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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that people who complain about textspeak are

263 replies

milliemoosmum · 08/08/2010 01:00

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.

OP posts:
ItsGraceActually · 08/08/2010 14:53

I agree that English has always been a very absorptive language in constant evolution - and that txt spk is just another expression of this. I'm a language pedant, though, so it does get on my nerves!

What really pisses me off is language that doesn't make sense. I seem to be reading more & more text which is so non-semantic, I can only make an overall guess at what the writer intended to convey. I stopped getting hot under the collar about English teaching years ago (it was giving me heat rash Wink ) but, since many of these writers supposedly have degrees, how on EARTH did their lecturers mark their essays?

Habbibu · 08/08/2010 14:53

MmeL - I do trust that was an ironic "btw"? (!)

StewieGriffinsMom · 08/08/2010 15:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MmeLindt · 08/08/2010 15:19

Habbibu
It wasn't. I admit that I use "btw" and other abbreviations or acronyms freely while still abhorring text speak. It is perhaps inconsistent, but I do feel that typing g8t is in a different league.

It is not the end of the world, and I agree that it is unlikely to mean the end of the English language as we know it but text speak is simply ugly and difficult to understand.

Habbibu · 08/08/2010 15:25

Oh, I know. Just couldn't resist a tease... And per my posts above - I don't like it, but don't worry particularly about the effect it will have on English. So we agree!

MmeLindt · 08/08/2010 15:41

I just wrote "to be honest" on another thread and it is all your fault, Habbibu.

If I get repetitive stress injury from the extra typing, I will sue you for damages.

Btw, you are in Scotland, aren't you? Did you see the Edinburgh meet up thread?

Habbibu · 08/08/2010 15:43

Curses!

Yes, but we're up North at ILs atm (they've taken dd to a playpark, which is as well, as ds then crapped all over the floor). Will look at thread, but am not big on meet-ups.

usualsuspect · 08/08/2010 15:45

Btw,hth,imo, all forms of text speak..no?

Habbibu · 08/08/2010 15:47

Well, come to that, so is etc, e.g., i.e.

usualsuspect · 08/08/2010 15:48

Its just shorthand really ..for the lazy typist ..a bit like me Grin

thumbwitch · 08/08/2010 15:50

BTW, IMO and various others have been around a lot longer than texting has, I believe.

I used to use WRT (with respect/reference to) in my lecture notes a lot aeons ago, and abbreviated almost anything that could be (once to the point of unintelligibility) so that I could get it all down.

The first one that came to my notice that I didn't understand was LOL. Now there are lots I don't "get" and really can't be bothered to try, tbh. Wink

usualsuspect · 08/08/2010 15:54

I learnt proper shorthand many years ago ..I got a certificate and everything ..Smile

thumbwitch · 08/08/2010 15:55

yeah but that's all just squiggles and dots though, innit? Wink

usualsuspect · 08/08/2010 15:58

Yes and you take the vowels out ..bit like text speak

MmeLindt · 08/08/2010 16:03

Apparently in Germany the youth say, "Voll-lol" when they find something particularly amusing. I have a friend with a teenager son, she keeps me up to date with the latest developments.

thumbwitch · 08/08/2010 16:03

bet you don't stick numbers in instead though, do you. At least, I never saw my Mum do that. Except when a number was actually required, of course.

MmeLindt · 08/08/2010 16:04

Habs
If you don't fancy a full meetup, I am hoping to meet DD for tea and cake sometime the week after next.

Original poster
milliemoosmum · 08/08/2010 16:09

I do think that forums such as Mumsnet should be accessible to all and I hadn't given it a lot of thought about how text speak etc would affect certain disabilities and for that I do sincerely apologise. I do think that maybe software should move with the times as there must be a whole host of forums that aren't as keen on Standard English as Mumsnet that people cannot access.
I do stand by the point, however, that people who use is are not necessarily thick they just may not be stuffy about using it in certain informal situations i.e. texting a friend or talking to someone on Facebook. A lot of kids use it and I would imagine a very very small percentage would use it for an exam or job application. Obviously the one child who fills their exam paper in in text speak will be the one you read about in the papers. The vast majority of people know what type of language to use for different siruations.
There is a snobbish attitude around using correct English even when it does not matter. 99% of the people who don't like it on here dislike it because it's not "in" to talk like that on Mumsnet not because of difficulties it could cause to people with visual impairment.

OP posts:
Habbibu · 08/08/2010 16:10

Ooh - that sounds good! yes, let me know about that. Esp if DD is providing the cake...

FallingWithStyle · 08/08/2010 16:17

I really think any adult who has fallen for the whole text speak thing is going to look very silly and have to back pedal fairly sharpish.

Already among the teens I know text speak (other than the odd abbreviation here and there)is becoming something that is used by, well I suppose what would be called chavs (sorry dont like using that as a label, but its easier).

I predict it will die a death except among a hardcore group of teens and maybe a few adults.

MrsC2010 · 08/08/2010 16:32

No, I don't dislike it because it isn't in...I just dislike it!

thumbwitch · 08/08/2010 16:49

ditto, MrsC. I have never liked it - could never bear to see signs that said "Tonite only!" for example. I will never use "tonite" instead of tonight. It makes my teeth shudder.

GeekOfTheWeek · 08/08/2010 16:50

I don't like it.

It is even worse when anyone over the age of 15 uses it.

expatinscotland · 08/08/2010 17:02

99% of the people who don't like it on here d'islike it because it's not "in" to talk like that on Mumsnet not because of difficulties it could cause to people with visual impairment.'

You wrote earlier on that people who didn't got on with text speak were presuming to 'speak for MN' and here you are, doing it.

It's hard for many who are not even dyslexic to decipher. It's really that simple, as many people have now tried to explain to you.

So they dislike it, don't read it and don't respond to posts in it.

But it doesn't fit in with your argument that all such people are snobs or dislike it because it isn't 'in' and you somehow want to reduce everything to a playground scenario and then claim people who don't agree with you are childish playground bullies.

Well, as my 16-year-old niece would write on Facebook, 'Woteva'.

And, a poster further back also mentioned that she had marked hundreds of GSCE papers written in text speak.

So that small percentage must be growing.

usualsuspect · 08/08/2010 17:23

You are right about a lot teens hating it now ..my ds and his friends are bigger pedants than the whole of MN put together Grin