Text Talk - A big No No

[Ashley]

Just a reminder that using Text Talk is not appropriate on the forum. Many of us mods are of an older age and can't actually understand a word being written with txt talk. Typos are allowed, mistakes are allowed, abbreviations are allowed, TXT talk is not.

Remember, on the OCD-UK forums you are not limited to 180 characters like in a text message, so please do not use 'text talk' in your posts or they will be simply deleted.

Might be a good opportunity to start a debate about something that had been on my mind for a while now, with the development of internet chat rooms and text messages and txt talk, will it ruin the English language, is it gradual language development or is it just people can't talk correctly, and are just lazy so use txt talk? In the same way that old English developed into our modern day language do you see it happening again? How do you think people will be speaking in a 300 years?

[Guest hayley73]

I'm all in favour of no txt talk - I am not too old, well 33 and I don't understand most of the abbreviations used in text talk :blushing: Simple english lauguage would be appreciated by me anyway. Oh and no big words :lol:

[Guest hannahmaniac]

Hey Ashley

This is of a lot of interest to me, because I am an English Language degree student. Infact, I shall be having a lecture on SMS talk in about three weeks so I can update you on that if you would like.

There are many sides to the debate, some people may see it as the devolution of language, however this may generally seen as a prescriptivist approach. A prescriptivist approach is generally undesirable within the linguistic world because it looks down up certain language features, treating some as more valid than others. A more desirable approach is the desriptivist approach which favours the idea that all language features are as vaild as each other and that we need to accept that the English language is a 'changing language in a changing world'to quote the title of one of my modules. Think of all the obsolete words from days gone by.

Anyway, that was my 'intellectual thought' for the day

Han x

[Atlantis]

I hate text talk. It's lazy.

[Guest ppyvabw]

Im probably guilty of abbreviating to much such as typing tho instead of though or maybe b4 instead of before but I hate txt talk. Its irritating. Sometimes its like deciphering hyroglyphs.

I think there is a big difference between the normal evolution of language and txt talk. The queens english is being changed by americanisms and txt talking which is sad.

[carolj]

How on earth do youngsters manage in English exams if they spend their lives typing text talk!

[Guest Gurstang]

i Guess at 30 i'm too old for this text and web text talk. i find it most irritating and just want to ram a dictionaryu don't these peoples throats and scream at them, but i guess that might be an over reaction huh?

As to the thought of text talk taking over our language, its inevitable that our language will change, but into text talk? :wontlisten: i cannot think of a worse perversion of a language, i'd rather speak french( a language i find extremly hard).

[Guest AnxiousCarolyn]

Just a reminder that using Text Talk is not appropriate on the forum. Many of us mods are of an older age and can't actually understand a word being written with txt talk. Typos are allowed, mistakes are allowed, abbreviations are allowed, TXT talk is not.

What about the younger generation? I will admit i am one who really finds it hard to type in english after spending too many years on chat rooms. So are you saying if i type a word in text accidentally (as i do slip up on here) that my post will then be deleted?

Edited January 7, 2007 by AnxiousCarolyn

[Atlantis]

No mate thats not whats being said.

[Mel1971]

i'm sure carolyn that the odd word wouldnt be a problem...

but as an older personage i dont understand text at all and it takes me twice as long to read a full post of text than of ordinary english - and whenever i have read your posts carolyn, i must say i havent noticed much text talk at all - theres not been a problem about reading them at all so please dont worry carolyn,

melissa xxx

Edited January 7, 2007 by Mel1971

[Guest Lizbeth]

Hey all,

I'm sure the odd text word/phrase (like 2 instead of to) is fine. The problem is when it represents a barrier to understanding. The forum is designed to help people. We cannot do so if we do not understand what a user is saying and it is not fair on others to spend twenty minutes dicipering one post. It's not really an age thing either...I'm 23 and when people post a message in 'pure' text speak I have no idea what they're saying!

xxx

[Guest Nima]

I'd say anything that impoverishes our everyday vocabulary (or if not ours, that of people maybe 100 years down the line) is a bad thing, regardless of the validity of English being a constantly changing language, and all changes being equal, as someone described before.

It would be a terrible shame to lose the wonderfully eclectic language that we have, with words taken from so many different sources. And all in return for txt speak, which is so limited. I mean, I'm not sure there's another language that can compete with English in terms of sheer number of words that can actually be used in creative/ descriptive writing.

[Atlantis]

As a total switch to "text talk" I have taken to talking like Depp's character in "The Libertine" - why, because I find it romantic & comfortable. Nay on forums though.

[Caramoole]

Many of us mods are of an older age and can't actually understand a word being written with txt talk

:blushing:

As one of the errrrr.......shall we say more mature members here (..and just about old enough to be even Ashleys Mother, biologically of course :omg_smilie: ) I struggle with text talk UC. Whilst I will endeavour to decipher, regardless.....I find it much easier to read traditional text.

Caramoole

[Rachie]

At the ripe old age of almost 34, I find text talk really hard to read, but of course the odd word as Jade says is fine.

I don't think text talk will take over...hope not. I don't think people who use it are necessarily lazy though, it's just convenience born out of the fact that text messages do have a character limit, innit?

[Biccy]

i got to say that while i do not type and spell well text talk gets right on my nerves you really have to read

slowly and over again when you try to understand what it says. i use the odd one but prefer the real word.

[Guest AnxiousCarolyn]

Ok cheers guys. I am always very careful on here with text talk as i know some people can find it hard to read.

[Guest marky1982]

I don't like text talk at all and I'm 24 and send text messages, but I don't use that awful text speak.

Like Hannahmaniac said, Linguists and other academics adopt the approach that "new=natural" which is fine in some respects, but since the aim of language is to be understood, and you have generations of people who can't understand text speak, then it's not a good way of communicating.

Hannah - let us know about your SMS talk lecture, that sounds really interesting - most of my lectures were about things like Lexical Functional Grammar

[notgivingup]

Im very guilty of text talk and im 29. I mainly use it on my phone because ive always hated predictive text, but think i am a guilty of using it if i use a chat room. I don't think i do it on hear to much but i will be more aware of it now. I must admit you do get lazy and start to use b4 (before) and CU (see you) and things like that in texts.

I think im going to make an extra effort to write things properley in my texts a bit more. Probably not always as if i need to text something quick it makes it easier.

[catherine]

Many of us mods are of an older age and can't actually understand a word being written with txt talk.

Well I don't know who you could possibly be talking about

[talknerdytome]

Seems that I am the baby of the forums at 17, but I find 'text talk' incredibly irritating when it's not used in a text message (I don't even use text talk then, yeah, i'm a freak). One of my obsessions is over correct grammar and spelling, so as you can probably imagine, I find it incredibly annoying (although my English Language a-level teachers adore me for it, hehe).

I think 'text talk' is fine in a text message when you're trying to save time/money, but on forums where you can write as much as you like, I like to flex my English Language muscles a bit.

I think it shows the natural evolution of the English Language, which is nice. However, I cannot stand when people write 'boi' instead of 'boy' - it just makes you look as if you can't spell.

Beth

[Guest legend]

I find it so amusing, believe it or not i am now 38 and i have just got my first mobie, all be it, second hand from my boy who is 10!!! i hate them, and it is totally wrong to post on this forum in text mode, it is lazy, confusing to most. Keep it simple, and all can understand!!!