Should Mumsnet towers start a topic called 'Textspeak conversations'

[ThereWASaGiraffeInTheNativity]

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

The trouble is on the internet, how someone types is the only impression you have of them.

I don't judge people on it, just don't bother with their posts. I have limited time on the computer so tend to use it as wisely as possible. Trying to decipher something takes up too much time, so I don't try. Just read those posts which are easier on the eye (and brain!).

Oh yes i appreciate that- i dont mean you cant come to some conclusion on their character as a consequence of the manner in which they type, i just mean you shouldn't ignore them because of it, no matter how much it annoys you.

It's not a question about blanking them, it's more about struggling to read their post so not reading it. There are so many other posts on mumsnet that would be easier to read.

get your netiquette here

I am a teacher and txtspk fascinates and annoys me and yes it is because of the age gap. I give it credence as it gives its users respect which also gets me back respect.
yes, i learn it for my own selfish reasons.

I also have to read loads of things without fullstops, commas, capitalisation (or with full caps) and paragraphs - and in Spanish so posts without these things don't bother me.

It doesn't bother me either way, but i guess that is because i can do it either way if i wanted too (which i dont!) so i can read it easily enough. I do find capitals a tad annoying though, and unneccessary i will admit that!

It's an interesting question actually ... xjemx says that "you shouldn't ignore them because of it, no matter how much it annoys you" - but who is being more ignorant, the person who can't read the post so doesn't reply, or the person who doesn't write in a way that many of us can understand?

Hmmm i guess your right. In fact i'm applying my opinions to this and giving you the wrong idea of what i'm saying- i just mean that if someone is in need then the way they type shouldn't stop you from helping them. Fair enough if they do it in general chat, they cant expect posts back.

Maybe - but I really do find some of the posts impenetrable, and much as I would love to help, if I can't even work out what the problem is then I can't reply. If people really want to use text speak, for whatever reason, then maybe we have to accept it, but the text speakers also have to accept that it may mean they are ignored.

They are, after all, presumably perfectly capable of speaking and writing in a way that the rest of us could understand, if they chose to do so!

i suppose so yes. I am far more intolerant of text speak- it is unneccesary your right- but people who forget to punctuate and those who cant spell? Surely that is different.

In much the same way that when french or welsh speakers post in their own language, they don't expect us to translate! They wouldn't expect that, they want to post in their own language, fair enough, but none of them are unreasoable enough to be miffed that we don't all rush to babelfish so that we can contribute

I have no problem with people who can't spell ... it's the deliberate misspelling that text speak brings with it that annoys me.

I'm a bit of a punctuation pedant, but I would never, ever ignore a poster simply because their punctuation or grammar was bad, and I can't see that many people would.

true, true. But equally we have to respect their right to type in it even if we dont reply! lol

wwb, I'll admit to not being able to read large amounts of text if they don't have paragraphs, fullstops etc.

Um, not sure about that. Surely the whole point about textspeak is that it is designed for texting. In my view, it should be kept for that. Most of the people on here that use it seem to have no problem typing out words for which there is no text shortform, so why not type out everything in full?

I dont endorse it! I never have used it and never will. I simply agree with its right to exsist whether i like it or not.

No, I can't abide long rambling bits of text with no paragraphs and punctuation; I was referring more to xjemx's comment about people who "forget" to punctuate. I don't really mind when people don't use apostrophes or semi-colons properly (well, I do, but I'm prepared to read and answer their posts).

Not putting in a single full stop, comma or new paragraph isn't "forgetting", it's not poor English either - it's lazy, and it's very hard work to decipher.

I have no problem with its right to exist.

As long as those who use it have no problem with me pretending that it doesn't

Can I just say how much I enjoyed the thoughtful use of the semicolon in that last post?

I think i'll shut up now i tend to accidentaly defend everything lol (i was going to say sometimes when you are upset or need to just get something out you type and type just to get it off your chest. I know i have in the past. Just you never know the circumstances)

Oh, I over-use semi-colons terribly; it must really hack some people off

It comes down to clarity in the end, really.

You want the posts you read to be clear. Otherwise, the way the poster says things gets in the way of what they're actually saying.

It's pretty context dependent, eg if you write in Icelandic on an English webboard, you're not being clear, even if your Icelandic writing style would bring tears of gratitude to the eyes of a native speaker.

It seems to me that the vast majority of mumsnetters are most comfortable reading standard English prose.

Sooooo, if that's the style that's most comfortable for most of us:
posting all in capitals = less clear.
300 word post with no full stops = less clear.
posting in textspeak = less clear.
unorthodox spelling = less clear.

It's not a snob thing, let alone intelligence: it's just about communicating as clearly as you can.

[welliemum climbs down off soapbox]

You may talk amongst yourselves now......