Modern teenagers are practically mute. Videogames to blame

[wraggster]

via the guardian

New research conducted by Professor Tony McEnery of Lancaster University, reveals that today's teenagers have a measley vocabulary of just over 12,600 words compared with the 21,400 words available to the average 25 to 34 year-old. Apparently the word sequences 'but no' and 'no but' appear almost twice as frequently in teenage speech than in everyone else's, leading to fears that we're rolling out a nation of Vicky Pollards.

What's to blame? 'Technology isolation syndrome,' asserts Professor McEnery. Kids these days spend too long locked into their own worlds, cut off by personal MP3 players and games consoles. Consequently, I suspect, they are now only able to communicate in the form of track listings and videogame mission briefings.

Ah, if only this were the case. You never hear Solid Snake struggling to communicate an unamusing anecdote involving Trevor Dilton and that slag Jane Green behind the Shell garage on Princes Street. Although to be fair, I did skip a lot of the cut-scenes in MGS2, I could have missed something.

[Veskgar]

I don't really understand those paragraphs above. I guess I need to put my PSP down and expand my vocabulary. :-)

[jwilds73]

I have my nephew's say things like "more better" and "won't nobody" just to annoy their parent's.

[splodger15]

that we're rolling out a nation of Vicky Pollards.

I think that is very true and i go with that one although Vicky Pollard is funny

[ikarimaru]

Where should I start picking this article apart? Oh! Here's a good spot:

New research conducted by Professor Tony McEnery of Lancaster University, reveals that today's teenagers have a measley vocabulary of just over 12,600 words compared with the 21,400 words available to the average 25 to 34 year-old.

Essentially this part of the article is comparing teenagers, by virtue of prefix, somewhere in the 13 to 19 range, to adults in the 25 to 34 range. Due to this comparison, this article already loses all credibility. These are two drastically different age groups. I, personally, know that during my teenage years I had less command of the English language than I do now. I guess attending college and becoming older can do that to a fellow.

What's to blame? 'Technology isolation syndrome,' asserts Professor McEnery. Kids these days spend too long locked into their own worlds, cut off by personal MP3 players and games consoles. Consequently, I suspect, they are now only able to communicate in the form of track listings and videogame mission briefings.

Remember those forgotten relics called "books"? I'm sure they ran a similar article about "book isolation syndrome". My oh my, we should look into this. My father is an avid reader. My mother is an avid reader. However, I am not an avid reader. Is this to say that since I don't spend time with my nose in a book that I may have increased verbal eloquence as compared to my parents? Granted, books have much influence on someone's command of the English language, but same point, different example.

Ah, if only this were the case. You never hear Solid Snake struggling to communicate an unamusing anecdote involving Trevor Dilton and that slag Jane Green behind the Shell garage on Princes Street. Although to be fair, I did skip a lot of the cut-scenes in MGS2, I could have missed something.

I'm having a rather difficult time typing this response due the continued image of Snake with a drawn gun in a crouched position, standing between them and looking back and forth at them with a puzzled look on his face.

[ExcruciationX]

Bull$#@!! Me got an exellent vocabulary! :P

[Veskgar]

Where should I start picking this article apart?

ha ha, its great the way you pick these articles apart like this.

[TheEmulatorGuy]

If this man had any idea what he was talking about, he'd attribute it to text messaging:

wen r u cming ovr kkkkk

This is because people are only using the words their friends use, and even if their friends know more words than them, they definitely aren't going to waste their time text them.

Video games actually teach new words, and I don't know what video games he did the test on, but I assure you they weren't any RPGs, and definitely not Metal Gear Solid. Here's some excerpts from MGS:

propulsion, equipped, sonar detection capability, dismantled, supervisory, infiltrate, mercenary.

They're not difficult words, and they're common knowledge (I didn't have the time to search for better ones LOL), but you would not see them in text messaging. If anything is to blame, it is NOT video games.

[ikarimaru]

ha ha, its great the way you pick these articles apart like this.

Ahahahah, it's fun to do... someone has to play the honorable opposition, right? It's all in jest.

[Makaveli777]

If anything videogames increased my vocabulary. I was playing rpg's when I was like 6. As we all know RPGs require alot of reading (at least before voice acting was included) and there were many words I didn't know but learned in order to understand whats going on in the game.