Language
 

OK well there's been a debate going on, mostly between just a few people, so let's see if we can judge a wider opinion on this with a poll.

There are people here from all over the world, and some I imagine would have difficulty in reading even well written English, as it isn't everyones native tongue, so an illegible post would presumably be nigh on impossible for them to read. Do you think that it is rude of a person to be lazy and sloppy with a post, with no thought to spelling, punctuation and grammar, especially if it is in their native tongue?

(I should point out too - if a person is dyslexic or has problems with the language then no-one would expect them to do any better than they could, the people I refer to are generally native English speakers who use txt speak and generally give no thought to their posts)

I'm a bit undecided on this one. A lot of people have been abbreviating words more and more since the take-off of text messaging, a lot of people are used to this now. Although I usually try not to abbreviate or shorten words, I just prefer to write the full word.

It would make it a lot easier for people who's first language isn't english or people who suffer from dyslexia if more people would write things properly.

That's precisely the point I was trying to make, because not everyone can understand txt speak. I even find it difficult myself. I never use it even in txt messages. I'd rather spend an extra 30 seconds typing my message and write in full. It's easy enough with predictive txting.

A definite yes. Language is all about conveying a message and the speaker/writer should be the most intent on conveying it properly.

Shouldn't you have written text instead of txt lol



I always use predictive texting, makes it a lot easier!

Well if I'd just written 'text message' it might not have made sense. I could have said sms I suppose, but generally I say txt in that context.

It's cool, lol. Was just bein a smartarse....

I know - but some people here will probably pick me up on any spelling mistakes more 'seriously' as if to invalidate my argument.

I personally can't stand "txt speak." I also never use it even when sending messages from my phone.

However, I think it can be acceptable from a phone because you might not have the extra time for whatever reasons, and it can be difficult if you don't have one with a full keyboard. (I have to add that I got a new phone with one recently and I don't know how I lived without it. :p)

But if someone has the time to sit here and read threads with sometimes dozens of pages, I think they have the time to type out full words..

i don't think it's rude, as such. It can be annoying to read through a post with poor grammar (incorrect tenses, was replacing were etc) and next to no punctuation, but the poster isn't trying to be rude, they see what they're typing as acceptable.

I often cba (see what I did there) to type certain things. An example is the lack of capatalisation on the 'i' at the very beginning of this post. I found it easier to just hit the 'i' key.

The 'net has made this kind of thing perfectly acceptable, as long as it's confined to the Internet. Also keyboards are a poor way to input characters, because you are likely to hit another key, or miss the space bar.

What I find more unacceptable is the recalcitrant nature of someone who is unwilling to accept that they have offended someone, and responds with bad language or abuse; 'flaming'.

i'd rther reed a post lik this than have to read through 4 lines of filth.