Var det bättre förr?
En kvantitativ jämförelse av elevtexter från 1985, 2005 och 2006
AbstractThis essay deals with young people?s written language. It is often said that the student?s ability to write is worse today compared to earlier generations. The written language is an important condition for knowledge, therefore it is of great importance that all students, after finished secondary- and upper secondary school, have acquired an adequate language which is suitable in the public room.The fact that young people?s language is worse than earlier generations is a constantly recurrent assertion and often debated in school. Young people?s written language has never been so bad as it is today no matter when that time occurs. In order to find relevance in the statement, I have studied essays from 1985 and compared them with essays from 2005 and 2006.The parameters I have studied are spelling mistakes, the wrong use of small and capital letter, syntax errors, writing in two words and the presence of spoken language. In order to compare the texts with each other as well as with earlier research a quantitative method was chosen.The results show that the study?s ninth grade students ability to write is better today than twenty years ago. On the other hand, the study also shows that the written language among upper secondary students is worse today compared to 1985. Consequently, in order to answer this essay?s principal issue, if there is any relevance in the statement that it was better before, the question can be answered with both yes and no depending on which grade is referred to.Keywords: Written language, comparison, spelling mistakes, student?s essays.