Punctuation rant

I think as the devices get better and make it easier to write coherently and completely, text-speak is going to rapidly become identified with lame-o losers.

I can't text on a regular phone to save my life, even if I give up on punctuation and spelling. On an iphone or something else with full keyboard, it's pretty easy.

We can only hope that's the case. Although since a lot of kids seem to think that "ur" is a legitimate replacement for "your" even in email when faced with a complete keyboard, I don't have a lot of faith.

If someone emails me with a question that's in lazy/txt grammar - which can be distinguished fairly well from someone who doesn't have a firm grasp of the language for some reason - I put an equivalent amount of work into my answer. Want a reasoned, intelligent answer? Pose a reasoned question. Want a brief response with little effort on my part? Txt me an email.

I know kids who write papers with text speak, thinking that ur is a real word.

I really think I'm right. If I am, as soon as "ur" is uncool, there will be a whole lotta kids suddently learning to spell.

If I got an email in txt, I think I'd respond with "ur spelling sux"

How's 'bout some CW?

CQ de NG6Y/5. QRZ? QTH er in AR es hv 3 loti BT AR K

Tim Baxter wrote: I really think I'm right. If I am, as soon as "ur" is uncool, there will be a whole lotta kids suddently learning to spell. If I got an email in txt, I think I'd respond with "ur spelling sux"

I agree about the texting. Whenever someone on a forum posts a message with no caps, punctuation and words like "b4" I just instantly feel compelled to ignore them and not take them seriously--or shall I say srsly.

My spelling is ok. It's my fat-fingered typing that sucks.

This is the best answer i've ever seen to a post with poor punctuation:

"there are no periods in (insert posters town here) 'cause the women are all barefoot and pregnant"

Here's the original post where the pwnage happened, it's great: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303530

Shawn

Now if only boost mobile sold those prepaid cell phones popular with drug traffickers trying to avoid wire taps that ad campaign would make alot of sense...

I love the new Boost campaign...."Georgie" is seriously a good ad...

Will wrote: I agree about the texting. Whenever someone on a forum posts a message with no caps, punctuation and words like "b4" I just instantly feel compelled to ignore them and not take them seriously--or shall I say srsly.

Why so serious?

EastCoastMojo wrote: The proper answer to "Where you at?" is "I am right behind the preposition, why can't you see me you stupid motherberkeleyer?"

Friendly girl sitting next to snobby girl on airplane: "Where are you from?"

Snobby girl: "Well, I'm from a place where we don't end sentences with prepositions."

Friendly girl, now a bit less friendly: "Oh. Where are you from, bitch?"

Tim Baxter wrote: I think as the devices get better and make it easier to write coherently and completely, text-speak is going to rapidly become identified with lame-o losers.

I really wish that were true, but most of the shortforms (BRB, AFAIK, JK, OMGIWTFMBFM) originated with instant messaging over the internet on computers with full keyboards, so its not being used simply because of poor input devices. I think it has more to do with speed than anything. Even typing at 60 WPM, typing three letters instead of three words will take a lot less time, so its a nice shortcut.
Bob

procainestart wrote:

EastCoastMojo wrote: The proper answer to "Where you at?" is "I am right behind the preposition, why can't you see me you stupid motherberkeleyer?"

Friendly girl sitting next to snobby girl on airplane: "Where are you from?" Snobby girl: "Well, I'm from a place where we don't end sentences with prepositions." Friendly girl, now a bit less friendly: "Oh. Where are you from, bitch?"

I can forgive the preposition thing because the alternative can make the language so ugly. Supposedly when Churchill's secretary corrected a sentence he ended in a preposition he told her "This is the sort of petty pedantry up with which I shall not put!" to prove the point.

I'm going to be using that in signatures on forums for a while now!

This is the sort of petty pedantry up with which I shall not put!

Schmidlap wrote:

Tim Baxter wrote: I think as the devices get better and make it easier to write coherently and completely, text-speak is going to rapidly become identified with lame-o losers.

I really wish that were true, but most of the shortforms (BRB, AFAIK, JK, OMGIWTFMBFM) originated with instant messaging over the internet on computers with full keyboards, so its not being used simply because of poor input devices. I think it has more to do with speed than anything. Even typing at 60 WPM, typing three letters instead of three words will take a lot less time, so its a nice shortcut. Bob

Those are acronyms. "ur" is not even a contraction, it's a simple bastardization. The lack of capitalization and punctuation is also related to texting - or to really poor education, I'm not sure which.

Sorry, I had to.....

The C-List ad title was LOKKY LOKKY HEAR!!

Ok, an attention getter, it got mine, then it got worse. Or worser, worsened?

Oy.

http://albany.craigslist.org/bar/990737296.html

procainestart wrote:

EastCoastMojo wrote: The proper answer to "Where you at?" is "I am right behind the preposition, why can't you see me you stupid motherberkeleyer?"

Friendly girl sitting next to snobby girl on airplane: "Where are you from?" Snobby girl: "Well, I'm from a place where we don't end sentences with prepositions." Friendly girl, now a bit less friendly: "Oh. Where are you from, bitch?"

Exactly. Wait, you callin' me snobby?