1. By Georgia Riessen

2. Introduction Online social networking and micro-blogging service Users send and read text-based tweets Maximum 140 characters Over 300 million users The SMS of the Internet Twitter shorthand and language Emoticons and articulation Differences in language on twitter

3. Twitter shorthand and language Examples of shorthand W/-With TGIF- Thank God it’s Friday ROFL- Rolling on the floor laughing OMG- Oh my God LOL- Laugh out loud 2moz- Tomorrow

4. Emoticons and articulation “Congratulations @MoshCam - if I were 70 years younger and differently disposed aesthetically it would be the perfect app for me ;)” Diagram of emoticons

5. Stephen Fry and twitter “I love words-and while I am fond of the condensed and economical use of them in poetry, in song lyrics, in Twitter, in good journalism and smart advertising, I love the luxuriant profusion and mad scatter of them too.” “Enjoyed The Hunger Game. Elements of cheesiness outweighed by suspense, IMHO” IMHO- In my humble opinion Stephen Fry with the Twitter bird, both have become symbols of Twitter

6. Evolution of language “ Ay me! For aught that I could ever read, Could ever hear by tale or history, The course of true love never did run smooth.” An artistic impression of Titania and Oberon from A Midsummer Night’s Dream

7. Conclusion Scholars argue limit of 140 characters, use of shorthand, and emoticons is destroying our ability to articulate Point of twitter is to post a quick comment updating your followers Use of emoticons is making language more visual based Abbreviations is speeding up how language is used Contributing to its evolution

8. Bibliography @twittonary (n.d./2012) “Twittonary.com” [Online], available from Internet: http://twittonary.com/ (visited March 23, 2012) Stephen Fry (2012) “Stephen Fry” [Online], available from Internet: https://twitter.com/#!/stephenfry (visited March 23, 2012)https://twitter.com/#!/stephenfry Shmoop University Inc (2012) “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” [Online], available from Internet: http://www.shmoop.com/midsummer-nights-dream/love-quotes-2.html (visited March 23, 2012) http://www.shmoop.com/midsummer-nights-dream/love-quotes-2.html Fry, Stephen (2010) The Fry Chronicles An Autobiography, Victoria, Penguin Group Wikimedia Foundation Inc (2012) “Twitter” [Online], available from Internet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter (visited March 26, 2012)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter Daehn, Michael (2011) “Five Apps to Help you manage Twitter” [Online], available from Internet: http://blog.anymeeting.com/business-tips/five-apps-to-help-you-manage-twitter/ (visited March 27, 2012) http://blog.anymeeting.com/business-tips/five-apps-to-help-you-manage-twitter/ Beirut (2011) “10 Advance Twitter Tips and Tricks” [Online], available from Internet: http://tweepi.com/blog/2011/04/10-advanced-twitter-tips-tricks/ (visited March 27, 2012) http://tweepi.com/blog/2011/04/10-advanced-twitter-tips-tricks/ McNamara, Michaela (2011) “What Marketing Experts Really Think About Twitter” [Online], available from Internet: http://www.businessreviewaustralia.com/marketing/what-marketing-experts-really-think-about-twitter (visited March 27, 2012) http://www.businessreviewaustralia.com/marketing/what-marketing-experts-really-think-about-twitter Cool Smileys (2011) “Emoticons” [Online], available from Internet: http://www.cool-smileys.com/secret-emoticons-for- msn-messeneger (visited March 27, 2012)http://www.cool-smileys.com/secret-emoticons-for- msn-messeneger Adagio (n.d./2012) “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” [Online], available from Internet: http://www.bolshoi.org/balet/dream/libretto.htm (visited March 27, 2012) http://www.bolshoi.org/balet/dream/libretto.htm Notcot (n.d./2012) “Notcot.org” [Online], available from Internet: http://www.notcot.org/post/33467/ (visited March 27, 2012)http://www.notcot.org/post/33467/