On online message boards and mobile phones, teenagers in Vietnam have invented a virtual new language.
Teenagers using their "new language"
Although it is still Vietnamese, many people who are not familiar with these new trends might find it difficult to understand the "language" without a young person to translate.
The "new language" hybrid can be quite dramatically different, not only in words and spelling, but in syntax and structure.
The following is sample of the new text and along with a translation:
“Ngoi` pun` hok bjk lem` je^`, vo^ tinh` nghj~ den\' anh, hok bjk jo` nay` anh dang lam` j`”
In English this would be roughly translated as, "I\'m home alone and have nothing to do. Wondering what you\'re up to now." For some it might hardly be recognisable as Vietnamese when compared with the same "properly written" sentence:
"Ngồi buồn không biết làm gì, vô tình nghĩ đến anh, không biết giờ này anh đang làm gì."
A wide range of emoticons have come to replace written words to communicate feelings.
Dr Mai Xuan Huy, a linguist from the Vietnam Institute of Linguistics says that this chat language or "@ language" is a natural development of an increasingly digitised society.
"This new way for young people to express themselves is a result of a rapid change in society. People are switching from a conservative ideology, to a more open-minded way of thinking. Also, there is a great demand for information about foreign lifestyles, which is penetrating into the Vietnamese youth. At the same time they are seeking to distinguish themselves from previous generations," Huy explained.
He added that this phenomenon is not limited to large cities, but can also be seen in rural areas.
But Huy also points out that such developments could also be seen as a contamination of the Vietnamese language. "I\'m a bit worried: I love the Vietnamese language and would not like to see the mother tongue degenerate in any way."
"We could take steps to limit the use of this "new language", but even if we did, it could never be totally eradicated. We should not impose old sensibilities on young people. They have a right to develop their own identity. As Vietnam develops, we should give due respect to individual freedom, and not interfere in a stodgy way in individual lives."
Huy\'s suggestion is that there be designated spaces for such language, and that it be banned from public places, academic writing and mass media. He thinks that chat language should stay in chat rooms.
Chat room conversation
