The Land of Hypercommunication
频繁通讯之地(1/2)



The Land of Hypercommunication

Wireless technology keeps the Finnish in constant communication

It's common to hear people chatter on the cell phone these days. But a large number of users are now letting their thumbs do the talking.

Text messaging, or sending 160 characters of fewer to another cell phone, has become a discreet way to contact someone and, because it takes some tech-savvy know-how, it's a litmus test of sorts on how advanced a nation is in using wireless technology.

In Finland, home of Nokia, mobile phones have spawned a culture all their own. This Nordic country may not be the center of civilization, but it is home to cutting-edge communication. Of Finland's 5 million people, 98 percent have cell phones and only half have a landline.

Here is what cell phone use looks like on the ground in one of the more advanced wireless cultures in the world.

Texting keeps teacher connected

Anna Maija Luomi, 41, is a hypercommunicator. As a language teacher, Luomi speaks nine languages and relies on her cell phone to keep in constant communication-not through talk, but snippets of text. She considers these text conversations a necessity in her social life and a way to keep family and friends up to date.

On a typical Saturday evening, Luomi will have sent and received 100 messages-and no phone calls. Over dinner, she easily handles 40 more. During a couple of hours, Luomi texts in five different languages.

Luomi remembers life before texting and doesn't believe it was as good. Now she is in constant touch with friends, which has created stronger bonds.

"You say things you probably wouldn't say if you talked one or two times a week," she said. "I think you have better insight into the way people are thinking."

When is it a bad time to text? There's no bad time.

Vocabulary Focus

Discreet (adj) 隐秘的

Litmus test (n) a response to one thing, which suggests the same response to a wider range of related things

Spawn (v) to cause something new, or many new things, to grow or start suddenly

On the ground (idiom) on the scene at a place that is exciting, interesting or important

Snippet (n) a small and often interesting piece of news, information or conversation

Discussion Question

Why do people prefer texting to phone call?

Extra Exercise