of English words and elements in Afrikaans texts and the change in meaning did lead to shorter text messages. In the second part of the empirical research, respondents had to rewrite some Standard Afrikaans messages in SMS Afrikaans. From the analysis of these responses it was evident that different types of phonetic spelling were employed together with the omission of vowels and diphthongs. English words, logograms and sound and symbol values were identified. However, it is clear that these spelling elements are not used consistently by the research population or even individuals. Through shortening, the meaning is narrowed or even changed. Therefore, SMS Afrikaans is not a homogenous entity and even if there seems to be some standards accepted by SMS users, a great deal of variation exists; however, this does not necessarily mean that communication is not effective.