By TOM HAYTON
THE BUSINESS OF ENGLISH
CONSIDER this exchange:
A: Will u b in klcc area around 2:30pm 2day?
B: Might be, whos askin?
A: Oh like that la. Delete my number huh?
B: Haha no ? I was just being silly. Obviously I know its YOU! Watcha up2?
A: Hmph ... Dont think I cant recognise a cover line when i c one! ;P Am good thanx. Goin 2b in your hood l8er4 an event, wanna meet up?
B: Seriously! I was tryin2convey a mafia-esque suspicious tone in my SMS n then was gna charge u $50 for extra info on myself! Bit busy but sure ...
A: Dont worry abt it ...
B: Ill do my best2make an appearance!
A: =p
This is a slightly edited version of a real SMS conversation I had with a good friend of mine earlier this week.
Obviously, we were joking around with each other, but the exchange illustrates some key points about communicating by SMS.
We often use SMS when we’re too busy doing something else to make a call. As in the example above, this can mean we don’t fully think through how the message will be interpreted.
SMS stands for ‘‘Short message service’’ and, as a result, we cut out a lot of the elaboration that adds detail and deeper shades of meaning.
In the example, I meant to come across like some shady character from a gangster movie who didn’t want to give up information without a bribe. The joke bombed because of the other possible interpretation, which was that I’d lost my friend’s number! I then had to backpedal over the next few messages, so it all became much more complicated than it needed to be.
Of course, in this situation, the consequences were not so dire because we are friends and we have an understanding that goes beyond what we might (mis)type in a text message.
But transfer that to a business context and you can see how things might turn sour:
A: Hi Bob are u comin2day?
B: I cant make it im afraid.
A: U were supposed to text me!
B: I did text you.
A: I came home especially because I thought u were coming.
B: Dont give me a guilt trip. I didnt ask u2do that.
A: Im not. Im just saying I was waiting4u.
(? etc)
The lack of full contextualisation, the short sentences, plus the lack of detail and care in phrasing, means that A and B quickly descend into a world of misunderstanding. Perhaps A didn’t mean to make B feel guilty, but the message can easily be read that way.
The ‘time lag’ between sender and reply can mean that, rather than being fast and efficient, SMS can make things drag:
A: So r we on4 2nite?
[3 hour delay]
B: Sorry jus saw ur msg. Oredi made plans! Sorry!
Predictive text can also cause problems:
A: Ru@home? I wanna drop by and pick up sm stuff.
B: With my new partner. I wont be good until l8er.
A: WHAT?!
On a phone with predictive text, ‘‘home’’ and ‘‘good’’ both involve typing 4-6-6-3.
Of course SMS is great fun for chatting with friends. I’m an SMS addict. When it comes to business communication, though, it’s only really suitable in the following scenarios:
* When you are absolutely certain the other person can’t answer the phone
* For transferring simple information such as times, dates and phone numbers
* When the consequences of misreading or mistyping are not serious
* When you are sure that the other person understands your short forms
* When it doesn’t matter too much if the message doesn’t get immediate personal confirmation from the receiver.
If it really matters, the messages you send should always be followed up with a call. If not, there’s a lot of room for misunderstanding.
SMS has its name for good reason: keep it short and sweet. If you can’t, then it’s better not to use it.
Tom Hayton is a Business Trainer with the Professional Development Unit (PDU), at the British Council Malaysia. The PDU offers a wide range of learning opportunities from management and communication skills training to developing English skills. Visit its website at www.britishcouncil.org.my or e-mail thomas.hayton@britishcouncil.org.my
Source : thestar.com.my
