Dear Newbies ... If you could possibly stop typing in text speak and bringing down the tone of the neighbourhood

[Twiglett]

we'd appreciate it

thank you

oh and by the way ... should have, could have, would have (not of)

Twiggie
I have been using this website for seven months and have found EXCELLANT advice on a variety of subjects. However, I find your statement to be very contrescending towards the newmembers of this site. If the 'newbies' as you so patronisingly put it, want to talk in text, then live & let live. I wish I had not came on to this thread because I feel infuriated by your childish comments. Dont even bother replying to me because I am so obviously beneath your level of stature within the MUMSNET website and I shall not return! LOL LOL LOL lol lol lol lol lol lol lol x x x

oh good .. that's sorted then

Text speak is awful. It is difficult to read, so much so that I rarely read a thread when it's used.

I can't even use text speak when I text somebody - it always sounds tacky.

Sorry but as you can see, I totally agree with Twig - I'll just say that it should apply to all users (newbies and oldies).

ahem - I mean that the request not to use it, should be applied to all MN contributors.

Twiglett
you are a stirrer

The difference between the Cambridge research and textspeak is that at least the research used all the letters. The point about textspeak is that it misses out a load and substitutes others.

Personally I just skip anything written in textspeak because I'm a sad old git who can't be bothered to spend 5 minutes translating something which should be read in 5 seconds. Textspeak was developed because of letter restrictions per text. That doesn't apply here (have you seen the length of some posts????) and I assume that everyone has a normal keyboard, so why not use it?

(Oh and I wish people would get the difference between of and off, while we're at it!).

I cnt B doin wiv txt spk meslf readin it takes 4eva & mkes me l8!

I was about to get curmudgeonly about this but a sudden wave of calm washed over me and I concluded that everyone should be allowed to post in any style they see fit.
However, everyone should also be allowed to read in any style they see fit, so people who post in text-speak or without sufficient line breaks or punctuation shouldn't be surprised if no-one reads their posts.

I'm now worrying this will create a two-tier MN though - text-speakers who only read other text-speak posts, and refuseniks who only read posts 'in clear'.

Will watch with interest.

I am not .. we don't use text speak here because there's enough space to type out what you mean, unlike mobile phones, its difficult to read fluently and it makes communication vitually impossible .. its difficult enough to get the nuances without the added barrier of shorthand

Either that or I'm just contrescending (sic)

Twiglett, only read the OP, but am sure I agree with you the whole way up the thread

(Yamface)

interestingly I felt that Lainey6's posts were humorous and she was being ironic in her condemnation .. I may be totally wrong on that .. such is the nature of the written word

Have to say that I agree there is no need for textspeak on MN. And I think it does in a way trivialise what is being said - I can't really take it seriously.

dagyammit Hunker

I loathe textspeak in texts!

The English language is doomed!

but aren't you a spanish / italian hybrid? why would it bother you?

must add though I don't give a scooby if that's what you want to do, you just won't catch me doing it!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, Twiglett.

x
Crshng snob
(Who doesn't own a mobile)

'Txtspk' is apparently sabotaging actual literacy these days.

There was an article in Tuesday's 'The Scotsman' about how businesses are having to offer remedial reading and writing classes to employees.

Sorry, but my 'live and let live' concept ends when Johnny just cannot f*cking write.

my text function types proper english though, on my phone that is

Ooh Twiglett, did somebody buy you a big spoon for your birthday then?

I am with you Twigg.

It would be interesting though for people to explain why they do it..dontcha fink?

And whilst I second the motion to ban text speak, I also wish to propose that discussion of anal sex is limited, perhaps allowed solely between the hours of 10pm and 11pm so I am not faced with it over my cornflakes (and if we could just put "warning filthy" in the subject heading of anything remotely sex related to cater for my prudish tendencies).

And can we ban posts in full capitalisation while we're having a revolution?

its not stirring to ask people to write legibly IMO .. it is also not classist / racist / mysoginistic or any other 'ist' you can think of ..

we don't use text speak here .. we have a history of not using text speak

every once in a while there's an influx of newcomers (most welcome newcomers) and some start using text speak and then someone points out we don't tend to do that here and then they stop

what's the harm in that?