MOBILE phones and social media are negatively affecting our powers of description, says sight loss charity Guide Dogs.

And the charity is calling on the people of Newport - identified as one of the 10 locations in the UK most in need of new volunteers to support people with sight loss - to improve their visual-description skills and volunteer to become sighted guides.

Guide Dogs’ My Guide service trains volunteers to become sighted guides for people living with sight loss.

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Research by the charity has found more than over half - 57 per cent - of people in Newport believe their vocabulary has been impacted by the ever-presence of digital communication.

The respondents believe abbreviations – such as lol, brb and omg – alongside limited character counts and social media channels have negatively affected their powers of description.

More than half - 57 per cent - of Newport adults use social media as their go-to means of communication – with 63 per cent saying that use emojis, GIFs and memes over words to communicate.

Though 61 per cent of Newport residents say they would normally feel confident describing directions, this drops down to 25 per cent when giving directions to those with sight loss.

This lack of confidence stems from a nervousness over saying the wrong thing, with 28 per cent citing this as a reason.

In response, Guide Dogs’ new campaign Powers of Description, supported by Channel 4’s Countdown lexicologist Susie Dent, aims to highlight the value words have – especially to those with sight loss.

Language expert Susie Dent said: “We live in an increasingly visual world, squeezed by media that appreciate a sound bite and a limited number of characters.

“As a result, we don’t always take the time to find the most descriptive vocabulary.

“There are distinct benefits to keeping our vocabulary skills sharp and improving our descriptive word power throughout our lives - from enabling us to be more creative, to processing information more quickly, and increasing our confidence.

“It is never too late to bolster language skills and enrich your life, and other people’s, as a result.

“Even while navigating a fast-paced, busy life, why not challenge yourself to take the time to learn one new word a day?”

Ian Coxon, skills, information and support operations manager at Guide Dogs said: “Communication and description are a core part of the My Guide service.

“Today we are asking people to make a real difference and volunteer to support us on our mission to recruit an extra 4500 My Guide volunteers by 2023 – Guide Dogs Cymru need your help.”

How can you improve your vocabulary? Susie Dent’s tips:

South Wales Argus:

• “Challenge yourself to learn at least one new word every day. Sign up to ‘words of the day’ email bulletins from the best dictionary providers, such as the Oxford English Dictionary. You will be introduced each day to a new gem that may stick in the mind forever”.

• “Read, read, read! It’s seems obvious but it’s so true: the more you read, the more vocabulary you will encounter.”

• “Add a podcast about words and language to your morning commute. Appreciating the journeys our words have undergone, and the meanings that have twisted and turned along the way, will help them stick in your mind.”

You can sign up to volunteer as a sight-guide at: guidedogs.org.uk