Visiting a busy restaurant recently I thought I had accidentally entered a prayer meeting. All heads were bowed, but I realised that most people were in a world of their own busy looking at or tapping their mobile phones.

Wherever I go now I notice that for many people the mobile phone seems to have become a fixed attachment to the arm!

But I am sure we have all seen that with the rapid increase in the uses of modern technology involving laptops, touch screen tablets and sophisticated mobile phones there is a growing popularity in the use of a very complex texting language comprising letters, numbers, symbols and even amusing emojis which use less space and are a quick for sending messages.

But I am told that some linguists, scholars, educationalists, parents and teachers in particular are voicing their deep concerns about the detrimental effect the use of what many call a gobbledegook lingo is having on the proper and good use of the English language.

I have seen that texting especially among the younger generation is on the increase. They find it so much fun and they can engage.

Some teachers tell me that they fear the demise of good spoken and written English whilst others remain shocked by students' use of texting language in submitting essays with many linguists and educationalists up in arms and angry that the English language 'is being destroyed'.

I was surprised that some went as far as saying so harshly that the texting language is becoming 'a penmanship for the lazy' who send and receive messages

that look and sound more complex than a list of Egyptian hieroglyphics!

Others say that the texting language has no proper punctuation or grammar and simply use a mixture of letters, numbers, symbols and abbreviated words conveniently avoiding opportunities for clear expression and eloquence .

I do believe there could be some cause of concern that some students may not be able to complete a curriculum vitae, emails, letters and application forms correctly raising doubts in the employer's mind that the applicant if engaged would be unable to deal appropriately with customers or clients.

But 'looking on the other side of the coin' there are a number of observers who have emphasised to me that they differ in the thoughts expressed by many educationalists and others in what they say about the new and growing texting language.

They tell me about many students who are regularly texting and are able at the same time to master the language of mathematics which we know is littered with letters, numbers, symbols, complex formulae and intricate equations requiring the use of its own abbreviated form of language, and so they therefore see no real cause for concern.

Moreover, I have come across many students especially those living in multicultural societies and communities who are able to read and write more than one language using correct spelling, grammar and punctuation, and on inspection, I have found that as in our new electronic texting language, most languages use thousands of abbreviations and acronyms.

I am also reminded that many students download applications on the two major mobile operating systems Google Android and Apple's iOS which provide the use of advanced scientific calculators along with the most advanced mathematical symbols to facilitate quick and complex calculations.

I believe that as modern technology becomes more and more advanced we must make room for what some humorously describe as the rise of 'an alien-like, mind- boggling gobbledegook language' especially if we want to move on with new technology and make use of it to improve the quality of our lives.

Of course we can make room for the new electronic texting language by using it and appreciating it more, and at the same time strive to safeguard the values of all our precious and traditional languages so that we can aim to express ourselves correctly and clearly at all times