Text messaging a threat to written language?

ur rite rools uv lang arnt nec nemor nthr iz pnctatn or spllg y not just hav a free4all and let evry1 do what thay pleez

kidz shood b able 2 rite ne way they want itz up 2 the teechrz an evrebdy els 2 figgr owt what the kid iz sayin

prolly wont matter neway cuz theyl b makin lotz uv money soon an hav some 1 els 2 do the work 4 them

Wow. That took me a good fifteen minutes to put together. The problem is that many of the abbreviated words aren't "commonly understood linguistic shortcuts", and shouldn't be used for things like schoolwork or memos/written communication in the workplace. There is, and always will be, a place for proper spelling, writing and punctuation. If nothing else, the way you write shows how intelligent you are - or aren't.

I think a problem that we're running into here is that kids are substituting all of these abbreviations and "invented spellings" for proper language. I exchange e-mails and IM's with my 17-year-old babysitter all the time. Most times, it takes me a while to figure out what she is trying to say because her spelling is deplorable, abbreviations are everywhere, and she rarely uses even basic punctuation (like periods to separate sentences). Reading her blog presents the same problem. Fortunately, she uses spell- and grammar-check when she writes papers for school, otherwise her grades would be in the toilet.

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Hi, LS. What you said. I think. What was that you said anyhow?

There's a place for the special language of texting and IM as long as it's confined to that place. It's not unlike teen slang in that respect.

I won't let my girls text yet, partly because I want them to learn grammar, spelling, etc. thoroughly before they begin corrupting all of them. Plus, they're a little young to be spending hours exercising nothing but their thumbs.

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I personally think that it is the march of language - have you checked out how things were spelled when this country was founded? Confusing and not grammatically correct according to the standards today. Language changes, otherwise its dead. I am not sure that I want it to change since text messaging is lame and tiresome (just like like Valley Speak like), but then I think that is the limitation of the medium. What would be more deplorable is if the text messaging crept into spoken word so much that we changed that as well.

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Good point Ethel and there's long been a movement to adopt phonetic spelling. It's never really gotten off the ground.

New words creep into the dictionary every year (maybe every day) and what was considered correct writing and punctuation when I was in school is much more relaxed today.

How many years has "blog" been a word? Not many.

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Oh, these passwords. I had a comment all done, hit "add", and it went into the Netherworld because I forgot to enter the password. It'll probably show up in my inbox next Tuesday. Anyway, I'll try to re-create my brilliance....

First, the translation:
"You're right, rules of language aren't necesary anymore. Neither is punctuation or spelling. WHy not just have a free-for-all and let everyone do what they please?

Kids should be able to write any way they want. It's up to the teachers, and everybody else, to figure out what the kid is saying.

Probably won't matter anyway, because they'll be making lots of money soon and have someone else to do the work for them."

I understand that language evolves. A perfect example is found in the KJV Bible - I can't get through the beginning of Genesis for all the "Thees" and "Thous" that are there. Language, like anything else, evolves over time. It's natural.

But.

We are seeing our language receive a disturbing shove. It's not being allowed to evolve gradually, it is being forcefully shoved into a whole new language, both with texting, and with HipHop (rant ahead....)

It's been most publicized recently with the whole Don Imus hubub, but for the past ten years or so, we've seen a coarsening of our society, and it's most obvious in our language. Words that were absolute "wash your mouth out with soap" words when we were kids, like "whore", "N", "B", etc., are now commonplace, even complimentary.

Men regularly call women "bee-yatch" (women do, too). "Ho" is heard daily on middle-school grounds. In the Black community, the "N" word has become a term of endearment. I heard an offer on COUNTRY radio the other day, inviting me to "Pimp My Kitchen". Pimp used to mean "use another human being for your own profit". Now it means "Get a shiny new stove!!"

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm all for the slow growth of our language, when it comes from real people. And perhaps that's the case of the texting and computer-speak (like "blog"). But when we eliminate punctuation (don't even get me started on THAT), and start getting lazy with our words, we are going down a very bad road.

This is one mom who is going to be reaching for the Irish Spring if she ever hears the word "Ho" emanate from her son's lips.

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LS

I've learned the hard way to copy my longer comments these days so I can paste them right back in.

Lately, I've had 3 or 4 of them disappear and I know my password was there. Think they're trying to tell me something?

Just kidding, Writers.

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