It has transformed news and social media, taken internet “trolling” to new depths and given millions access to extensive details about their favourite celebrities’ lives.
But Twitter, with its 140-character limit, quick-fire exchanges and multiple crimes against syntax, has never been an obvious resource for teaching good English.
Now, though, worried by its growing influence on young people, teachers in Brazil are turning the grammatical atrocities that often appear on the micro-blogging site to their educational advantage, asking students to identify and correct mistakes in their idols’ tweets.
Pop stars Miley Cyrus and Mary J Blige were among the first celebrities to attract the ire of the eight- to 13-year-olds from Red Balloon, a Brazilian chain of English language schools.
“So many peeps I love birrrfday is today!” tweeted Cyrus, only to be told by a fan, Amanda, “Look, `birthday’ has no Fs.”
“Why is that people always try to understand estimate my intelligents?” wrote a puzzled Blige in an infamous message to her fans.
“I think you wrote underestimate and intelligence wrong,” 12-year-old Maria helpfully pointed out.
The students also delivered a knockout blow to Rocky star Sylvester Stallone when he failed to use a plural, and were more than a match for England footballer Wayne Rooney when he tweeted: “Got sons of anorchy sesaon 5 today. Cant wait to watch it.”
“We have celebrities who are not really worried about the language,” said Andrea Baena, a coordinator for University of Cambridge examinations in Brazil, who appears in a video produced by Red Balloon to promote the idea. “When (students) see their idols speaking like that they come to us and say, `This is right, he is American and using it’, and it is not the case.”
#EPICFAIL
So many peeps I love birrrfday is today! Gotta celllllebratttteee
@MileyCyrus@MileyCyrus Hi, my name is Amanda and I’m a big fan from Brazil. Look, “birthday” has no Fs :) LOVE YOU! Kisses!
@redballoonBRWhy is that people always try to understand estimate my intelligents?! They should never do that!
@maryjblige@maryjblige I’m Maria, 12 years old, from Brazil. I think you wrote underestimate and intelligence wrong :( P.S.: your voice is beautiful.
@redballoonBR
