Why do so many UK women post like this?

[user1477391263]

I'm British but a permanent resident of another country, which I moved to 25 years ago before social media was really a thing; my social media has people from all over the world, but the majority are not British.

I've come to realize that Facebook groups (etc.) that have British posters, such as local FB groups from my hometown, sound really different in the way people (or women, anyway) post!

There's a certain style, and it's very noticeable. It consists of using no punctuation apart from commas, no capitals, and putting kisses (x, or xx, or even xxx..... etc.) on the end of almost every post - sometimes on the end of every sentence. I rarely see this in women of other nationalities, even those who are not native speakers of English. Not every UK woman posts like this, for sure, but a lot of them do!

When did this become a thing? The oddest thing is that most of the women I know who post like this are perfectly intelligent people! I've had to sort of consciously train myself to (when reading a UK woman's online writing) mentally separate the posting style and the woman's assumed level of intelligence/education, because I know from experience that even well-read women with a lot of education quite often post like this.

I know it doesn't really...."matter," but I'm just a bit puzzled about when and why this became such a trend and why it seems to be so UK-specific. Is it about appearing friendly?

Not something I have seen much at all. Terrible grammar and spelling, yes, and sometimes down to autocorrect, but not as you describe.

Huge generalisation 🙄
I'm on various Facebook groups for autism and diabetes ( conditions at affect both my sons,)
I can't say I have noticed any difference in posting styles of people from various countries
It must be just your home town....

I've never noticed that. Poor punctuation and spelling on some perhaps.

I think it's just the type of person you're friends with. I don't see this among my friends.

Yeah, I think this is just your friends to be honest

I'd say it's probably more of the circles you have previously associated with or particular groups you follow.

Never experienced this.

cant say ive noticed xxx

I'm on a Facebook group with over a million international members. Plenty of UK members and it's not something I see at all.

@user1477391263 you are not crazy and YANBU. It’s absolutely rife in the UK. No punctuation marks and run on sentences abound. The x thing is frustrating too. It’s all over Mumsnet and IRL too but you’ll get tons of posters rushing in to contradict you.

Definitely poor punctuation and spelling and definitely some sniping at other posters. There’s sometimes a bit of ‘hun’ type stuff.

I don't understand the point of xxxxx at the end of a sentence / statement

I see what you describe frequently on e.g. Facebook groups, but I do think it tends to be connected to level of education/academic intelligence. It’s not a British women thing, it’s a certain-types-of-British-women thing.

🤣

I have noticed this. I assume they're rushing or not fully focused. Hence the lack of grammar.

A lot of the parents at DC school do it and most of them are TAs!

Even the school newsletter is written in this style - especially at the end of Term.

"enjoy your hols everyone xxx"

I’m not from the UK and was really thrown by the x’s at the end of sentences. Never seen it anywhere else. I’ve been in this country for years now and I still don’t see the point!

It's not exclusively a British thing at all. It was fairly well-reported around 2020 that using punctuation in messages makes you look rude to some people. Some people already did it, as the trend was heading that way, but after seeing those reports I'd imagine lots of people stopped punctuating to soften their words. https://www.npr.org/2020/09/05/909969004/before-texting-your-kid-make-sure-to-double-check-your-punctuation

it seems to be so UK-specific.

I would also add this definitely isn't UK specific. The way I communicate with my friends in the South East can be somewhat different in style to how I communicate with friends and family in Scotland and Ireland. Yet noone does anything like this at all. 🤔

Around 50% of messages and emails I get to my retail business have kisses on the end. It baffles me. Would you send an email to John Lewis and put kisses at the end? Probably not, or maybe they do 🤷

I haven't noticed it, honestly. It must be your small hometown! Do you live in Transylvania?

Exactly. The OP and JingsMahBucket are members of groups with a lot of poorly educated British people. Those of us contradicting the OP are not.

The xxx at the end of sentences is weird. Especially on social media to people you don't know.

I don't think Transylvania would include xxx

I think they'd include 💀☠️💜🧛‍♀️😉

i dont rlly no why ppl do it but its nice 2 b kind hun xxxxx 🥰

I always assume the person is lacking in confidence if they do this. They are afraid to seem straightforward or if messaging a business demanding, so they do this so people think they are friendly and nice.

I think this is a very good point