View Full Version : Text speak
Benzhiyi
02-07-2004, 08:52 AM
Should it be banned from the BBS?
Daddy Long
02-07-2004, 08:53 AM
No, but new users should be encouraged not to use it
Baldy
02-07-2004, 08:54 AM
Originally posted by Benzhiyi
Should it be banned from the BBS?
Yes, 100%, along with bad grammar and ludicrous threads along the lines of "Does anybody know how I get to Tottenham?........" etc etc.
Son of Selhurst
02-07-2004, 08:54 AM
Cue the stream of text speak replies...... :rolleyes:
eagles #1
02-07-2004, 10:05 AM
Originally posted by Son of Selhurst
Cue the stream of text speak replies...... :rolleyes:
:o wel i tink it shud nt b used on da BBS, bt i cn understand nw users such as Emmajo who iz 16 using it. she az wel az me obvously use it 2 txt our m8s on the mob, she iz nw 2 da board so az yet 2 gt used to our way of typing. whereaz i av gt used to typin proper language!:D
Chris K
02-07-2004, 10:09 AM
Yes i fkng 8 da stuf :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash:
chelmsfordeagle
02-07-2004, 10:13 AM
don't use it myself and often don't read posts written in text speak but it shouldn't be banned. Language progresses.
we_8_brighton
02-07-2004, 10:24 AM
Shouldn't be banned imo
Mendosa
02-07-2004, 10:25 AM
Originally posted by Baldy
Yes, 100%, along with bad grammar and ludicrous threads along the lines of "Does anybody know how I get to Tottenham?........" etc etc.
Along with the misuse of the word etcetera, which should only be written once and not repeated :p
Can't see why - it's a free country. If I can't read something that's the posters loss not mine.
hows about we use some BBS magic to expand the most polular txt speak to the proper words
m8 = mate
etc
christopher
02-07-2004, 10:36 AM
Originally posted by chelmsfordeagle
Language progresses.
It's not progress, just bloody annoying.
Men At Work
02-07-2004, 10:42 AM
Originally posted by Dave
hows about we use some BBS magic to expand the most polular txt speak to the proper words
That woyould be great, Dave, byout the pattern matseehing may need to be tweaked becayouse c u l8r seeoyould seeayouse problems shoyould the tokens be too generisee.
Daddy Long
02-07-2004, 10:44 AM
I understand that text speak is used to speed up the typing process. What I don't understand is why change a word when what you have changed it to takes just as long to type.
az = as
Sunny Fan
02-07-2004, 10:46 AM
Originally posted by Dave
hows about we use some BBS magic to expand the most polular txt speak to the proper words
m8 = mate
etc Good thinking. Didn't we do this with oxo and poostis a couple of years ago?
I.Flyer
02-07-2004, 10:47 AM
I don't know about being banned. I just don't bother reading them.
Dodger
02-07-2004, 10:47 AM
I like Dave's idea to automatically convert txt to normal english, but really I think all messages should be left exactly as the author intended.
Often the style of writing by a poster is as relevant as the content itself.
stevek
02-07-2004, 10:50 AM
Originally posted by Mendosa
Along with the misuse of the word etcetera, which should only be written once and not repeated :p
Actually, there's no such word as etcetera at all. It should be two words 'et' ('and') and 'cetera' ('the rest'). It's Latin, don't you know.
Heb 7:4
02-07-2004, 10:56 AM
It many ways I find txt sp8k to be like Charlton. It is the sheer pointless that annoys me. Txt speak is for mobile phones, where the number of characters in a text is limited. On the BBS there is no such need, and as the people using it tend to be young, and I'm willing to bet able to type reasonably well, it simply isn't any quicker. Indeed, the only things text speak does is a) demonstrate that you're not old enough to drink in pubs and b) annoy people who would like to read your post but are put of by the obvious immaturity of it.
Men At Work
02-07-2004, 11:08 AM
Originally posted by Daddy Long
I understand that text speak is used to speed up the typing process. What I don't understand is why change a word when what you have changed it to takes just as long to type.
az = as
Because it's kewl.
It's a subculture that tries to differentiate itself which is fine in its private universe but it runs into problems when the rest of it intrudes. I occasionally use txt spk for sending a long text because it keeps the cost down but I prefer the predicitve facilities as it's easier to read for the recipient (although I tend to text people of age 25+ which may account for that). When on here I use a form of written language which is understood by all (except Americans :) ); when talking with young kids I use a very simple form of language; when talking work with colleagues I use all the acronyms I need to but when dealing with customers I simplify the technical jargon. Basically I change my form of communication to that most suitable for the situation.
Whn I ws yung thr ws only 1 wy 2 do sumthing & the rest were all old skool & rong. These days I've unlearnt a lot. Courtesy dictates that you write in a manner that is understandable to most people. It used to be called common courtesy...
2c1f
Originally posted by Daddy Long
I understand that text speak is used to speed up the typing process. What I don't understand is why change a word when what you have changed it to takes just as long to type.
az = as
Fair point :p
Originally posted by Daddy Long
No, but new users should be encouraged not to use it
Don't call them retards though.
Open forums allow most things and you can't ban it. But even our hungarian mates try to post in english and at least when they attach a news clip I can drop it in a translator.
Any one know where I can find one that does
Chav-English/English-Chav??
Originally posted by CK
Open forums allow most things and you can't ban it. But even our hungarian mates try to post in english and at least when they attach a news clip I can drop it in a translator.
Any one know where I can find one that does
Chav-English/English-Chav??
http://www.transl8it.com/cgi-win/index.pl
adrenalin john
02-07-2004, 11:43 AM
Text speak should not be banned, open forum/freedom of speech etc.
However it does nothing for me.
mrdance88
02-07-2004, 11:45 AM
Yes, should be banned.
Can someone tell me what this 'oxo' and 'poostis' is all about?
Jim Cannons Moustache
02-07-2004, 11:52 AM
Originally posted by CK
But even our hungarian mates try to post in english and at least when they attach a news clip I can drop it in a translator.
Exactly. If people whose first language isn't English can make the effort to type properly then surely there's no excuse for everyone else not to do the same.
Fully encourage people posting bollox but incomprehensible bollox due to laziness isn't on.
Bloody lazy retards :o
Steve in Phoenix
02-07-2004, 12:09 PM
Originally posted by mrdance88
Yes, should be banned.
Can someone tell me what this 'oxo' and 'poostis' is all about?
basically... an Ozzie version of textspeak.
Smurph
02-07-2004, 12:10 PM
Banned is probably too strong a word, actively discouraged is a better way of putting it.
Kevin T
02-07-2004, 12:59 PM
My personal opinion, is that a person should have the benefit of one polite warning should they flaunt the rule, and if they choose to ignore it, they get banned.
Jim Cannons Moustache
02-07-2004, 01:06 PM
So a kind of yellow card/red card system. can we highlight the username of those on a yellow in yellow? then we can attempt to trick those we don't like into a 2nd misdemenour to get them sent-off. sounds great fun :o
Men At Work
02-07-2004, 01:14 PM
Originally posted by Steve in Phoenix
basically... an Ozzie version of textspeak.
It was all Greek to me...
simon
02-07-2004, 01:15 PM
How about a temporary ban of a few days or a week, a sin bin if you like. Could have somewhere for a list of current "binners".
Palace Dan
02-07-2004, 01:16 PM
I have to say that I find text speak hard to understand - but I do not really have a problem with others using it - snag will be I won't understand their replies to a thread.
Didn't the Two Ronnies start it many years ago?
They did a sketch in a restaurant where the customer tries to order food from the waiter - it went something along the lines of:
Customer - L O
Waiter - L O
Customer - F U N E X?
Waiter - S, V F X
Customer - R. F U N E M?
Waiter - S, V F M
Customer - N E T?
Waiter - M N X N T 4 1?
Customer - S. 4 1 etc. etc.
Obviously loses a lot in the translation!
They did a similar sketch in a hardware shop - order 'o's (hoes) etc
Anyone else remember this?
Psychokiller
02-07-2004, 01:42 PM
Yes. It may make some of the kids turn up for their English classes!
Sunny Fan
02-07-2004, 01:44 PM
Here you go:
BARKER: Four Candles!
CORBETT: Four Candles?
BARKER: Four Candles.
(Ronnie Corbett makes for a box, and gets out four candles. He places them on the counter)
BARKER: No, four candles!
CORBETT (confused): Well there you are, four candles!
BARKER: No, fork 'andles! 'Andles for forks!
(Ronnie Corbett puts the candles away, and goes to get a fork handle. He places it onto the counter)CORBETT (muttering): Fork handles. Thought you said 'four candles!' (more clearly) Next?
BARKER: Got any plugs?
CORBETT: Plugs. What kind of plugs?
BARKER: A rubber one, bathroom.
(Ronnie Corbett gets out a box of bath plugs, and places it on the counter)
CORBETT (pulling out two different sized plugs): What size?
BARKER: Thirteen amp!
CORBETT (muttering): It's electric bathroom plugs, we call them, in the trade. Electric bathroom plugs!
(He puts the box away, gets out another box, and places on the counter an electric plug, then puts the box away)
BARKER: Saw tips!
CORBETT: Saw tips? (he doesn't know what he means) What d'you want? Ointment, or something like that?
BARKER: No, saw tips for covering saws.
CORBETT: Oh, haven't got any, haven't got any. (he mutters) Comin' in, but we haven' got any. Next?
BARKER: 'O's!
CORBETT: 'O's?
BARKER: 'O's.
(He goes to get a hoe, and places it on the counter)
BARKER: No, 'O's!
CORBETT: 'O's! I thought you said 'O! (he takes the hose back, and gets a hose, whilst muttering) When you said 'O's, I thought you said 'O! 'O's!
(He places the hose onto the counter)
BARKER: No, 'O's!
CORBETT (confused for a moment): O's? Oh, you mean panty 'o's, panty 'o's! (he picks up a pair of tights from beside him)
BARKER: No, no, 'O's! 'O's for the gate. Mon repose! 'O's! Letter O's!
CORBETT (finally realising): Letter O's! (muttering) You had me going there!
(He climbs up a stepladder, gets a box down, puts the ladder away, and takes the box to the counter, and searches through it for letter O's)
CORBETT: How many d'you want?
BARKER: Two.
(Ronnie Corbett leaves two letter O's on the counter, then takes the box back, gets the ladder out again, puts the box away, climbs down the ladder, and puts the ladder away, then returns to the counter)
CORBETT: Yes, next?
BARKER: Got any P's?
CORBETT (fed up): For Gawd' sake, why didn' you bleedin' tell me that while I was up there then? I'm up and down the shop already, it's up and down the bleedin' shop all the time. (He gets the ladder out, climbs up and gets the box of letters down, then puts the ladder away) Honestly, I've got all this shop, I ain't got any help, it's worth it we plan things. (He puts the box on the counter, and gets out some letter P's) How many d'you want?
BARKER: No! Tins of peas. Three tins of peas!
CORBETT: You're 'avin' me on, ain't ya, yer 'avin' me on?
BARKER: I'm not!
(Ronnie Corbett dumps the box under the counter, and gets three tins of peas)
CORBETT (placing the tins on the counter): Next?
BARKER: Got any pumps?
CORBETT (getting really fed up): 'And pumps, foot pumps? Come on!
BARKER (surprised he has to ask): Foot pumps!
CORBETT (muttering, as he goes down the shop): Foot pumps. See a foot pump? (He sees one, and picks it up) Tidy up in 'ere.
(He puts the pump down on the counter)
BARKER: No, pumps fer ya feet! Brown pump, size nine!
CORBETT (almost at breaking point): You are 'avin' me on, you are definitely 'avin' me on!
BARKER (not taking much notice of Corbett's mood): I'm not!
CORBETT: You are 'avin' me on! (He takes back the pump, and gets a pair of brown foot pumps out of a drawer, and places them on the counter) Next?
BARKER: Washers!
CORBETT (really close to breaking point): What, dishwashers, floor washers, car washers, windscreen washers, back scrubbers, lavatory cleaners? Floor washers?
BARKER: 'Alf inch washers!
CORBETT: Oh, tap washers, tap washers? (He finally breaks, and makes to confiscate his list) Look, I've had just about enough of this, give us that list. (He mutters) I'll get it all myself! (Reading through the list) What's this? What's that? Oh that does it! That just about does it! I have just about had it! (calling through to the back) Mr. Jones! You come out and serve this customer please, I have just about had enough of 'im. (Mr. Jones comes out, and Ronnie Corbett shows him the list) Look what 'e's got on there! Look what 'e's got on there!
JONES (who goes to a drawer with a towel hanging out of it, and opens it): Right! How many would ya like? One or two?
(He removes the towel to reveal the label on the drawer - 'Bill hooks'!)
20cb
Maidstoned Eagle
02-07-2004, 01:45 PM
In a word, YES.
Latvian
02-07-2004, 01:47 PM
N
Timbo
02-07-2004, 02:01 PM
Ban it! The worst expresssion is M8
Latvian
02-07-2004, 02:05 PM
avit!
Palace Dan
02-07-2004, 02:56 PM
Originally posted by Sunny Fan
Here you go:
BARKER: Four Candles!
CORBETT: Four Candles?
BARKER: Four Candles.
(Ronnie Corbett makes for a box, and gets out four candles. He places them on the counter)
BARKER: No, four candles!
CORBETT (confused): Well there you are, four candles!
BARKER: No, fork 'andles! 'Andles for forks!
(Ronnie Corbett puts the candles away, and goes to get a fork handle. He places it onto the counter)CORBETT (muttering): Fork handles. Thought you said 'four candles!' (more clearly) Next?
BARKER: Got any plugs?
CORBETT: Plugs. What kind of plugs?
BARKER: A rubber one, bathroom.
(Ronnie Corbett gets out a box of bath plugs, and places it on the counter)
CORBETT (pulling out two different sized plugs): What size?
BARKER: Thirteen amp!
CORBETT (muttering): It's electric bathroom plugs, we call them, in the trade. Electric bathroom plugs!
(He puts the box away, gets out another box, and places on the counter an electric plug, then puts the box away)
BARKER: Saw tips!
CORBETT: Saw tips? (he doesn't know what he means) What d'you want? Ointment, or something like that?
BARKER: No, saw tips for covering saws.
CORBETT: Oh, haven't got any, haven't got any. (he mutters) Comin' in, but we haven' got any. Next?
BARKER: 'O's!
CORBETT: 'O's?
BARKER: 'O's.
(He goes to get a hoe, and places it on the counter)
BARKER: No, 'O's!
CORBETT: 'O's! I thought you said 'O! (he takes the hose back, and gets a hose, whilst muttering) When you said 'O's, I thought you said 'O! 'O's!
(He places the hose onto the counter)
BARKER: No, 'O's!
CORBETT (confused for a moment): O's? Oh, you mean panty 'o's, panty 'o's! (he picks up a pair of tights from beside him)
BARKER: No, no, 'O's! 'O's for the gate. Mon repose! 'O's! Letter O's!
CORBETT (finally realising): Letter O's! (muttering) You had me going there!
(He climbs up a stepladder, gets a box down, puts the ladder away, and takes the box to the counter, and searches through it for letter O's)
CORBETT: How many d'you want?
BARKER: Two.
(Ronnie Corbett leaves two letter O's on the counter, then takes the box back, gets the ladder out again, puts the box away, climbs down the ladder, and puts the ladder away, then returns to the counter)
CORBETT: Yes, next?
BARKER: Got any P's?
CORBETT (fed up): For Gawd' sake, why didn' you bleedin' tell me that while I was up there then? I'm up and down the shop already, it's up and down the bleedin' shop all the time. (He gets the ladder out, climbs up and gets the box of letters down, then puts the ladder away) Honestly, I've got all this shop, I ain't got any help, it's worth it we plan things. (He puts the box on the counter, and gets out some letter P's) How many d'you want?
BARKER: No! Tins of peas. Three tins of peas!
CORBETT: You're 'avin' me on, ain't ya, yer 'avin' me on?
BARKER: I'm not!
(Ronnie Corbett dumps the box under the counter, and gets three tins of peas)
CORBETT (placing the tins on the counter): Next?
BARKER: Got any pumps?
CORBETT (getting really fed up): 'And pumps, foot pumps? Come on!
BARKER (surprised he has to ask): Foot pumps!
CORBETT (muttering, as he goes down the shop): Foot pumps. See a foot pump? (He sees one, and picks it up) Tidy up in 'ere.
(He puts the pump down on the counter)
BARKER: No, pumps fer ya feet! Brown pump, size nine!
CORBETT (almost at breaking point): You are 'avin' me on, you are definitely 'avin' me on!
BARKER (not taking much notice of Corbett's mood): I'm not!
CORBETT: You are 'avin' me on! (He takes back the pump, and gets a pair of brown foot pumps out of a drawer, and places them on the counter) Next?
BARKER: Washers!
CORBETT (really close to breaking point): What, dishwashers, floor washers, car washers, windscreen washers, back scrubbers, lavatory cleaners? Floor washers?
BARKER: 'Alf inch washers!
CORBETT: Oh, tap washers, tap washers? (He finally breaks, and makes to confiscate his list) Look, I've had just about enough of this, give us that list. (He mutters) I'll get it all myself! (Reading through the list) What's this? What's that? Oh that does it! That just about does it! I have just about had it! (calling through to the back) Mr. Jones! You come out and serve this customer please, I have just about had enough of 'im. (Mr. Jones comes out, and Ronnie Corbett shows him the list) Look what 'e's got on there! Look what 'e's got on there!
JONES (who goes to a drawer with a towel hanging out of it, and opens it): Right! How many would ya like? One or two?
(He removes the towel to reveal the label on the drawer - 'Bill hooks'!)
Thanks Sunny Fan - this is priceless stuff - I can visualise it already - the dingy shop, exasperated looks - brilliant
:p
James
02-07-2004, 02:57 PM
I really wouldn't ban it, although I agree it's irritating.
Why is it so hard simply to skip text-speak messages (or even to put persistent text-speak users on 'ignore'?)
If we ban the lazy abbreviators, should we also ban the poor spellers or those who can’t use proper English?
One of my pet hates is the use of ‘should of’ or ‘could of’ for ‘should have’ or ‘could have’ – but since the Owner and administrator of the BBS is one of the chief offenders, I assume that we can’t ban people for that.
:)
Should of seen that coming
Originally posted by simon
How about a temporary ban of a few days or a week, a sin bin if you like. Could have somewhere for a list of current "binners".
They would just sign up new accounts and make the BBS even more overloaded.
Dodger
02-07-2004, 03:12 PM
Originally posted by James
of the BBS
of the Bulletin Board Services
Can we ban these people that continue to use bloody abbreviations please? ;)
calne eagle
02-07-2004, 03:29 PM
Originally posted by Lion
http://www.transl8it.com/cgi-win/index.pl
That's a very useful site. Now I can send the message:
I sA old chap caR 2 join me n a hostelry 4 a tncture? mRvLS fayre!
But seriously, I don't think it should be banned, though it is annoying. Users end up on my brain's Ignore facility - I skip over them as I can't be arsed to read them.
Maz and myself will be upset if you ban ...................
208a
Sunny Fan
02-07-2004, 04:02 PM
Originally posted by calne eagle
Maz and myself will be upset if you ban ................... have to say I've not noticed your overuse of ... but I'm sure Dave can come up with an automated alternative to ... if there's enough demand... :moo:
Kevin T
02-07-2004, 08:03 PM
Although bad spelling and word formation is annoying, we cannot ban someone who was simply too dumb at school. People who use txt speak make a premeditated choice to ignore the English language.
selhurst
02-07-2004, 08:19 PM
Originally posted by Kevin T
People who use txt speak make a premeditated choice to ignore the English language.
But perhaps text speak will soon become the new English language...
scary thought :eek:
James
03-07-2004, 06:38 AM
Originally posted by Kevin T
Although bad spelling and word formation is annoying, we cannot ban someone who was simply too dumb at school. People who use txt speak make a premeditated choice to ignore the English language. I am sure that many of the txt speak users do find it hard to spell - it's one of the reasons why they use it.
Kevin T
03-07-2004, 09:44 AM
I'm sure even these 'retards' know how to spell words such as 'you' and 'mate'
nookiebear
03-07-2004, 09:50 AM
I hate it, I just scroll past posts with it - which is a pity, as for all I know the person might be posting the meaning of life
Originally posted by Baldy
"Does anybody know how I get to Tottenham?........" etc etc.
I once saw a thread asking about how to buy a train ticket for a particular game..... and there were genuine replies...... I mean FFS...
JamieBcpfc
03-07-2004, 11:36 AM
How would you enforce the ban, i would like too see it banned but I as someone above said If you ban the offenders they would just sign up again
Emmajo
03-07-2004, 02:48 PM
thanks everyone for addin to this post.i dont see what is wrong with txt speak. but because this thread is all to do with me and some callin me a reatrd i understand that come people cant understand. i dont no why but i will writ like this if people really want. but i dont see why some words like two cant be put as '2' or you cant be said as 'u' its just a letter
A Wooden Fish On Wheels
04-07-2004, 06:43 PM
I think that text speak is OK on mobile phones where the maximum message length is limited, the keyboard is made up of 12 keys and you might be in a hurry to post (e.g. trying to arrange a meeting or whatever).
But on here there is no real problem with the length of the message, we have a full QWERTY keyboard to hand, and there shouldn't be a need to rush any contributions.
Like it or not it does make the contribution harder to read and I'm sure a lot of people will simply ignore posts made in text speak.
But it shouldn't be banned, just politely discouraged :)
gatwickeagle
04-07-2004, 07:25 PM
havnt u divs got anthing better to talk about?
like....i dont know.....palace?
firesign
04-07-2004, 07:52 PM
I hate text speak. I don't even use it when I send a text on my mobile!
A Wooden Fish On Wheels
04-07-2004, 08:39 PM
Originally posted by gatwickeagle
havnt u divs got anthing better to talk about?
like....i dont know.....palace? Show some respect please, at least use a capital P for Palace.
RickyB
04-07-2004, 08:59 PM
Originally posted by eagles #1
:o wel i tink it shud nt b used on da BBS, bt i cn understand nw users such as Emmajo who iz 16 using it. she az wel az me obvously use it 2 txt our m8s on the mob, she iz nw 2 da board so az yet 2 gt used to our way of typing. whereaz i av gt used to typin proper language!:D
it's just a big pain in the arse to read yeah?
:-/
eagles #1
04-07-2004, 09:09 PM
Originally posted by RickyB
it's just a big pain in the arse to read yeah?
:-/
i can understand but to us younguns its a normal way of typing with always using it on our moblies etc, by the way i never use txt speak on the BBS only when im avin a laugh
RickyB
04-07-2004, 09:16 PM
I understand what your saying, however .. It don't really make it right on a medium such as this tho... You should maybe try and get used to using the proper words here as it *is* hard to read and after all, why bother typing anything if you are aware already that people just *won't* bother reading what youve typed if they find txtspk hard or annoying to read?
I'll leave that with you.. :-) just pointing out the obvious..
RickyB
04-07-2004, 09:17 PM
not meant necessarily directly at you, but any celebrator of txtspk mate. As mentioned before, ok on mobiles, Pain in the bum on BBS's... which leads us on to TLA's :-)
newbureagle
04-07-2004, 09:18 PM
Since the advent of predictive text on mobiles I can't see why anyone bothers to use txt speak at all, or indeed why it even exists. It seems so complicated to do, and we've already got a whole language to use so why not just use that? Txt speak is just so cheesy and lame!
Shouldn't ban it though, I don't think, but I do skip over messages that are written in that way.
It's just nonsense! Speak English boy! I mean, m8.
gjtango
04-07-2004, 09:35 PM
I don't like text speak on here for a few reasons:
1. It looks shit.
2. It makes the person typing seem uneducated.
3. There is no need for it when you have a whole keyboard at your disposal to use.
4. There is no word limit on the BBS whereas with SMS's there is hense why some words may need to be abbreviated.
It should definately be discouraged.
22fd
MicksSis
04-07-2004, 10:07 PM
Like others have already said, text talk is ok for a mobile, but not really necessary on here.
Working in a secondary school, what I find quite sad is that there is an element of teens who do not see it as a problem to use during English lessons, and need to be repeatedly told that they have to spell out words correctly to gain marks.
It has been known to be used during GCSE examinations, which is appalling, but does show the mentality and sometimes poor literacy skills of some of todays young students.
Ian of Chatham
05-07-2004, 06:37 AM
I can see a few problems with a translator from textspeak to English:
"Palace go 2 - 0 up" will become "Palace go to - nil up"
Also if I go to an away match I would choose to sit in Row M8 because that is more likely to be a friendlier place to sit than Row H8.
A Wooden Fish On Wheels
05-07-2004, 10:20 AM
Originally posted by Ian of Chatham
I can see a few problems with a translator from textspeak to English:
"Palace go 2 - 0 up" will become "Palace go to - nil up" Yeah and back in the real 'Premiership' world... ;)
ammiller
05-07-2004, 12:06 PM
Originally posted by Dodger
of the Bulletin Board Services
Can we ban these people that continue to use bloody abbreviations please? ;)
Nice one.
Reps AJ
05-07-2004, 12:12 PM
Originally posted by newbureagle
Since the advent of predictive text on mobiles I can't see why anyone bothers to use txt speak at all, or indeed why it even exists. It seems so complicated to do, and we've already got a whole language to use so why not just use that? Txt speak is just so cheesy and lame!
:p
Reps AJ
05-07-2004, 12:13 PM
Originally posted by Reps AJ
:p
Sometimes you don't even need words... :D
Ban them and then cut off there thumbs so they can not text either
Harsh but fair I think. :o
charltonhater
08-07-2004, 08:43 AM
Yes. Ban it and ban the twerps who use it.
Men At Work
12-07-2004, 11:54 AM
An article by Lynn Truss in The Telegraph
More miserable news about language. More reason to pop off to the nearest wall and bang our heads against it. According to the publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary, half the people using it these days are stumped by the difference between "reign" and "rein", and "pouring" and "poring".
However, before we start to share out our cyanide capsules, perhaps we should pause. I, for one, am heartened to hear that people are looking things up in dictionaries at all. Recently I have been told repeatedly that "everyone" now relies on spellchecker programs, just as they rely on grammar checkers for their punctuation.
Whenever I have pointed out that spellcheckers are inferior to dictionaries because, when you look up a word in a dictionary, you get a definition as well, I have met with pitying looks. Yet evidently - hooray! - there are still a few people willing to drag that heavy tome off the shelf and discover that "pour" may sound very much like "pore" but is a completely different word.
Does it matter that people spell correctly? Well, the pour/pore example is a good place to start. Write, "I have been pouring over my books" and you will find it leads to tricky extra questions, such as, "Pouring what?" Yet there is an idea steadily gathering force that communication should be judged only by functional effectiveness and that, if you "get the gist" of what someone is saying, this is enough.
Not surprisingly I am not persuaded by this argument. In fact it makes me weep and thunder by turns. "Please don't use the expression 'Get the gist'," I pray, whenever I have to engage in chat-show debate with the latest person advocating the liberating joy of a grammatical free-for-all.
But they always do. "Ah, but does it matter, so long as we get the gist?" they ask, as if saying something original and profound. "Is conveying a gist the highest aim of language?" I ask (sometimes a bit emotionally). "Correct me if I'm wrong, but cavemen pointing and grunting got the bloody gist."
The other idea gathering force is that the written word is a mere adjunct to speech - which is a rather serious development for those of us who were brought up to worship books, and instinctively regard the hierarchy as the other way round. Yet it's an unignorable fact: when emailing and texting, people use a hybrid form of language that is half-talking, half-writing. Hence the decline of punctuation; hence all this annoying "gist" talk; and hence the universal cavalier disregard for spelling.
There is a huge irony here, sadly. Thanks to a miraculous new technology, more people are writing more stuff than ever before. Yet, through a combination of bad education and misguided egalitarianism, the lower the standard of written communication, the better it is perceived to be.
A lot of nonsense is talked about "proper" English being a means of endorsing the social status quo. My feeling is that the opposite is true. If you encourage people to write the way they talk, class divisions are ultimately reinforced, even exacerbated. I'm a working-class girl who read a lot of books so maybe I have an old-fashioned view of education as the instrument of social mobility. But it's pretty clear to anyone that, if children are taught that "getting the gist" is sufficient, everyone stays where they are.
Last week the comedian Bill Cosby sent a blunt message to the patois-speakers of the black community to that effect: "Civil rights campaigners marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an education, and now we've got these knuckleheads who can't speak English ... Everybody knows it's important to speak English ... You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth."
Doesn't it drive you nuts, all this? The argument goes that the spelling of English words is, by and large, "irrational". Why is there a silent "p" in "receipt" and not in "deceit"? Well, the quick answer is: life's a pain sometimes; stop whining; if you don't like it, go and speak German. In any case, if you try to reform the spelling of English along "rational" lines, you discover quite quickly that there is no way of doing it.
Personally, I have spelling blind spots, just as I have grammar blind spots - and when they are pointed out, I am mortified. That's the way it ought to be. However, I am not ashamed at all of thinking that the conventions of the written word (spelling, grammar, punctuation) need to be protected against the barbarians.
The other day, as I was travelling by car between Manchester and Leeds, the driver offered to stop at a newsagent's, but as he slowed I said: "No, look, it says 'stationary' with an 'A'; we'll go somewhere else." He laughed politely, but I wasn't joking.
Perhaps the answer is to carry a stack of Concise OEDs and deliver them personally to show shopkeepers that "stationery" has an "E". Or, if feelings are running particularly high, tie a Concise OED to a brick and heave it through the window. Either way, one mournfully suspects, they still might not get the gist.
940
Kevin T
12-07-2004, 08:06 PM
Is Lynn single?
A Wooden Fish On Wheels
12-07-2004, 08:22 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/nolan/images/bookclub/lynn_truss.jpg
She is from Brighton and she writes for the Torygraph. She will not let you use a colon in the wrong context.
james powell
12-07-2004, 08:31 PM
I my view people can talk how they want
limited_edition
12-07-2004, 11:27 PM
Originally posted by newbureagle
Since the advent of predictive text on mobiles I can't see why anyone bothers to use txt speak at all, or indeed why it even exists. Because you only get around 160 characters on an SMS message.
There are no such restrictions on the BBS, so yes, it should be banned from here.
so, are we banning it then?
eagles #1
04-11-2004, 08:08 AM
we should have a 'text speak' forum so all that want to use text speak can?
Palace Ultra
04-11-2004, 08:14 AM
Emphatically YES, along with vague topic subjects such as:
"would you believe it"
or
"I think Palace are going to"
or
"Did you see"
Ben H
04-11-2004, 09:28 AM
Ban 'em!!
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