Was there a thread a while ago about....

[susannahmoodie]

The stylistic conventions of Mumsnet, in terms of posting style etc? I find all that stuff fascinating but cannot find the thread.

[MardyBra]

I don't know if there was a thread, but it fascinates me too. Maybe this could be a new thread.

MN was the first internet chat room I got involved with, so I was never really sure what was MN specific.

In terms of vocab, there are loads of contenders for MNisms, maybe:

Wine o'clock ( although I've heard that elsewhere)
Wankbadger
ODFOD
LTB

[susannahmoodie]

Oh glad someone else is interested in this kind of stuff.

I find it fascinating that whilst there are v laid back attitudes to taboo language, there is almost zero tolerance towards text speak, poor punctuation and lack of paragraphing! Why is this do you think?

Also I like the use of present tense constructions like "runs and hides thread"..,

[AuntieStella]

The text speak thing was from the early days when there was known to be someone who used an auto reader thingie and needed plain English, so it arose from consideration. But then entrenched as general support for plain English.

And, as for any community, it became an identity marker as it differentiated this site from those who permitted text speak (and and had other shibboleths, such as 'fluffy' language, no swearing, tickers etc).

Paragraphs just make posts easier to read. Long, unbroken blocks are difficult to read whether online or elsewhere.

[MardyBra]

As an old gimmer, I find text speak really hard to read. It's not just an issue for those using autoreaders!

[MardyBra]

"And, as for any community, it became an identity marker as it differentiated this site from those who permitted text speak (and and had other shibboleths, such as 'fluffy' language, no swearing, tickers etc)."

I totally agree with this. I also think there was a marked difference in the demographic make-up of the two sites, which has eroded over recent years.

When I first joined MN, I was often astonished by the high level of debate, the clarity of use of language and the general erudition of many posters. I spent several months lurking before I daring to post, and frequently felt intimidated when eventually I did. I remember at the time seeing a breakdown of user demographics which indicated at that most posters where university graduates and a higher than expected proportion had post-graduate qualifications.

As the site has got bigger, not to mention the influx of a different style of user post Penis Beaker, the content - and dare I say it, the level of humour- the site has changed significantly imo. But, I'm pleased to see that text speak is still being resisted.

[MardyBra]

I do love a bit of passive aggressive crossing out.

Is this a very MN thing?

[MardyBra]

There's a good vocab list here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2185543-I-speak-fluent-MNese-What-MN-phrases-have-crept-into-your-vocabulary?pg=3

[Momagain1]

I have seen the crossing out thing elsewhere, but i think its a very female thing.

I am relatively new to MN. I was on the other, the last time i was living in the UK, though almost the only thread i followed was in a chatroom for foreign mums, the American Moms thread. The childfree meetups those of us who could daytrip to London for were epic. When i moved back to US, i became FB friends with many of them.

When i returned to the UK last year, i joined both. I like here better.

I am a little afraid to search out what Penis Beaker means. I have seen it mentioned on two threads today.