Kenyan electronic communication： Implication of text messaging on social interaction

Text messaging has been designed to capture, compose and alter the users＇ words and by extension their behavior in order to maintain a high level of interpersonal relationships. To determine how text messaging has the potential to alter social interaction, this paper has examined how the youth create self- presentation and impression about themselves by creative use of language. The discussion in this paper is structured around Computer Mediated Discourse Analysis （CMDA） as propounded by Herring. CMDA produced a paradigm showing the users＇ ability to use language in text to construct their social identity/self and social relations. The key finding that emerges in the analysis is that text messages redefine users＇ behavior and provide them with many choices of expression.