Farsi or Pinglish; Effective Factors on Script Selection in User’s Chats in Telegram and WhatsApp Messengers

Nowadays social networks and especially messengers such as Telegram and WhatsApp have become the most important communication tools in the lives of people, especially for the young adults. Considering the prevalence and popularity of these two messengers among Iranian users and also due to the importance of using script in these messengers, the present research investigates the factors affecting script selection in the communication of these two messengers. The present research was conducted both qualitatively and quantitatively. To collect data an online interview, using accidental samples, in above cited messengers was used. 25 young adult users (16-25 years) and 50 adult users (over 25 years) were interviewed. The results of the research show that the most important factors affecting the use of Pinglish script instead of Persian script are as follows: Prestige; less effort; fear of writing mistakes; Persian script insufficiencies; being more influenced by the peers; being influenced by English; tendency to abbreviate; speed in message transmission; show off and express yourself; desire to be distinct; keeping privacy; tendency towards Western culture, and habit. On the contrary, the most important reasons for using Persian script are as follows: interest in and commitment to Persian language; more feelings and emotional burdens; speed; prestige; habit; impact of the other party; being official, and education.