shd txtspk b ok on frm

[h's dad]

interesting that more than 10% of people who view this thread actually respond. that's high. You've touched a nerve, Bill!

I will be contributing to those statistics CJ as it's got absolutely nothing to do with rugby and I don't feel quite so out of my depth.

[jack]

So, having waded through 4 pages of arguement it would seem that the vast majority of poster on this site dont want text speak.

If lengthy text speak messages were posted they would ignore them. Fair enough. Probably I would too

If the occasional abbreviation or acronym or txt spk work comes thro' fair enough.

Once we have posted a few times the lols and IMHOs are decipherable. They add very little to a message if you cant work it out anyway.

The arguement that we have now alienated youngsters holds little water for me. Literate youngsters are bi lingual! I couldnt care less if there are now A level courses in txt spk, I'm disappointed in how low we have sunk if degrees are now obtainable in it or using it.

Language evolves - but not as fast as some would wish it to. Long live the board! Long live the readable board! Viva Los Tigres etc etc ad infinitum!

[Mr. Grumpy]

The consensus seems to be that language should be used correctly then.

In an a vague attempt to post something rugby related, do we think we need to offload Martin Castrogiovani off to another club, as his name is not correctly spelt on the back of his shirt? LOL FTW

[daniel]

how does this relate to rugby, tiger or sport?

[Suz]

I'm with the majority on here, - I don't think txt spk should be used. The odd word can be made out, but I think it takes longer to read and try and work out what has been writen in txt speak then if it had been written in proper English.

[Kinoulton]

I know I've done this before (on t'other thread) but supposing I place this little snippet of a transcript:

"I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right down in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today!"

What would that look like if I couldn't be bothered to spell it, write it in full, and include the punctuation? It would look awful. Write stuff properly, it makes it ten times more powerful.

[Mr. Grumpy]

And the same goes for:

“People are people, so why should it be, you and I should get along so awfully”

Depeche Mode – People Are People (1984)

[Kinoulton]

Horrrr yes!

And let's not forget the life-defining lyrics of the "Eeebie Geebies" (a Bee Gees "tribute band")

The World is big.
And bacon comes from the pig.

[Rizzo]

So shall we let the subject die now, or should I start a proper poll?

[Gate]

This is like those adverts they used to have on the Tube: "f u cn rd ths msj u cn bcm a sec n gt a gd jb".


Fn wrds dnt btr psnps, I say.

[johnh]

h's dad; I think your contention is completely wrong and I think you're missing the point. Text speak does nothing to enrich the English language, it cheapens it. I stick by my original view that it's the sign of a lazy mind.

[sjwoodman]

times are changing with txtspk now allowed in many university course works and some A level schools its only gonna get more prominent.

Not hat I don't believe you, but....

As someone who works in an academic department in a University I would be very surprised if any coursework is allowed to be sumbitted in 'text speak' (Unless the topic of the essay is analysing such language). Please can you give us some references to where this is allowed.

I am not involved with A Levels so cannot comment on that.

[h's dad]

h's dad; I think your contention is completely wrong and I think you're missing the point. Text speak does nothing to enrich the English language, it cheapens it. I stick by my original view that it's the sign of a lazy mind.

I would suggest that it's no more harmful (and probably less so) than the poor spelling of which you are more tolerant. Why is that? Oh I see...

"Personaly, I would say no. English is one of the greatest and richest languages in the world with over 600,000 words; most people (me included) know/use less than one twentieth of that. Text speak is a bastardisation of our wonderful language and I for one refuse to use it. It's a sign of a lazy, feeble mind IMO (irony). Spelling and pronunciation is a different matter"

Although I do appreciate it that you've avoided the use of the American z.