The Language of Social Media

By Meg Jones
mpjones@smu.edu

SMU students live in a world where Facebook is their homepage. When they are not at their computers, they are blogging from their cell phones and it is completely acceptable to poke, tweet or tag somebody.

Social media has invaded the Hilltop and has introduced a whole new lingo to our everyday language and new words to the dictionary.

“When I’m not blogging from my computer, I’m tweeting from my cell phone or checking my Facebook updates,” Kerri Dezell, SMU junior advertising major, said.

Web 2.0 is the buzzword summing up the latest generation of Internet technology and signifies the change in philosophy as to how information is generated and shared.

People used to think of electronically mediated language as abbreviations such as OMG or LOL, but in today’s world, the focus of e-language is changing from text message short hands to the coined phrases of social media.

The integration of words such as Facebook, Twitter and blog into our daily vocabulary “reflects the dynamic and somewhat porous nature of the English language,” Kartik Pashupati, SMU professor of Mass Media and Technology, said.

The computer-crazed culture has changed the noun Facebook into a verb. Facebook is not only something we have, but also something we do.

According to an article written by Professor Susan C. Herring of Indiana University, “Computer Mediated Discourse is not just a trend; it is here to stay.”

The New Oxford American Dictionary word of the year in 2009 was unfriend; a verb that means to remove someone as a friend on a social networking site such as Facebook.

“It has both currency and potential longevity,” Christie Lindberg, senior lexicographer for Oxford’s U.S. dictionary program, said in a press release.

Hashtag, also considered as a candidate for the 2009 Word of the Year, is defined as a sign (this one: #) added to a word or phrase that enables Twitter users to search for tweets (postings on the Twitter site) that contain similarly tagged items.

Facebook was the runner-up for Merriam-Webster dictionary’s 2007 word of the year. Other entries similar to Facebook in the Merriam-Webster dictionary include Facebooker, Facebookian, Facebooking and Facebook-it is.

According to Facebook’s Press Room, there are more than 400 million active users and the average user spends more than 55 minutes per day on Facebook.

When people don’t have access to their computers, they are logging on via cell phone. There are more than 100 million active users currently accessing Facebook through their mobile phones.

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone announced at Chirp, the Twitter development conference, that the site has 105,779,710 registered users and is adding 300,000 new users daily.

Opinion Blog: Why No One Is Too Good to Tweet

Posted by Steve Thompson

As a young college journalist, it is somewhat expected of me to be knowledgeable about the latest news. It is even more assumed that I am updating my Twitter and Facebook statuses constantly. Until recently, I had no desire inform the world that I “just had an awesome meal at Fabi + Rosi in Austin” or the fact that I’m “studying in Fondren again. Ugh!” But with the influx of Twitter accounts by important and sophisticated institutions, why should I be above tweeting?

Celebrities were the first to jump on the Twitter train, as I like to call it. Many of them said it was a way to connect with their fans. But we have seen even more of them use it in much more dramatic ways. John Mayer used the 140-word platform to issue an apology in February after using the N-word in a Playboy interview. P!nk stood up for her fellow girl-power singer-songwriter Taylor Swift on Twitter after Kanye West interrupted Swift on stage at the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards. And infamous gossip blogger Perez Hilton even used Twitter to notify police of an alleged assault he suffered from Black Eyed Peas member Will.i.am.
After reviewing these events, does that mean I should immediately turn to my Twitter next time I am mad at my parents or say something inappropriate in public? Probably no. That would never solve the issue. But was that really the goal of the celebrities? I’m not sure the police ever came to Hilton’s rescue, or Taylor Swift and P!nk became BFFs. Those tweets did nothing more than give them a little more publicity in the following week.

I’m a Texas college student. I don’t need publicity. So I thought I didn’t need Twitter.

Then all the news organizations got in on it and even politicians started using the site to voice their opinions. But what really made me rethink my lack of Twitter activity was when the White House joined. Maybe Twitter could be used for valid and highly informational purposes. A quick glance at the White House Twitter page suggests otherwise.

Check out this tweet from the White House yesterday: “You’re upset b/c you missed @justinbieber at the WH aren’t you? On again in a couple minutes. It’s ok. http://wh.gov/live 1:41 PM Apr 5th via web.” Bieber isn’t the only celebrity taking up some White House staffer’s time. JK Rowling, Sara Barielles and the cast of Glee were also topics of discussion. Don’t worry! The President’s statement on Nuclear Posture Review did make the tweet cut. The White House Press Secretary is also on Twitter.

He recently posted about baseball. Maybe that isn’t the worst thing.

Tweeting about everyday nuances is what Twitter is all about, so I guess I can’t expect top government institutions to not join in on the fun.

After following the trends of Twitter in the past year, I realized that people actually do care about where their friends went to dinner last Saturday or what celebrities like Ashton Kutcher are up to. Actually, more people care about Kutcher than CNN. Why shouldn’t people care about me? My newfound love of Twitter is something that I never thought I’d admit. The idea that anyone or anything can be news is what makes Twitter so great. It can give people a big head, but with a 140-word limit people can’t get too pompous. This idea of individual broadcasts and little blurbs of news may be where news is headed. It’s easy and incorporates everyone from the White House to a lowly college student. If this is the future, I’m not about to be left behind.

What do you think? Is tweeting not for everyone? Or is it going to continue to change our social interactions and news? Leave a comment.

VIDEO: Mustang Minute, Wednesday Feb. 24

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Opinion Blog: Every Stroke Counts

Posted by Christina Murphy

Moments after watching and listening to Tiger Woods cry for forgiveness, social networking sites exploded with commentary about the golfer who obviously wrecked more than his car.

Facebook friends and “Tweeters” updated their statuses with comments like “Blah blah blah, Tiger,” and “Tigers never change their stripes.” It became very clear that the world was not impressed with the golfer’s first round. And one who didn’t see the speech might be wondering why?

When the world’s most famous golfer stepped up to the tee box at 11 a.m. EST Friday, to deliver what he might of thought would be a par for the course, he began with an apology that some might argue, quickly became a direct statement to his wife, Elin Woods.

“Tiger is obviously trying to save his marriage,” tweeted Joe Murray, a fan of Tiger.

For those who didn’t see the Friday morning press conference, Tiger said Elin’s name a total of 14 times. It was a lot for a public statement. However, the golfer is suffering for his infidelity because he is in the public eye and previously has done such a quality job at keeping his private life blank.

Tiger made it clear in his statement that he is formally apologizing to those who were present in front of him- family and friends. While his actions and behavior is inexcusable as he acknowledged, it is his personal life and he is learning the tools and gaining the support he needs to become a winner, again. So for those people who are disappointed the golfer isn’t “scratch” in the game of life, that is your problem, not his.

Although Tiger didn’t give an answer to the public on his estimated time of return to golf, he did recognize that character is not defined by many achievements but by things one can overcome. While this is the best answer he can give to fans at this time, perhaps, it will encourage everyone to work on their short game, too. After all, every stroke counts in the game of life.

Politics Blog: Top Ten Googled U.S. Senators in 2009

Posted by Allison Donnelly

On my Twitter account today, something caught my eye from CQ Politics, Most Googled Senators.

According to the Taegan Goddard’s political blog, Political Wire , Google compiled a list of the top ten U.S. Senators entered into the search engine throughout 2009. Here are the top ten Senators researched and a little tidbit on why they are so popular on Google.

1. Kennedy – Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) was 77 years old when he passed away on Aug. 26, 2009. Known for his dedication to the health care system, Kennedy is referred to as one of the greatest U.S. Senators. He was in office for over 46 years making him the fourth-longest serving senator.

2. Nelson – Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Neb.) is known most recently for his anti-abortion views in the health care debate.

3. Boxer - Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) has been in office for over almost 17 years, the third longest serving female currently in the Senate. She is the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, so she is always on the topic of climate control.

4. Feinstein – Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is the Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. She is the second longest serving female currently in the Senate. She is known most recently known for introducing legislation requiring food producers to monitor pathogens getting into their products.

5. Reid –  Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.)  is the current Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate. As Majority Leader, Reid serves as the chief representative for the Democratic Party. Reid is in the news daily, whether it is about is 2010 reelection campaign or policy making.

6. Byrd – Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) is the longest serving member of Congress. Serving for over more than 50 years in the Senate, Byrd is 92 years old.

7. Dodd -  Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) took over Kennedy’s leadership on health care reform after Sen. Kennedy got sick. He is the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and the Senior Member of both the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

8. Schumer – Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is the Vice Chair of the Democratic Conference, making him the number three position in the Democratic Leadership team. Schumer is also the Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee.

9. Grassley - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is the only Republican Senator on this list. He is the Senior Ranking Member on the Finance Committee and has been a key bargainer in the health care debate.

10. Warner - Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) was the former Governor of Virginia from 2002-2006 before he took his seat in the Senate in November 2008. As a freshman Senator, he serves on several Senate Committees: the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Committee on the Budget; Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation ; and the Committee on Rules and Administration.

I found it very interesting that Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.) did not make the cut!

Facebook and Twitter now Available on Xbox 360

Posted by Colin Hogan

The Fall software update for the Xbox 360 is out today and is packed with new social networking features. Microsoft made the announcement earlier this year at E3 that it would be offering access to Facebook and Twitter on its signature gaming console.

After downloading the free update, users can access all of the key features of the web-browser version of Facebook, including the news view and photo albums. Although the format may take some getting used to, its simplicity can offer a more enjoyable experience overall. Photos are easier to view in full size and the pages are not cluttered with sponsored ads. You can either use the buttons and triggers on the controller to type, or simply plug your USB keyboard directly into the Xbox.

You can also link your Facebook profile to your gamertag, which allows you to connect your Xbox Live friends with your Facebook friends.

Twitter and Facebook access requires an Xbox Live Gold membership ($50/year) and both services require all users to be at least 18 years of age.

Don’t have an Xbox? Sony announced on its official blog this week that the Playstation 3 will also feature access to the social media sites in its next firmware update.

Campus News Blog: Digital Media Pros Give Out Advice (and Hope) for Future Journalists

Posted by Jaimie Siegle

So I was enjoying a veggie wrap and a Diet Coke with Anthony Moor and Linda Leavell, editors at The Dallas Morning News who were guest speakers at the Meadows School of the Arts’ third annual Digital Threads symposium. (Linda also happens to sign off on my check as a DMN intern so, natch, I wanted to visit/schmooze with her a bit.)

Linda spoke earlier at Digital Threads about how newspapers (specifically the DMN) have used Twitter to break news, although it has yet to replace stories in the actual, physical paper. She referenced the recent Fort Hood shooting, and how the Morning News tweeted any and all information they had, as well as re-tweeted information from the Austin American-Statesman – even though some of the information floating throughout cyberspace turned out to be inaccurate.

Moor commented about this during our chat over lunch, saying that Twitter was an excellent way to provide the public with information – accurate or not – but that the next-day newspaper was still necessary to provide people with a cohesive, truthful account of events. He said a newspaper story should “synthesize” the information rather than blast headlines that make readers piece together stories themselves.

This is wonderful, wonderful thing for us fledgling journalists. It is one more testimony that says newspapers may not be defunct once we fly the college coop.

Campus News Blog: Can SMU Students Live Without Their Phones?

Posted by Kathryn Garvie

Can you live without your phone?  Most people who took my survey said no.

I conducted a survey just to find out how students from SMU function without their cell phones.  You probably know how the results turned out, and your first assumption is probably a correct one.

100 percent of students said they have cell phones, and 100 percent said they check their cell phone more than four  times a day.  Students said they all check their phones during class.  For what reasons?  Facebook, Twitter and news updates, text messages, and time.  Only one student said they turn their phone off while in class because a phone is a distraction.

When asked how they feel if they were to lose their phone for more than two days, 88 percent said they felt worried, helpless, and anxious.  88 percent also said they obsessed over where they may have left their phones last.  33 percent said they are worried about missing important phone calls, and 0 percent said losing their phone entitled them to freedom of being irresponsible.

How do students communicate with people?  88 percent said they use social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and 44 percent said they communicate through instant messaging.  Only one percent said they communicate by writing letters, which many people would consider ‘old school.’

When students travel by air, the first thing 77 percent of students do upon landing is check their phones before unbuckling their seatbelts.  Only 22 percent were concerned about getting off the airplane with their personal belongings.

How did students feel when they are reunited with their cellular devices? 87.5 percent reported feeling unloved because they did not receive text messages within the time frame, and one percent reported a feeling of happiness.

Are students strong enough to give up their phones for lint?  22 percent said ‘No Way!  I need my phone like fish needs water,’  and 66.7 percent said they could give their phones up for at least a class period. One percent agreed to one week, one percent agreed to two days, and one percent said they could give up their phones for only a day.

Looks like our cellular phones have become a necessity in our everyday lives.  If you are interested, please participate in the SMU Cell Phone Survey so I can draw more conclusions on students’ unhealthy or healthy relationships with their cellular devices.

Campus News Blog: Getting the Most Out of Social-networking Sites

Posted by Gwen Sullivan

How much is too much?

For many of us, social networking sites are part of our daily routine. Checking in with friends and uploading photos is all in a days work for the average college student, but how do we know when we are spending too much time on Facebook or Twitter?

According to “Making Social-networking service work for you,” written by Cindy Krischer Goodman, depending on how these sites play a role in your life is how the should be used.

It is important to figure out what you goal is for these sites. If it is to stay connected with friends and family around the country, then limiting yourself to allotted amounts of time after homework and other obligations are taken care of is probably a good idea.

If Facebooking is your guilty pleasure, there are ways to motor your time! By using Leechblock, a Mozilla Firefox plug-in, you can set time limits for yourself and block websites on certain computers.

But for students and employees that use social networking as a means of broadcasting or making connections with future employers, then signing on through out the day isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Students who use social networking sites to stay on top on current events and exchange knowledge with other students in their fields of interest are building relationships and taking advantage of what these sites have to offer.

If those who want more than Facebook and Twitter, blogger Alyssa Gregory suggests 20 other social-networking sites to use to get connected to the business world.

Politics Blog: Republicans Outnumber Democrats on Twitter: 64 percent to 36 percent

Posted by Allison Donnelly

To Tweet or not to Tweet? That is the question for Members of the 111^th Congress. While Democrats hold the majority in the House, Senate and White House… The Republicans hold the majority on the social networking site, Twitter.

 A recent Politico article caught my eye the other day, “For GOP, Revenge is Tweet.” Detailing a recent report by the Congressional Research Service, the article reported that 101 Republicans have a Twitter account compared to only 57 Democrats. In the study, taken over a span of two weeks in July and August 2009, Republicans tweeted 932 times while Democrats tweeted only 255 times. The majority of the updates were made by House Republicans, who make up 54 percent of the registered congressmen on Twitter. House Democrats followed with 27 percent, then Senate Republicans with 10 percent while Senate Democrats only had 9 percent.

TweetCongress, a Web site that boasts, “We the Tweeple of the United States…” was the tool used to analyze and count all of the tweets made by Senators and Representatives. According to TweetCongress, Sen. John McCain holds the most followers with a total of 1,420,001 – and counting! Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat from Missouri holds the number two spot. Republicans hold three spots in the top five congressmen with the most followers.

According to the survey, many of the topics of the tweets had to do with six main categories: position taking, press or web link, district or state, official or congressional action, personal, and reply. All important areas for political leaders to discuss with their constituents. It also gives a sense of closeness; people are able to get to know their representatives on a more personal level.

So what does this all mean? Twitter serves as a platform for Members to communicate to their constituents, which could possibly influence how people vote or how policy is made. This will be huge for those congressmen up for re-election in 2010 and especially for those GOP wanting some seats back.

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