Language Nerds

[Lisa]

For those who like interesting language tidbits/news I thought this was a fun article.

NY Times

[Lisa]

Words We Love Too Much

[Lisa]

I find this one to be interesting and horribly infuriating. Let's just dumb down the education system to the lowest common denominator possible.

Text Speak in Schools

[Elvia]

Lisa Anne wrote: "I find this one to be interesting and horribly infuriating. Let's just dumb down the education system to the lowest common denominator possible.

Text Speak in Schools "
I think I would change my childrens school if they allowed this!! That is ridiculous!!

[Eastofoz]

Interesting Lisa Anne. That "their" rule though that the one article talks about isn't "necessarily" right --at least according to my Oxford grammar bible :) It's apparently accepted now in many situations like using "who" for "whom" is.

I was wondering when texting would be accepted as the "norm" somewhere. I can't say I'm surprised. Language is always changing and I think every generation freaks out about the changes too ;)

[Elvia]

Very true Eastofoz...I've become my mother. No changes! Proper english only...american english anyway. :)
I actually heard my daughter say "lol" instead of laughing OUT LOUD(she's 10 and doesn't have a cell phone). What the heck is that about?! lmao ;)

[Eastofoz]

Elvia wrote: "Very true Eastofoz...I've become my mother. No changes! Proper english only...american english anyway. :)
I actually heard my daughter say "lol" instead of laughing OUT LOUD(she's 10 and doesn't..."

I had a good chuckle with the "I've become my mother" line (lol!) Just the other day I was going on to my little guy about the importance of correct punctuation and legible penmanship (lol!)

When I was a student at university I met this Belgian guy. His dad said I didn't speak "real English" because it wasn't British English --lol! Too funny =)

[new_user]

Text speak in schools? D:

[Lisa]

I understand and even like the fact that language is always changing ... to an extent, there is something almost poetic about (lame I know), but there is also a time and place for different types of language. I use text speak quite often, but only when I'm texting, never would I dream of using it in a school paper or in a work setting, just like I wouldn't talk the same way at work as I would at a bar. Language has always had it's abbreviaties (ASAP, &) and that's fine in certain places. I just don't believe school papers should be one of those places.

[J.D.]

Okay, this made me think of the movie "bring it on:all or nothing". I saw it on TV the other day. There were a couple of parts where the cheerleaders used text speak. LOL It caused me to burst of laughing. The main character ends up transdering schools, and when she walks up to one of the girls she tries to carry on an entire conversation in text speak. The girl looked at her like she had grown two heads! I could never do that...It would drive me nuts. Typing out LOL or LMAO on the computer is one thing, but saying it...You might as well say the whole word!

[Kristina]

I don't understand half of text speak. Even in text messages, I think the only thing I actually abbreviate is days of the week b/c for because. I'm totally anti-LOL. I think because on Warcraft people put it after after sentence on general chats and my sisters over use it.

[J.D.]

I don't understand a lot of text speak either. I only use LOL, LMAO, and BRB. I might use one or two others, but I don't know most of them. LOL Sometimes I have to look it up on a search engine when people use it on here. :(

[Lisa]

Fun article on the dictionary and its history. And yes I do think it's fun. hehe

Dictionary

[stormhawk]

Great articles (although I got a "forbidden" error trying to get to the txtspk article.

They all remind me how much I miss William Safire and his Sunday Times Magazine articles.