to think that people who complain about textspeak are

[milliemoosmum]

pompous, pedantic, dinosaurs who cannot accept that the English language constantly changes.

And as for people who pretend they don't know what it says when they clearly do....don't get me started.

Anyone who corrects anyone's spelling, punctuation or grammar or complains about textspeak (unless correcting someone who corrects others to point out that they are not perfect) just makes themselves look like a massive arse.

Discuss.

Isawthreeships;

The difference with posters who have the odd typo, bad spelling or grammer, is that at least they are trying. We are all rushing and probably doing 3 other things at once, very few posts are 100% perfect. My spelling and typos can be appalling, but I would never rely on txt spk because imo it's bloody awful and makes people look as thick as shite....or about 12.

I don't think textspeak will have a profound effect on English spelling, tbh. The situation was similar in the middle ages, when writing was again, very expensive, mostly being done on animal skins until the mid 15th century, and requiring a lot of time and expertise.

Because of this, an awful lot of contractions and abbreviations were used, rather like a Latin textspeak. And this wasn't restricted to just some informal texts, but to all - even the most beautiful illuminated bibles you'll find are full of these contractions.

However, the spelling of the words did not change, other than to become standardised from various dialects, and so it seems highly unlikely that a form of writing which is only used in a very limited number of informal contexts, for practical reasons of space, time and cost, will have more of an impact than something which was used in all forms of written English.

Hate it. No apology here.

grammar

the thing I don't understand about people with bad grammar and spelling is that I know, from my own experience of being quite a bad speller, that it's the easiest thing to improve.Specially when someone tells you where you are going wrong and specially as an adult - barring dyslexia and other learning difficulties.

Lots of people are just too lazy.

David Crystal's take on text is interesting, though - guardian article. We NEED him for a webchat.

Oh yes Habbibu wasn't Ye just the cheaper way of signwriting The?

They didn't really say it as "Ye Lion Inn," they still said "The."

Does anyone remember in the seventies, we'd write "Luv from" in cards. It was the trendy thing to do. Didn't alter the language though did it?

YABU.

I fully admit to judging those who post on here with textspeak as stupid.

It's not evolution, it's laziness.

It also shows an inability to tailor your communication to the audience a person posts textspeak on this forum.

....and that's how the last dregs of intelligence of this once great nation were thrown out with proverbial bthwtr....
Txtspk makes you l@@k dumb, sister(or even dumber)

when a person

Haha - I knew this thread would go down well on here. And some who have responded with things like "people who use it are thick" have kind of reinforced what I already thought.
I don't use textspeak a lot but a hell of a lot of people on the internet do. If you don't want to read it - then fine - but the assumption you are cleverer than people who use it is very arrogant.
When typing one-handed emails to my husband while feeding my son I find it very useful. He is a journalist and probably agrees with most of you on here - but he can read it and he picks up the milk or whatever I've asked for in his lunch hour so it definitely serves it's purpose.
Love the people with the attitude of "I can't understand what that says - the people who use it must be thick".
English evolves - words are spelt differently and have different meanings than they used to because people have misused them and wrong becomes right. You will all have to accept it eventually!!!!

Did I spell grammar wrong..?

fck it

Also meant to mention that just because people use it in informal situations it doesn't mean they will use it in essays etc. I wouldn't complete my French exam in English - it is possible to switch between the 2.

I don't just judge/avoid text speak written posts though, I also instinctively hate poorly written/paragraphed posts. One giant paragraph with too few capitals and a million exclamation marks etc is a sure fire way to lose me. It just hurts. But the majority of the time text speak is done on purpose which is even more irritating!

Yes you are being unreasonable. Why should those dinosaurs amongst have to translate impenetrable text? There is no need for it. Perhaps I should just start writing in Urdu and see who well you all got in with that. People would mostly just ignore my posts I suspect.

PS I don't speak Urdu.

Great article, Habbibu. I love that 'cos' and 'wot' have been around since the 1820s, without the English language apparently having died a death!

There's lots of talk about the death of a language here - perhaps the next generation are just creating a new one instead?

Daftpunk - why the assumption that people who use txtspk are thick? According to who? There's so much emphasis on MN about not making sweeping assumptions, backing up statements with evidence etc etc, but then plenty of MNetters are happy to come on here and rant about how text speak is killing the English language, without any evidence whatsoever. Pure prejudice IMO.

Txtspk is not 'evolution of the language' , it's yet another pityful trait of the lower half of the two-tier society. Innit....

I am getting the message now. The people who hate it are the people who can't read it. Feel free to post in Urdo - I'm afraid I would have to ignore your posts but I wouldn't call you thick because I couldn't understand what you were typing.

I agree with Habbibu. All languages elvolve, but I don't consider textspeak as the same thing to be honest. Personally I think it's dumbing down the language and that, in my opinion, if definitely not a good thing.

And what's more, it's not 'language' any more than short-hand is language. What you are saying is that all of us who don't use text speak have to learn it because some people do. Seems a little unfair to me.

Urdu?

Oh I don't think text speak is the preserve of the thick. It can't be since entire generations use it. My eldest son isn't thick. I just think it's impolite to post using a method that makes your message incomprehensible.

Oh I don't just hate it because I don't 'get' it, (I can translate it...but what is the point as it is no quicker and adds nothing?) I hate it for many reasons all of which have been covered!

Hate text speak.

Incredibly lazy, hard to understand - and mostly used by thick people.