Technology has transformed the words we use into abbreviations and acronyms, for example, electronic mail became e-mail which then became email. ‘E-reader’ is a term that has been added to the OED this year, reflecting the rise of products available to read e-books on. ‘OMG’ and ‘LOL’ are widely used acronyms that save time in writing a message. These types of abbreviations have been thought to ‘dumb down’ language and spelling skills. The physical spacing of words have also been shortened, ie from ‘web site’ to ‘website’, reflecting the need to use as few characters as possible within social media updates.