The Spoken Word and the Boundary Beyond

[SilverBellsAbove]

All right, I get the fact that this is a guild that is fiercely anti-txt-tlk. And I get the fact that conventional grammar is a staple here.

But where is the line? What constitutes deplorable language, aside from the obvious? Where do words become unacceptable?

Beyond the boundary laid by the spoken word, I say.

What do I mean? It's simple really: If it is unreasonable to say, or impossible to say, then it should be changed. Example, when was the last time you heard someone say 'wtf u r the fagzorz' in actual speech? How do you even say 'fagzorz' in real life?

That's the line. Can you say the @ symbol? No. You say it as 'at'. It's the sound of words that give rise to txt tlk. 'U' makes the same sound as 'you', so people use it. But how can you give the impression that in real life you are not saying 'you', but its txt tlk counterpart?

Exactly. You can't. Anything that you can't speak out loud should at least be looked into.

Don't get me wrong; the @ symbol and 'u' are useful in certain situations, such as quick notes, actual text messaging where they may charge by the character, and certain context such as satire. But I find them useless in any other situation. Call me pompous. That's just my two cents about the matter.

This is why 'slangish' words are more acceptable around here than txttlk. I use them all the time, mostly because I type the way I speak to anyone in real life. Among these are 'wanna', 'gotta' and 'willya'. These are speech quirks, and usually they are perfectly understandable because it's conceivable someone would use them when talking to a friend.

And because generally anyone in a cool guild like this counts as familiar enough to use these with, I do sometimes. It's part of my speech pattern; my dad uses them and so do I. I'm a teenager. It's not like I go around using bad grammar because of it. They can be used the same way as any other contraction, like can't or won't.

However, when was the last time anyone said a 'slang term' that included no or almost no vowels? Bcz? Wts? Prbly?

Good luck pronouncing those! wink  

[blueturnsgrey]

I agree. I'm guilty of the usual "cause" "gotta" "gonna" "ya." But, aren't we all?

People should just make an effort or attempt to speak/type with good grammar.  

[Nevercry]

I write creatively, so I've gotten into the habit of writing in another person's voice. For example, I treat an essay as the voice of an academic, and a first-person point of view piece as the voice of that character. When I write, it is only very rarely that I actually hear my own voice speaking.

I understand what you mean when you say that the words you use are "part of my speech pattern". The words that you think are the words that spill out of the keyboard, and thus human communication perserveres through these dark and dismal times.

What worries me the most about your argument is that, logically, there is at least one person in the world (or on Gaia) that actually thinks in txttlk.

And, frankly, that scares the hell out of me.  

[CristoVII]

You've raised an intriguing point I've never thought about.

I suppose I accept English slang because for one, some of it is actually in the dictionary (Merriam-Webster identifies it as slang).  

[darkrose_eve]

Well I speak normally but I write out very correctly because writing is a different form of communication than actual speech...or something to that effect sweatdrop .  

[Setsu-P has stepped out]

Generally speaking (ha ha), I type the same way I talk.

If you think about it, abbreviations like "bcz" "wts", etc. could be spoken aloud. To my mind, they translate as a sort of mush-mouthed English, which is almost as difficult to make heads or tails of as the txt-tlk is.

*shrug*  

[abarrach]

darkrose_eve

Well I speak normally but I write out very correctly because writing is a different form of communication than actual speech...or something to that effect sweatdrop .

I agree... but there's a difference between conversational text and, well, other forms of writing.  

[Patron with a Mission]

I talk as I type: formally, or as best as I can.

Sadly, from correcting essays and learning the rules for grammar has warped my mind and speech is more formal, even in informal situations. About the only slang or anything related to that is "y'all." ^.- I'm a Texan at heart. Otherwise...I'm all about correct English.

People can speak their slang like the "gangsta" and such...just please keep it at a reasonable limit...not every other word...that truly gets annoying. Here where I live, it gets misused so much, and it does bother me to hear it after a while...  

[darkrose_eve]

abarrach

darkrose_eve

Well I speak normally but I write out very correctly because writing is a different form of communication than actual speech...or something to that effect sweatdrop .

I agree... but there's a difference between conversational text and, well, other forms of writing.

True. I mean when I talk I don't go around saying "Hey my homie how you be today?" I talk normally though I get carried away with cussing especially when I'm mad. It's a horrible habit.  

[The MoUsY spell-checker]

I think I usually type in the same way as I talk, which I don't think is too formal, but unless it's an instant message, I go over what I wrote to make sure that it makes sense, and more importantly, that it's not too likely to be taken the wrong way. (There was a time when everything that I said seemed to be taken the wrong way.)

I think I use too many brackets.

Sometimes I probably type words that I don't normally get to say, and also words that I don't know how to pronounce.

English isn't my first language, so my choice of words probably reflect that. Some words (often slang) just don't feel right even if I know what they mean and what context they're normally used in.

SilverBellsAbove

However, when was the last time anyone said a 'slang term' that included no or almost no vowels? Bcz? Wts? Prbly?

Good luck pronouncing those! wink

You obviously can't pronounce these words the way they're spelled, but you can probably say that they're typing English as an abjad (writing system with only consonants), and when they read it out they pronounce the words with vowels.  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

I think slang is fine, it's just text talk and intentional misspelling that I can't stand.

I'd rather read "Joe and Jan were at the park" than "joe & jan wr @ th prk".

 

[MadnessFreak]

I speak completely in txt-tlk.  

[Subservient Nonentity]

I do share Evercry's opinion... as I read voraciously and write avidly. I also help my teachers correct essays and proof-read papers.

I tend to write as formally as possible and speak in the same manner. I've actually had people tell me that I freaked them out with all of my manners and my grammar.

It's sad that the world has come to this. Being scared by good manners?!  

[SilverBellsAbove]

subservient_x_nonentity

It's sad that the world has come to this. Being scared by good manners?!

Indeed. I say my 'pleases' and 'thank you's' to everyone. Adults I don't know are 'Sir' and 'Ma'am'

I say 'thank you, sir' to the bus driver when I get off and he practically has a heart attack. Sort of pathetic, isn't it?  

[ChibiStarlet]

abarrach

darkrose_eve

Well I speak normally but I write out very correctly because writing is a different form of communication than actual speech...or something to that effect sweatdrop .

I agree... but there's a difference between conversational text and, well, other forms of writing.

I totally agree. When I'm writing a formal essay, I'm a lot more careful about all the little details than when I'm writing a post. It's a different voice, a more formal diction. But in a post, an email, a journal entry, or other more personal forms of communication, I think it's perfectly fine to use some more slang terms or less formal sentences. And I do. wink

Txt-tlk, however, makes something inside me cry.