Grammar & Digital Communication

Lately, I’ve been bingeing TikTok videos and discovered this hysterical lesbian teacher (@unlearn16) who uses this particular medium to poke fun at her critics by correcting their direct messages. Her area of expertise isn’t English, but history. However, she does a good job of breaking down the messages and correcting them. That got me thinking about modern-day expectations on text and direct messages. Sure, some things are sacrosanct, like the correct use of to, two, and too, or there, they’re, and their. But are there really expectations surrounding Facebook posts, text messages, or direct messages? Additionally, am I expected to ensure my blogs are one hundred percent grammatically correct, or can I get away with my colloquial style of writing and push the envelope? I suppose the answer to these questions may depend on a person’s age. Although I am firmly in the “you can teach an old dog new tricks” camp. Sometimes, I relate or want to relate more to Gen Z rules. I decided to explore this topic more, and while there is no consensus on these questions, here are a few things I learned.

Contrary to what grammar purists might think, a manual for digital communication, such as the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), does not exist. Thus, especially with the younger crowd and those who have adopted this sort of digital shorthand, punctuation is often optional, and capitalization is considered an unnecessary formality. Why? Because it slows down the communication.Simply put, the younger generation considers overly formal digital communication as rude, cold, distant, or passive-aggressive. And when the old-timers correct them, passive aggression turns to blatant aggression. It’s like when their mother uses their full name when they’re in trouble. After eight hours of being professional at work, it’s almost like a permission slip to chill. I get their point.How can a person clearly communicate without punctuation or fully formed sentences, you ask? Imagine a lengthy digital conversation with multiple sentences. Isn’t that hard to read? What about commas? Doesn’t the meaning of the sentence change depending on where you place a comma? Well…enter second texts, gifs, and emojis. Brevity is the key.If you want to keep up with the times, you’d better learn digital abbreviations. I think we all know the main ones: lol, lmao, brb, imo, wtf, or wth. But there are so many more. If all else fails, Google or your preferred search engine is our friend. Perhaps I’ll do an entire blog on digital abbreviations.A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 62% of Gen Z respondents believe that “internet language” is creative and expressive, not lazy. Again, brevity is the key, and the use of emojis or gifs in this new, more fluid language adds tone and nuance that might otherwise require longer explanations.The answer to these competing views is a middle ground. The renowned linguist, David Crystal, argues, “We are not witnessing the death of grammar; we are seeing the rise of multiple grammars for different purposes.” Grammar is not obsolete but merely evolving.Understanding when to follow strict grammar rules and when to bend them is crucial. Different forms of communication require different levels of adherence to proper grammar. Of course, a LinkedIn article will warrant polished grammar, but an Instagram post might thrive on informal language. I don’t believe that workplace communications, including emails, memos, reports, etc, will go the way of digital communication, which is why Grammarly is so popular. However, grammar purists might want to cut some slack for certain forms of digital communication, including, at a minimum, texts, private or direct messages, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and probably other social media posts (Facebook, X, Threads, Bluesky, Discord, Instagram, etc.).Ironically, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) still favors well-structured, grammatically correct content. So while slang may be trendy, proper grammar supports discoverability and credibility in search engines like Google. Who knew?No doubt this fluidity of language will continue to evolve in the digital age…so come on, join the dark side…no matter what generation you’re from. It’s so freeing to break the rules!

I suppose I was a fast adopter of this more relaxed digital communication, but not for the reasons one might assume. It still takes me a long time to compose a text message on my phone using the hunt-and-peck method. I do not have fast thumbs. Honestly, this relaxed digital style of communication aligns well with my colloquial writing style. Maybe not the zero punctuation or lack of capitalization, but the tendency to break grammar rules, use ellipses and em dashes, and write like I speak, including incomplete sentences, is alive and well in my novels. I write in both the third and first person, but, just between you and me, I prefer the first person. This somewhat relaxed style is also apparent in my blogs and social media posts. I’ll never forget a comment a reader made in a review, noting that my books were easy to consume due to my relaxed writing style (I’m paraphrasing). I believe it was a compliment because the review was positive, even if it wasn’t her favorite book of mine. I’ll never be a classic writer or someone who composes a lot of beautiful prose, but I hope my books are entertaining and occasionally make you think, despite my colloquial and quirky style. Feel free to check them out, just click the links below!

The Invisible Woman: A Lesbian Superhero Story Available for pre-order now! Audible Coming Soon…