After reading and discussing the article”We Learned to Write the Way We Speak” by Gretchen McCulloch, I have realized how much our writing has developed and even changed over time. I merely remember the day I first made an email account. I know I was in 5th grade. Anyhow, I was taught to write in a formal manner starting off with a proper subject and header and ending off with sincerely or thanks. Over time, times had begun to change and I started writing with a bit more informality, while still possessing the formal manner I use to utilize before. Furthermore, today we have been introduced to more digital tools such as Snapchat, discord, and Instagram. For each digital tool, I practically speak and write in the same manner, which is informal. With friends and cousins, I’m usually informal. I would say I write the way I speak in this setting. However, if I am texting with someone who is older, I usually try and maintain a formal manner but still contain a hint of informality. I guess it is just the way we were brought up with the internet to possess that informality. The same could be said for when I’m writing in a journal or an essay. For these types of writings, I try to stay as neutral and formal as possible. Sometimes I do see myself having some informality but, to be honest, that is fine since times have changed tremendously in the way we speak and write.
Throughout my years whenever I was introduced to the internet my writing style has differed, especially my inclusion of discourse conventions. An example of a discourse convention that I use today is the dead emoji. The dead emoji represents that you’re laughing or also can be known by today’s society as “you’re weak” in a laughing manner. Why do I use emojis? The reason I use emojis in text over snap or discord is to show what my true emotion is at the time and also it is much easier to use an emoji, instead of typing out your true emotion.
February 7, 2022 at 1:40 pm
I agree and can relate to a lot of what you wrote. I also text my friends and cousins informally and tend to use emojis to convey my feelings to them. I try to write formally when responding to teachers, professors, supervisors, etc. I can also relate to the last sentence of your first paragraph, in which you said that sometimes you write informally when you try not to. Because I am so used to conveying my emotions in writing using certain informal language, it is tempting to use this same language in formal writing.
February 7, 2022 at 1:42 pm
We can kinda compare this with trend, in a sense formal writing is outdated unless its absolutely necessary. Even though it is outdated it will never fully go away, connecting that point to what Ong’s was saying.