How do texting abbreviations influence formal Japanese writing

Texting abbreviations influence formal Japanese writing primarily by introducing informal and abbreviated expressions that can challenge the strict conventions of formal written Japanese. While texting language often includes slang, emoticons, character substitutions (such as using katakana instead of kanji), and shortened forms, formal writing traditionally demands clear, complete, and respectful language with proper use of kanji, hiragana, and katakana according to standard rules.

In more detail:

• Japanese texting language uses casual and abbreviated forms (wakamono kotoba, or youth slang) that often simplify or shorten words, which is convenient in informal digital communication but can be seen as inappropriate or unprofessional in formal contexts. ¹
• Mobile phone email or texting practices show non-standard uses of language, such as irregular vowel elongation, emoticons, and unconventional script usage, which reflect a unique register distinct from formal written Japanese but are governed by their own conventions. ^{2, 3}
• Formal Japanese writing, especially in emails to superiors or official documents, adheres to specific etiquette and linguistic norms taught through education and guidebooks, emphasizing the importance of politeness, complete expressions, and appropriate vocabulary quite unlike casual texting styles. ⁴
• The infiltration of texting abbreviations into formal writing is typically discouraged, but it can influence younger generations’ vocabulary and style preferences, potentially leading to gradual changes or challenges in formally maintaining standard language norms. ¹

In summary, texting abbreviations and informal digital communication styles introduce linguistic elements that contrast sharply with the rigor of formal Japanese writing, which seeks to maintain clarity, politeness, and traditional script usage. The influence is noticeable mostly in informal contexts and among younger users, with formal writing still maintained as a distinct, carefully taught register. ^{2, 4, 1}

References

• Slang Abbreviation in Japanese and Indonesian Written Language: Origins, Process, Similarities, and Differences

• The Language of a Computer-Mediated Communication in Japan: Mobile-Phone E-Mail

• The Pattern of Unique Use of Language: A Case Study in the Greeting Messages ‘Konnichiwa’ and ‘Konbanwa’ on Japanese Mobile Phone E-mail

• Epistolary Education in 21st Century: A System to Support Composition of E-mails by Students to Superiors in Japanese

• Vocabulary Change in Process Writing: Effect of Text Structure Instruction

• User-Generated Text Corpus for Evaluating Japanese Morphological Analysis and Lexical Normalization

• RESEARCH OF TEXT AND CONTRIBUTION IN TEACHING JAPANESE

• Script and Language as Semiotic Media in Japanese Storytelling: A Theoretical Approach through Haruki Murakami’s Noruwei no mori

• A corpus-assisted analysis of indexical signs for (im)politeness in Japanese apology-like behaviour

• Distinguishing ChatGPT(-3.5, -4)-generated and human-written papers through Japanese stylometric analysis

• Lenient Evaluation of Japanese Speech Recognition: Modeling Naturally Occurring Spelling Inconsistency

• A Diachronic Shift in Japanese Word Length Distribution

• Exploring wordplay and humour in English usage within Japanese texts

• An Analysis of Simplification Strategies in a Reading Textbook of Japanese as a Foreign Language

• To Drop or Not to Drop? Predicting Argument Ellipsis Judgments: A Case Study in Japanese

• KuroNet: Pre-Modern Japanese Kuzushiji Character Recognition with Deep Learning