Is the horrible spelling I see posted by a lot of the younger people [And a few of the older ones to] a txt messaging short hand I must stumble though or just poor spelling skills?
|
Is the horrible spelling I see posted by a lot of the younger people [And a few of the older ones to] a txt messaging short hand I must stumble though or just poor spelling skills?
It's a combination of both.
The shortcuts of "U" (you) and "r" (are) are shorthand.
The lack of punctuation and blatant misuse of homonyms (there, their, they're, your, you're, etc) is just poor grammar and spelling.
I feel that it's a little of both.
OK so my spelling isn't the best in the world normally it's due to my brain working faster than my fingers, but at least I try.
The recent spate of bad spelling/grammer I feel is down to the holidays and the new computers that people have been given.
More teens have a lot of free time and they have stumbled upon our little corner of Cyber Space.
Shame really, but we are open to all.
Thank Thor for Firefox spell check lol. Even corrected Thor with a lower case letter.
The site does have an adequate spell checker, but FF's is so much faster. ;)
I think that if a person needs advise, spelling is not an issue ! The question they are posting is more important... I also like the little spell check option on this forum, that people can click on and check there spelling(s) before they post there reply or question.
I have to be honest I probley are one of the people here that does use things like lol lmfao etc because they are common internet and txt talk. So please don't shoot me for doing so.
It's the "in" thing now. I feel it will not go away, either, unlike ebonics which faded into the sunset it's here to stay. And yes, mostly because of txt messaging and the shortcuts used in instant messaging. LOL, I'm going afk. :)
I have to say Thank you for bringing this to light you know what bug's me the most is that there's a button just under here that allows you to spell check now what's the deal with not using it??
The odd bit here and there is bearable, just, but entire posts in unintelligible chat speak is just plain lazy.
It's not as if we don't have enough time to compose a meaningful answer and reread it before posting ;)
The other major bug is the run on sentence.
Haven't these peole heard of PUNCTUATION?
LoL your post made me smile, I agree fully that's its because of things like mobile text messages and people using msn, Yahoo, Google messenger etc ;) its seems to be the new in thing that does not seem to be going away !Quote:
Originally Posted by KMSRyana
English as a language is always having new words added to the dictionary, and moving forwards a little more each year, I would not be shocked to see words in text speak added the dictionary and become the norm.
I agree fully with your reply Ben its wrong to post a full reply or post in text and chat speak ! But don't c anything wrng with a little now and den.Quote:
Originally Posted by Curlyben
None of the shorthand is new, really. As much as I'd like to say that it comes from text messaging on cell phones (where space and carpal tunnel considerations are actually legitimate), it doesn't. Nor does it come from instant messaging. Nor online games, where typing quickly is required for any actual chat. Nor AOL chatrooms (which was the first thing I ever saw it attributed to when I first started wandering the internet with any regularity a little over 10 years ago). None of the real time communications are to blame, as it showed up in usenet and other persistent discussion forms, and back into the old days when you would log onto a local BBS, make your posts on whatever forum network they were on (back when you were talking travel times of days as local boards called each other and slowly passed along what they had to add to the discussion by way of the 2400 baud modem).
It's all down to laziness and apathy. I take pride in my writing, and in the ability to string together actual words into meaningful sentences and paragraphs, but not everybody else does. I've found that it's better for my mental health to use their inability to communicate using an actual language to fuel my superiority complex, rather than being offended at their lack of care. :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosnosna
Nosnosna you say that you use this because of peoples "inability" to use English correct, and also to fuel you superiority complex, I have a B.A in English Language with (Honours) and use this kind of talk from time to time, so I feel its wrong to call people stupid that do make there choice to use this kind of language, I view txt and chat speech as a language of its own.
SometimeswhenIamonlineIliketonotusespacestogetback atthosewhouselanguageinsuchamannerthatitinfuriates metoreadit. Hopethishelpsshedsomelightonthesubject. HAHAHA!!
One, Of, The, Best, Ones, I've, Just, Seen, Goes, Something, Like, This.
Now, Try, And, Type That, For, A, While, Really, Does, Your, Head, In!
OR... HOW... ABOUT... ABUSE... OF... THE... FULL... STOP... ;)
Too, Funny, Curly, Ben, I, Will, Have, To, Use, It, Sometime.
I agree that short hand is very common use on the internet. I use it all the time when chatting with my friends on MSN Messenger. But I personally don't think forums are the place to use them. The people that are asking for advice or are giving advice need to be comprehendible. This does not include typing a paragraph in all caps with no punctuation and using so many abbreviations, that any one who could help can't even understand. I'll admit, if I can't understand a post after reading a few times because of grammar and such, I just don't reply. So yes, there are times when this standard of writing is acceptable, but I feel more and more people are losing the skills of proper English that we learned in, what, second grade?
You learned the right way to do things, and then chose your own way. This is how it's supposed to be. In every subject, people find their own ways to do things. For example, compare the standard letters we all learned in grade school with how people actually write... usually there are a few differences (My capital E looks like a backwards three, my lower case t and I both have a flourish up, and a number of other things). I developed this particular style after learning the correct way of writing, and kept it all in the framework of being recognizable and legible to anyone capable of reading English (my atrocious penmanship aside).Quote:
Originally Posted by nwsflash
The problem with this type of writing, though, is twofold:
First, if, as you say, it's a language of its own (I'd use dialect, personally, but that's just semantics :)), before using it in a given situation you have to be able to tell if it's appropriate to the venue. Not using the appropriate language is becoming all too common, and you will see 'text speak' on job applications, in business e-mails, and in actual written work such as essays. Far too many people using this new language don't know when it is and is not appropriate.
Second, a new dialect should be a supplement to the existing language, not a replacement. There are a large number of people growing up now who can't be bothered to learn how to actually write, because they can say it in text. Parts of it are spilling over into verbal communication now, with people pronouncing acronyms (as in saying 'loll', not even 'ell oh ell').
Back on point, though, I don't think they're stupid, I think they're apathetic, which is actually much worse. And I see nothing wrong with feeling superior to someone who doesn't care about appearing literate.
Ok I have to honest :) you get me on that point! Because I fully agree that there is a time and a place, that people can use the above way of communicating , job applications and business email etc I agree are not correct time and place to use it, and full correct English should be used at all times in these situations.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosnosna
I also have to agree to a point with you that in this day and age people are using the above as there first language, and this is not good because people will forget how to use English in its fullest means as it was intended to be used ;) but I do think that there is a point where things have to complement one another rather then becoming the main, there is a time and a place where txt or chat speak can be used and have a full meaning.
We live in a world today that is ever changing by the second and new words are becoming part of the langue all the time. There are some many new words being added to the English dictionaries they are now being updated every few months.
Quote:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curlyben
One, Of, The, Best, Ones, I've, Just, Seen, Goes, Something, Like, This.
Now, Try, And, Type That, For, A, While, Really, Does, Your, Head, In!
OR... HOW... ABOUT... ABUSE... OF... THE... FULL... STOP...
That made my eyes go funny
It'll be interestiing to see what happens to this generation of chat speak/text messagers when they reach the business world.
Heck just the idea of reading a job applicationQuote:
Originally Posted by NeedKarma
It is both, as some others have said - the shortcut method and poor spelling. If some would only use the spell check before they post, it would help. But that would require some thoughtful effort.
I can only imagine what the conversation would be like in meeting someone with such horrid communcation skills. Sadly, they do not even realize it most times.
I told people to stop, but my reputation suffered.
Hello:Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosnosna
The nose knows.
excon
Nosnosna is correct that the shorthand originated in early E-mail and Newsgroups. Primarily used as emoticons to compensate for the lack of facial expression and tone of voice that repsent the bulk of communication (the words only represent 30%). So things like a :) and a ;) or <eg> (evil grin) and LOL, ROFLMAO and others came into being.
The shorthand was expanded and refined as chatting become popularized on Compuserve and, later AOL. Then really exploded with IMs and text messaging.
But I agree that forums are not the place for it. Especially Q&A forums where we need to understand the question and askers need to understand the answer. If someone needs help it behooves them to make their question easily understandable. If someone wants to help, they should make that help intelligible.
I find it amusing that it was brought up that txtspk is being used on job applications, essays, etc.
I worked in admissions at a university for 4 years. While an essay was not essential to admissions at the university where I was working, it would occasionally be used for borderline cases. I am, of course, speaking only of admission to the university, not of essays used for particular programs, such as English, Psychology, Nursing, etc. If I could not read the first paragraph without coming to a simple spelling or grammar mistake, including using txtspk, I would throw the essay back in the file and weigh my vote in as "Denied" (borderline students went through committee, so that it could not be said someone was denied for personal reasons). I didn't waste my time reading the rest of the essay.
I now work as an administrative secretary for a small business. As such, I am the person who passes along applications to the different departments within the company. I am not allowed to throw out applications, but I am allowed to organize them in order of those who might be good candidates. Anyone using txtspk inappropriately on their application, cover letter or resume is placed at the bottom of the stack, upside down. Essentially, that's telling my supervisor that I don't think they are intelligent enough to work at our business.
I definitely agree in turning down applicants who use txtspk on an application in in an admissions essay. But not because they aren't intelligent, but because they are lazy. They are clearly someone who will take a shortcut rather than the do the job correctly. And that is not a good impression.
Ashley, I agree with you 100%! If I can't read/understand the post then I just move on.:rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by ashleysb
Also, I am big into text messaging and I still use, most of the time, proper spelling when text messaging! All I know is (u=you, r=are, pp=people, lol=laugh out loud... that is about it.)
The one that really gets to me is the use of "then" instead of "than". It bugs me every time!Quote:
Originally Posted by Synnen
Probably a combination of both. Why the heck don't people use the spell check that's provided?
Because its not written in txt speak lol :DQuote:
Originally Posted by s_cianci
:D I believe English is a second language for a lot of our members here at Ask Me Help Desk - possibly explains some of it.
No, it is like what Scottgem said. It's just laziness. Besides, most people (who aren't illegal immigrants) speak and write better english than some Americans.
My only problem with some of the spelling of the younger generation is that some day they will get a job and their typing shortcuts are going to be so ingrained that they will make so many mistakes in their job where typing needs to be perfect
| All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:03 AM. |