what r u thinking? lol
ARGH!
Call me old fashioned. Call me un-techy. But, please, do it with correct capitalization and punctuation.
aamof, afaic, iucmd, just shut^.
This is a pet peeve of mine that’s been festering for a while. I just couldn’t keep it in any longer. Why does being connected to the “interwebs” give people the false sense that they can throw grammar and punctuation out the window? I suppose I should sgbadq.
Frankly, I find this “webspeak” phenomenon counterintuitive. Typing is far easier and faster than writing in long hand, so why the need to shorten everything? Are we really all in that big of a hurry? Or frightened of blackberry thumb.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to consult specialized websites when getting text messages from friends or reading emails or blogs. If it’s so long that it’s a pain to type, why not just call me? It uses the same equipment. As far as I know, I don’t require particularly arduous conversation. Perhaps I’m mistaken, but even so, at least give me some clue as to what you are referring.
To all bloggers - I ask a commitment to honor the English language (or whatever your native tongue happens to be). Spell out words (I’m sure someone will ask “r u crazy?”), complete sentences and, if you’re in need of help, seek a reference or get notes from a high school freshman in grammar class. Take a moment to gather your thoughts before you sit down to write. Above all, avoid gratuitous abbreviations or acronyms just for the sake of being hip.
Finally, for those of you with a Blackberry or other device with a full keyboard - USE IT! Go take a Mavis Beacon or something if you have to, but complete words and phrases. I pledge to follow this, and I hope u do 2.
Thx for listening (well, reading, I guess). As for my advice, tioli. g/g, biw. ttyl
(Do you have a favorite/hated netspeak term? If so, share in the comments! Everyone needs a laugh!)
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Hallelujah!
Frank — July 23, 2008 @ 10:58 am
Of course, there’s some truth here. But I think, for the most part, informal mediums (text messaging, blogging) produce informal communication. You’ll notice that, still, this casual shorthand does not occur on written letters and other formal mediums.
nichall — July 23, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
Perhaps… but what’s to stop the casual shorthand from eventually seeping into “written” letters and formal communications? I think if you compare written and formal communication of 100 years ago to today, you’d find the slang of old is acceptable today.
And, why does an email or blog post get to play by different rules of grammar and the English language? In my mind, rules of language don’t get to be swept to the side in the name of informailty. Particularly instances where you’re publicly posting things for the public (or even a small group) to read.
rightwave — July 23, 2008 @ 8:44 pm