Getting the 411 from teens these days may just be a message away if parents know the lingo and are willing to pay for the increasingly popular form of communication — text messaging via cell phone.

The popularity of texting has been prominent with teens for the last few years, but these days adults are gradually increasing their use of texting.

Just this week in the news, Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama said he would announce his vice-presidential running mate via text message. Pundits believe text message reminders will help get out the vote come November. It’s also much cheaper than sending volunteers door-to-door with flyers and campaign materials.

Even criminals are using the technology to lure victims into potentially dangerous schemes. Some Enid area banking customers last week were sent texts asking for account numbers in an attempt to gain access to customers’ funds.

But texting also is helping those with disabilities communicate in the event of an emergency. Local police in an area of Great Britain have set up a system that allows those with speech or hearing impairments to alert police and medical personnel via text messages in case of an emergency.

You also can order pizza via texting, vote for your favorite American Idol contestant by text or even get weather alerts and news updates with a text message.

But not everyone is a fan of the informal form of communication.

One English grammar expert and educator from Seattle believes texting and the Internet might be getting in the way of learning skills such as writing, reading and thinking.

“Text messaging is destroying the written word,” said Jacquie Ream, a former teacher and author who has penned a book about how texting is ruining language. “These kids aren’t learning to spell. They’re learning acronyms and short hand. Kids are typing shorthand jargon that isn’t even a complete thought.”

Mary McDonald, Advanced Placement English teacher at Enid High School, said the subject of Internet and cell phone messaging was broached a number of times during summer teaching institutes.

“We talked about different levels of language,” McDonald said. “Texting is another use of language that is even more informal than e-mail. Kids need to be even more aware that it is only one kind of language.”

Text messaging isn’t a professional means of communication, she said. Students — and adults alike — should be aware of their audience when they are sending a letter via mail, e-mail or text message.

“I think a key for any kind of writing is audience,” McDonald said. “Kids these days often don’t make a distinction.”

McDonald said she occasionally attempts to send text messages, but she does it so irregularly, she is less than proficient.

“It’s so hard for me to stoop to those little abbreviations,” McDonald said.

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• Devon Harris, 14, said she is “constantly” texting her friends.

“Somehow it’s easier for me (to text),” Harris said. “I have a ton of friends who text.”

She uses a Motorola Razr cell phone, which is equipped with a traditional phone keypad, as opposed to a keyboard-like keypad (also called QWERTY, for the first six keys on a traditional typewriter or keyboard).

She said her parents had to increase her text messaging plan to accommodate the amount of texting she does each month.

Harris said she often is reprimanded for texting while her mom is talking to her. Harris contends texting allows her to multitask.

“I get in trouble in English class all the time,” Harris said.

• Christian Carrington, 16, said she prefers texting to talking any day.

“If I text, I can do two things at once,” said Carrington, a Chisholm High School junior. “I don’t have to give all my attention to one thing.”

Carrington said because she can text without looking at her phone, she can drive and text at the same time.

• Brooke Mendenhall, a junior at Oklahoma Bible Academy, said officials with her cell phone service provider told her she texted more than any other customer they had.

“Last year I texted so much I went over my plan,” Mendenhall said. “Now I have unlimited.”