...but disapproval of a language does not warrant destruction. Yes, languages evolve, but this isn't evolution, this is quite the opposite. Yes, contractions are hardly real words, but there is a difference between a contraction and typing "u wan mi $$$?? ull hav 2 fite me 4 it." Maybe I'm elitist about language because I actually learned how to spell (and know how to use a spell check for things I cannot spell) or maybe because I cheated during my typing classes in fifth and sixth grade and therefore typically type with two fingers (and yet much faster than people who have learned the proper way to type).
Okay, so there is no particular reason why I should feel elitist when it comes to language. But even mocking netspeak by typing using it makes me cringe. And now the question: why am I talking about language on what is supposed to be more of a "hot topic" blog? I am writing about language because it has always been and always will be an important part of society, not only because communication is so essential, but also because miscommunication is also essential.
When somebody writes to me, "I need to see you outside; it's urgent" I have a load more respect for them than I ever will for someone who writes something more akin to, "i ned 2 c u outsid its urgent." As any fashion student might tell you, presentation is more important than most people seem to realize. You dress a certain way to present yourself that particular way. You speak and act in a way that best presents you. Do you really want to come across as an idiot that can't type correctly? Maybe it's the "lingo" of today to misspell words and to leave out letters and replace words with numbers, but I'm not going to accept that, and I've grown up with it all around me. All of my friends' text messages are like that. A lot of my friends with whom I instant message type like that. Just because I see it everywhere doesn't mean I'm going to fall for it.
I implore you all, whether or not you like the English language, if you can do it correctly, why do it wrong? I really have no clue why people are so insistent to type incorrectly. In some cases, yes, it takes a bit less time, but not so much less time that it really makes a difference. What would make more of a difference, to me at least, is someone who takes the time to present themselves well while writing. Making mistakes is human, it's more than likely I've made one in this post, but making them on purpose? Can you get any more idiotic? Since when did it become okay to have a SONG TITLE with something like "U Brake My <3"? As a native English speaker AND a musician, I'm offended.
If you have any real defense against my argument, I would absolutely love to hear it, because this phenomenon baffles me. I'm a teenager, seventeen years old to be exact. My generation is perhaps among the worst offenders of this language misuse. But I'd like to step away from the crowd and say that I don't give a fuck how popular netspeak is, I refuse to type like that. I'm an intelligent human being, and I'd like to act that way.
And this concludes my first post. I've no clue what topics I'll be attempting to tackle in this place, but I'd rather confront issues like this language misuse one than provide the umpteenth perspective on why I'd rather have Obama for President in '08 than anyone else.
PS: My name isn't Charlie; it's Sarah.
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Ha. I agree with you. But I suspect that you'll encounter some opposition...
One thing the French have going for them: they have an elite society whose sole purpose is to preserve their language. I use proper spelling and punctuation, even when I text. I'm glad I'm not the only one. I totally agree with what you're saying. Except for the Obama part.
Yes, the French are very good at preserving their language or their culture in general, but the younger generation has as much slang and they type just like young Americans do.
For example: "mdr" which is expanded into mort de rire which mean dying of laughter.
Or instead of "c'est" they just use "c." quoi becomes koi etc etc. It makes it very diffcult as a non-native speaker to talk to my French friends online.
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All the believers, they were smiling and winking at each other, I could honestly say I was scared for my life.
No. I kid.
But I think you are being a bit too harsh of pop-language-culture. Yes, people butcher and destroy the English language at will (as I, more accidentally, destroy the Italian one), but I think for the most part this contractionist speech is not because of ignorance, or people not knowing how to use the language. People are just doing it because it's a fad. And there have been worse fads.
Fishtank platform shoes.
I can see how this misuse of the language would bother you, just as people misusing well and good bother me. Or how "an" honor is grammatically correct. But people don't use this kind of contractionist speak when talking in real life (for the most part) and they don't use it in anything that is remotely intellectual. It is just a fad, nothing more, people experimenting with this fairly new device, the computer keyboard, using it to create never before seen words. How grand!
Kids have been inventing new words and using old ones in new ways for...all of time. This computer-speak is this generations way to be cool, fly, and the cat's pajamas. It isn't, however, a respectable form of communication, and although it has widespread use amongst chat rooms, it isn't turning up in books, newspapers, school reports, or professional letters, so I think it is a long stretch to say that it is degrading and deteriorating the language.
The way you dress when you are lounging around in your house isn't degrading or even affecting the fashion industry any.
I don't know, fishtank platform shoes are pretty awesome... heh.
I am mostly joking, don't worry.
And while you have a point that it isn't generally harming the English language, it starting to creep into popular media, this disregard for language construction. It is very common to see semi-colons forgotten about in all their usefulness and it is mostly a pet peeve of my particular irritation when people misuse your/you're and there/their/they're, but like I was commenting on with the song titles, it is appearing here and there. It isn't a huge deal and it does appear to be a fad, but it still stands disappointing and potentially harmful to some. I know I've had more than one teacher comment on the horror story where they received a paper and it had a few netspeak errors due to carelessness on the part of the student.
I agree with you completely... People really need to learn how to type and spell again. None of the "OmGGz yur soOo coOl" stuff. It's annoying and presents yourself as ignorant. I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks this either.
I refuse to IM anyone who can't at least use full words most of the time. Sure, they don't capitalize and punctuate like I do, but at least I can understand them, instead of reading whatever the netspeak is aloud in order to understand what is being said.
~C
Check out the latest entry in the Between The Lines column!
Isn't that all a product of the time it takes to type with your thumbs on a numeric keypad?
To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.
-William Blake
One of my favorites to hate is: "WANNA GO TO THA MALL 2DAY? I N33D TOH BYE A N3W PAIR OF SHOOZ."
(that took me a good 45 seconds to write out because I had to think to hard...which leads me to wonder how people even began to type like that.)
Now, I'm not perfect when I type messages to my friends on AIM, MSN, or Facebook, but I do try to be somewhat correct. I really hate when people feel it is necessary to shorten everything to the paint that I cannot understand it. I am a fan of abvreviations mostly because I think they are hilarious. I do try to maintain some good grammar while typing to my friends because I don't want it to affect my school work and my essay writing.
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All the believers, they were smiling and winking at each other, I could honestly say I was scared for my life.
HERO! I fucking love you, Gender Confused Cha-r-ah!
Nicholas Aden
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