We're currently in the midst of the instant messaging generation.  Millions of people are using their mobile phones, and programs like MSN and Yahoo! Messenger to text with their friends and family.  There is no dispute that text messaging is a convenient tool in a social context.

But what about the future, and the potential for text messaging jargon to become part of day-to-day business communication?  Is text messaging becoming so immersed in our society that for some the lol, brb and other abbreviations synonymous with texting are becoming part of our writing style?

Over the weekend, I came across a story from the Associated Press which details how high school students in New Zealand will be permitted to write in "text-speak" during their national exams.  The story describes how students are encouraged not to write their responses in that manner, but if they do so, it will be interpreted as demonstrating their understanding of the question.

Once again, I have to question what the future holds.  The old principle that bad writing habits would haunt people in the business world is effectively being challenged if students are permitted to use jargon/slang in the classroom.  Ultimately, trends like this could lead to a generation of individuals being ill-prepared for the workforce, and the professional nature of business communication. 

But who knows?  Maybe one day, if someone combines their text messaging habits with business messaging, they may see the "lol" that they're used to replaced with "cul8r".