Should Mumsnet towers start a topic called 'Textspeak conversations'

[ThereWASaGiraffeInTheNativity]

Then all the fans of text language could congregate in one place

awful, awful, awful. I just don't read posts in text speak - tbh I find it very rude to use text speak, it's even harder to read than CAPITALS. And phonetically incorrect a lot of the time, anyway. Urgh.

incoherent text speak is just silly i agree, but using lol and rofl and lmao doesn't offend me it is simply abbrieviating what would otherwise look a little silly for example hahahahaha instead of lol!?!?! Literary standards have dropped but i dont think we should belittle people for it.

But it's just development of the language. There has never been a moment when the written and spoken word was fixed. Even Fowler in his 'Modern Usage' agreed that language is fluid and that it is the process that is important, not the tools.

(up own arse but still means it emoticon)

Geek - You say awful awful awful, and you don't read text speak posts and then use tbh which actually originated in text speak and not on the web.

I think people just don't realise how much they actually use text speak.

I do however find it very sad that people are now starting to use text speak outside of the mobile phone/internet world.

i'd agree. i find it difficult to understand what the mn abbreviations stand for too!

Ha ha well that killed that one off

its habitual you know

but abbreviations like tbh, lmao etc. were around in internet chatrooms long before there was even texting....
With text speak I mean things like gr8, coz, d, r, u, - you get the picture.

Sobernow, I agree that language isn't fixed. But textspeak is for sending texts. It's annoying when it's used on on internet site where, as Pennyless says, we have a full keyboard and can use all our fingers.

And given how fast technology develops, I suspect textspeak won't be around for very long anyway.

I agree, edam and that's partly why I find myself liking textspeak. It is a cultural phenomenon that tells a story about how we communicate with each other. I've always thought that it was quite clever. I think L8r, 2moro are inspired ways of abbreviating the language. I also think the new way of replacing the intended word with the predictive word first suggested ('book' instead of 'cool' etc) is fascinating.

The keyboard will also be obsolete pretty soon and we'll have voice recognition, so that argument seems a bit 'flat earth' to me.

I can't cope with it. I am prejudiced - forgive me. I cannot take posts written in text shorthand seriously.

[irritable emoticon]

It's not flat earth to say people posting on mumsnet now have keyboards; textspeak makes sense for texts (although I don't do it) but NOT for posting on a bulletin board.

Not everyone can use all of their fingers, though. I have a friend for whom the PC is a godsend because her hands are too arthritic to hold a pen, and she can still only use her left hand for typing anyway.

And if abbreviations are acceptable in chat rooms and emails, why should textspeak only be used in texts? It isn't just about the keypad size, surely.

Honestly, I'm as snooty as anyone about clear communication but even I think it's a bit precious to object to textspeak. We've got to learn to use it or we will be the ones out of the loop very soon.

I'm with wigwambam.

yes then the baby modelling thread could disappear on to it

o think peple who talk in text speak are ignorant chavs

therefore do nto care abot thema dn their lives

nice!

haven't 'seen' you on here for ages then you come up with a blinder

arf
oc keept goign doolally
still no email or msn
try my hotmail account

anf fuckihn baby modelling
is it still going?

i don't do txtspk as I am way too old to care to learn it. i do try to read it and sometimes stop when it taxes my old brain.

i don't know whether I find the small minded, 'preserving the language', only for text messaging and other attitudes of that ilk, snobbish or ignorant. It's likely a combination of both. Reminds me a lot of the subtext of the Daily Mail.

I can't stand textspeak and I text a LOT but use predictive text because it's easier than text speak and satisfies me grammatically. Ooh, I wouldn't have thought that would be your view Sobernow, interesting, you've made me think and wonder whether I'm being unreasonable in this. I'm embracing middle age though and don't particularly care if I get left behind on this one. I don't respond to posts here in text speak, can't be arsed.

whisper - that modelling thread scares me.....

www, it's just that i can remember my Grandad thinking there was no point in the telephone. He couldn't be bothered to learn how to use it (would always put the receiver back on the cradle when going to get whoever the call was for, etc). He said it was a fly by night fad that wouldn't catch on and he didn't know what was wrong with writing letters if you wanted to say something to someone.

I think of him whenever conversations like this come up.

A whole generation is now communicating using textspeak, abbreviations and afro-asian patois. We're just burying our heads in the sand if we don't learn to understand it.

I hate the thought that I might be too stubborn to understand a text from my children in five years' time.