English Language

Originally Posted by RubSluts'Mommy

Changes are understandable... but what is going on these days is a deterioration in our language. It'll be a cold day in h*** before I write or speak 'street slang' or what I call Thug Talk. Anyone remember the whole Ebonics thing? I was having nightmares. Heck, I still do.

Amanda

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Amanda, this is exactly what I was asking about. Bill Crosby has also made quite an issue out of the street slang and particularly how young black people speak (and some young white people as well who are trying to be "cool"). Even in the days of the flower children, they had their own words and language but when they went for a job they used proper English and grammar. Some of their words have been incorporated into the current language but did not replace proper English words. I also see a deterioration in our language and that is what concerns me.

Is anyone else bothered by "ne way"? It's only one letter more to spell anyway and the exact same number of keystrokes...

I don't like seeing text shorthand used anywhere but texts.

I usually will not respond in chatrooms if I see u, 2, ne, or any other similar abbreviations for three lettered words.
When there is no time contraint, or per character charge, it is just plain lazy.

I would like to say that I detest idk. For example, "I idk, my BFF Jill?"

Originally Posted by katiemae1277

I would like to say that I detest idk. For example, "I idk, my BFF Jill?"

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A friend of mine is so into texting and chat programs that when she catches me in MSN and tries to converse with me, I'm always busy!!! I wonder why? I can't make out 90% of what she is saying because of her weird abbreviations!

Also, when you talk to her in person or on the phone, she even spells out the abbreviations, such as TTFN. When I asked her what the heck that means, she said "Ta ta for now" Like huh? She can't say "goodbye"? *shakes head*

Originally Posted by Arlyn

I don't like seeing text shorthand used anywhere but texts.

I usually will not respond in chatrooms if I see u, 2, ne, or any other similar abbreviations for three lettered words.
When there is no time contraint, or per character charge, it is just plain lazy.

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Back when I was a mod (not here) I'd go through and change their entire post...

Originally Posted by Forensic

Back when I was a mod (not here) I'd go through and change their entire post...

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Some forums have it set to automatically turn "idk" into I don't know and OMG into Oh my God and such....

As for those replacements that bug me within the accepted English... I just caught someone here over in IMO using one of those that bugs the snot outta me (yes, when I'm typing informally, I do use odd things like 'outta' ... it's the fiction writer in me... my characters can't ALL speak proper English)...

Affect and Effect.

Gaaaaahhhhh!!!!!

Think of these this way:

Effect: (Noun, usually) it's already happened (with some exceptions, mind you, like Special Effects).
Affect: (Verb, usually) action word, to make something happen. You don't effect change, you AFFECT it. effect is the result, if you will... most of the time... read on...

Here's something from Washington State University's website:

There are five distinct words here. When “affect” is accented on the final syllable (a-FECT), it is usually a verb meaning “have an influence on”: “The million-dollar donation from the industrialist did not affect my vote against the Clean Air Act.”

Occasionally a pretentious person is said to affect an artificial air of sophistication. Speaking with a borrowed French accent or ostentatiously wearing a large diamond ear stud might be an affectation. In this sort of context, “affect” means “to make a display of or deliberately cultivate.”

Another unusual meaning is indicated when the word is accented on the first syllable (AFF-ect), meaning “emotion.” In this case the word is used mostly by psychiatrists and social scientists—people who normally know how to spell it.

The real problem arises when people confuse the first spelling with the second: “effect.” This too can be two different words. The more common one is a noun: “When I left the stove on, the effect was that the house filled with smoke.” When you affect a situation, you have an effect on it.

The less common is a verb meaning “to create”: “I’m trying to effect a change in the way we purchase widgets.” No wonder people are confused. Note especially that the proper expression is not “take affect” but “take effect”—become effective. Hey, nobody ever said English was logical: just memorize it and get on with your life.

The stuff in your purse? Your personal effects.

The stuff in movies? Sound effects and special effects.

Of course, the whole "there/their/they're" makes me a little nuts too... along with others... I learned that stuff young... but I was a reader from the time I could hold a book upright. I was also a top speller back then too... I do slip... hey, I'm human... and yes, some vernacular has wormed its way into my vocabulary. The rare times I use textspeak is when I'm actually texting, because there's a character limit... I get that... but on forums and in emails, there are no limits... last I checked, at least.

Amanda

Originally Posted by RubSluts'Mommy

The rare times I use textspeak is when I'm actually texting, because there's a character limit... I get that... but on forums and in emails, there are no limits... last I checked, at least.

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People keep referring to character limit in texting. I've never seen any? I can usually get two or three complete sentences per message with complete words (sometimes very long ones), capitalization, and punctuation. Nothing is dropped. Doing so doesn't slow me down, either. I'm faster than the phone is.

Never seen a character limit, but my cell plan has a per character charge.
The biggest reason I never text

Originally Posted by Arlyn

Never seen a character limit, but my cell plan has a per character charge.
The biggest reason I never text

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That sounds like scam, most I've seen have a per message charge. DH and I have unlimited as that's mostly how we talk to each other.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

People keep referring to character limit in texting. I've never seen any? I can usually get two or three complete sentences per message with complete words (sometimes very long ones), capitalization, and punctuation. Nothing is dropped.

Doing so doesn't slow me down, either. I'm faster than the phone is.

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You've seen my posts around here... I'm a chatty person!! I have Verizon, and there is a character limit...don't ask me why, but there is... at least there used to be when I was texting more...

i just checked... I have a 160 character limit... I have run out before... not in a while, but i have... it's frustrating... I used to text a lot... but not anymore. I did once or twice while in the hospital... letting a friend know where I was, but not over-exerting myself... a phone call with that person would have knocked me out... he's worse than me!!

Amanda

I'm also on Verizon, but we did not add texting to our plan (we have the most basic plan).
If we want to send text, it's not blocked, just outrageous.
They also charge us for retrieving our voicemail.

I despise texts anyway, if you have a phone handy, why not just call???

Originally Posted by Arlyn

I despise texts anyway, if you have a phone handy, why not just call???

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Because DH can't take his phone out on the floor with him. He leaves it in his locker and checks it later on his breaks. Those can vary and be at any time if he gets to take them at all, so calling isn't really an option. And If I'm listening to music I often have it loud enough that I cannot hear my phone ring.

But, I suppose because I text using proper grammar and spelling I don't fall into the typical texting crowd? I'd be interested to know if anyone else actually does this.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

But, I suppose because I text using proper grammar and spelling I don't fall into the typical texting crowd? I'd be interested to know if anyone else actually does this.

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I text using proper spelling, but that's more because of the T9 feature on my phone where it spells the words out for me without as many keystrokes. Grammar-wise, though, I will probably skimp as it takes me forever to text because I don't do it often (I don't have a texting plan, but I don't mind having to send/receive texts to my friends).

"loose" & "lose" always kick my bum. I always use them wrong. But I do watch there/their & to/too.....as well as you're/your (my supervisor at work has gotten used to me re-writing notes to make them grammatically correct, or it bothers me).

Originally Posted by fwan

I honestly believe its the parents education whether the child will learn to spell correctly or not.

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I disagree on that being the deciding factor when it comes to a child's ability to spell. My parents couldn't spell to save their lives, but I have always been a great speller! They have had me proof reading their documents since I was in the third grade! I think it's a mix between laziness (or lack of interest) and education.. people don't expect much from other people today, and thus they don't expect much from themselves.

I never earned more than a C- past the fourth grade and dropped out my freshman year of high school. My last GPA was a 0.55! Yikes! So coming from someone who's a complete idiot when it comes to book smarts , normal healthy individuals who have access to a normal education have the ability to spell/learn to spell at the very least.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

But, I suppose because I text using proper grammar and spelling I don't fall into the typical texting crowd? I'd be interested to know if anyone else actually does this.

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My use of proper spelling, grammar and punctuation becomes an obstacle when I'm texting people outside of my network. Our plan will only send the first 160 characters of the messages to those on other networks, so I'm often sitting there trying to reword everything for the sake of English!

We're on Verizon and "IDK" why they have a character limit on out-of-network bound messages.

I believe we have to "go with the flow" and realize and embrace the changes in language, they are inevitable. When I move to another place, life's easier if I go with the customs and pick up the dialect. Born and raised a Texan, I now write cheques, swipe a debit card, and stand in line-ups. (The last two are bad things in Texas!) but I'm never going to eat pee-cans (pecans). I don't go to England and talk about fanny-packs, either.

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

I believe we have to "go with the flow" and realize and embrace the changes in language, they are inevitable. When I move to another place, life's easier if I go with the customs and pick up the dialect. Born and raised a Texan, I now write cheques, swipe a debit card, and stand in line-ups. (The last two are bad things in Texas!) but I'm never going to eat pee-cans (pecans).

I don't go to England and talk about fanny-packs, either.

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Haha that's all stuff I consider normal speak!

What else would you do to a debit card if not swipe it??

standing in line ups? I've never heard of that one...