Abstract

Texting is the process of sending and receiving written messages using a mobile phone. It is a stunning phenomenon and marks a new era of electronic language. It has highly abbreviated and alpha-numerical styles that represent a continuous evolution of a unique language. Texting is becoming very popular across the globe but the findings of the present research show that it is still in embryonic stage in KSA, because Saudi EFL/ESL teachers feel unease to text and exhibit more readiness to speak. Three major surveys were conducted at Saudi universities to ascertain frequency of texting. The research findings of these surveys explored the overwhelming and favorable response of the participants towards texting. Almost all the participants agreed that texting is cost-effective and manifests dynamic socio- cultural and linguistic identities. In addition, they endorsed that SMS dictionary should be written to avoid idiosyncrasies and to standardize the style of texting. It was also explored that cultural and religious inclusion in texting was predominant when Saudi EFL /ESL teachers wrote text messages. The text messages they sent to their friends and relatives also reflected code- mixing, which was a beautiful blend of English, and Arabic language discourses and hence echoed distinctive socio-cultural and religious features.

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