A Linguistic-Stylistic Analysis of Text Messaging: A Case Study of University of Dar es Salaam Undergraduate Students

Abstract

This study is a linguistic-stylistics analysis of text messaging by exploring texting sentence types and complexity. The study used a mixed method approach and was tested using the theories of style under three moulds, which are: style as a deviation from a norm, style as a product of context, and style as a choice. In an attempt to meet the objectives, data was collected using the elicitation tool, and a total of three hundred text messages were collected and recorded in Microsoft Word. The data was then coded, computed, and quantified using the SPSS program version 19 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), and the data was finally analyzed using the checklist. The findings revealed that text messages constrain the syntax of the messages, notably in sentence length and complexity.

Key words: Communication, deviation, stylistics, text messaging