Why do (or don't) we use SMS speak?

[KillerByte]

MOD NOTE: This was split from the "You know you are a geek when..." thread. The conversation was deviating too far from the original thread, however I felt that it had enough merit to be split into its own thread.

Possibly..

But I blame Anakha for this one.. He 'forced' me to buy SC2 WoL.. ha ha
But how's this one for you.. I'm such a geek that I was FIRST in line to get the game in Pavilion!

Good one - definitely a geek. How is this - I was the only parent at the convention that could read sms speak. Why can I? Because I hate not knowing things - so I forced myself to be able to read that rubbish.

I hope you also spend an equal amount of energy torturing your children when they use SMS speak. I can read it and write it but I will not insult my friends, colleagues or family by using it.

[Tribble]

I hope you also spend an equal amount of energy torturing your children when they use SMS speak. I can read it and write it but I will not insult my friends, colleagues or family by using it.

My kids have to write everything out in full when they sms. All punctuation present and accounted for.

[KatrynKat]

that is a loooong sms then...

[Tribble]

And? Your point is?

[KatrynKat]

it costs money!

[Tribble]

it costs money!

I would rather they used correct sentence construction, spelling and grammar than save money on an sms. I am happy to pay for two or even three instead of one. But they are clever - they have learnt to say what they mean in fewer words - and still kept it correct

[KillerByte]

I hope you also spend an equal amount of energy torturing your children when they use SMS speak. I can read it and write it but I will not insult my friends, colleagues or family by using it.

My kids have to write everything out in full when they sms. All punctuation present and accounted for.

That is good. To the educated correct grammar and spelling tell a tale of a good education and upbringing.

I have been known to write 5 page SMS messages instead of bastardising the English language.

[Tribble]

That is good. To the educated, correct grammar and spelling tell a tale of a good education and upbringing.

I have been known to write 5 page SMS messages, instead of bastardising the English language.

I make many errors myself - so my dream is for them to use the English language better than I do. The words - and their position in sentences - are vital, if the correct meaning is to be conveyed. But this should be moved to the correct thread or I might deserve that one nomination Anky gave me

[Ron2K]

For once in my life, I'm on Killy's side here. I'd rather pay a few extra cents for a perfectly spelled and grammatically pristine SMS than have the recipient wonder what message I was trying to get across.

I think we should split this into a new thread though - we're deviating way off topic.

[KatrynKat]

you could have warned me....
as i said in the wrong thread... i agree with y'all....

it is just so much easier to write shorthand than these long things.... also when you are paying your own phone bill (which i am not, )
but when it comes to academic work and articles i am able to separate myself from the teenagers way of talking and write in proper english or afrikaans

[rustypup]

when it comes to academic work and articles i am able to separate myself from the teenagers way of talking and write in proper english or afrikaans

then you are in the vanishingly small minority... the number of times i have to take the younger staff to task over grammar/SMS errors is, frankly, disturbing.

the other, less obvious, impact it has is context... these folks have been using the shorthand version for so long they can no longer distinguish the correct context for the complete word:

• were/where
  great/grate
  hear/here

[GreyWolf]

• were/where
  great/grate
  hear/here

ngnngggg.... GAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH-

[Snapa]

[jee]

i just plain and simple dislike sms'ing. Can't be bothered with it and because i have a lower than low phone, punctuation are often a tad difficult.

But 5 pages of verbosity is a bit too much for my mind.

[Tribble]

Their and there can be added to that list
So can bear and bare


Add to that the mixing of tenses, not knowing whether something is singular or plural and occasionally adding a gender to an inanimate object.

[KillerByte]

nothing greats me mour then when people use words in places were they shold not go.

[Stuart]

ngnngggg.... GAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH-

You should of left the dash out the end there.

Predictive text is almost as much of a bane when it comes to texting as SMS-speak. Our secretary is the champion of predictive text. Unfortunately, she's also the champion of not reading the result before hitting send, which usually leaves us scratching our heads trying to figure out what she is trying to say.

[Tribble]

Hee hee point made and taken.

[rustypup]

You should of left the dash out the end there.

ngnngggg.... GAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH-

++

[Stuart]

Mission accomplished.

[rustypup]

seriously.. that one drives me batty.... i could almost condone the death penalty for multiple offences....

[Prime]

u r al grammr nazis

[GreyWolf]

ngnngggg.... GAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH-

You should of left the dash out the end there.

Predictive text is almost as much of a bane when it comes to texting as SMS-speak. Our secretary is the champion of predictive text. Unfortunately, she's also the champion of not reading the result before hitting send, which usually leaves us scratching our heads trying to figure out what she is trying to say.

Isn't the dash indicative of an interrupt?

[WiK1d]

• were/where
  great/grate
  hear/here

brake/break

I frequent quite a few bike forums and that's one thing that really eggs me. HAI GAIS MY BREAKS RNT WRKING.

Oh oh, quite/quiet as well!

[DeathPing]

You should of left the dash out the end there.

You should not have veered off course with that one, but should of course, rather, have used "should have" - "should've" would've also sufficed at the end, there.

I don't do the SMS text thingy - as it is, it is a feat in itself to accomplish having people understand me... Gosh... I wonder why?!

/me is grammar Nazi, perhaps!