The sociological survey of Russian-speaking schoolchildren on the topic «Use of SMS language while studying English».

1. Do you use ICQ or SMS languages in Russian?

2. Why do you use ICQ or SMS languages in Russian?

3. Why don’t you use ICQ or SMS languages in Russian?

4. Do you use ICQ or SMS languages in English?

5. Why do you use ICQ or SMS languages in English?

6. Why don’t you use ICQ or SMS languages in English?

7. Would you stop using ICQ or SMS languages if you know that it makes your learning English corrupt?

8. What kinds of English SMS language do you often use?

9. Does your knowledge of English influence your SMS language?

10. Do you learn new English words, using English SMS language?

11. Does SMS language help you improve pronunciation of English words?

12. Does English SMS language cause problems with spelling?

As a result of the questioning it was found out, that all students use Russian SMS messages, and in English - about 75 % of children.

Some students don’t use English SMS language because it is impossible precisely express ideas, not all interlocutors use English SMS language.

The overwhelming part of schoolchildren uses Russian SMS language for convenience and economy of time. And they use English SMS language for convenience, economy of time, because of fashion and for entertainment.

The most part of students prefer such kinds of reductions as emoticons, use of letters or digits instead of words, combinations of letters and digits in words, abbreviations in English.

70 % of respondents consider that SMS language can’t negatively affect their knowledge of English.

76 % of students consider that their knowledge of English influence on SMS language. And on the contrary SMS language very often helps to learn new English words for 48 % of schoolchildren and sometimes for 52 % of respondents.

As for the question about improvement of pronunciation with help of SMS language 75 % of respondents are sure that SMS language very often helps and 25 % of children think, that SMS language sometimes helps.

But 90 % of students believe SMS language causes spelling problems.

Analyzing results of questioning from the point of view of age I have come to following conclusions: the greatest popularity of SMS reductions in the Russian and English languages appears among teenagers from 13 till 17 years.

Considering the reasons of using SMS reductions in two languages, it is visible, that basically 13-17year old children use them for convenience and economy of time. 11-12 year old students use Russian SMS language because it is fashionable and they use English SMS language for fun. Most 11-13 year old children do not use English SMS language because of difficulty of this language, impossibility to express precisely idea and whereas not all people use it. 14-15 year old teenagers mention unpopularity of English SMS language among youngsters.

As for negative influence of SMS language on studying English the overwhelming part of 11-12 year old children do not agree.

The least popular ways of SMS reductions for all students are apocopes and «removal of vowels from words» And the most popular ways are emoticons. 11-year old children equally prefer all other ways. 12-13 year old students prefer abbreviations, “use of letters and digits instead of words”.

14-year old teenagers choose such ways as “use of letters and digits instead of words”, and also a combination from letters and words. 15-year old teenagers use abbreviations, combinations from letters and words. 16-17 year old students often use abbreviations, “use of letters and digits instead of words”, and also their combination. Thus, students of senior grades use a wide range of SMS reductions.

Most of 14 -17 year old students agree that knowledge of English influence on SMS language. A half of 11-13 year old children do not agree. All students agree that SMS language influences on learning new English words. All age groups equally agree that SMS language improves pronunciation of English words. A half of students think that SMS language causes problems in spelling. The smaller part of 13-17 year teenagers do not think so.