Campaign for proper English

[Gh0st Face Killah]

Is it me or are the youth of today completely incapable of at least trying to spell words correctly. Vowels seem to be randomly left out all over the place. I find it amazing that these people claim to have passed English language at any exam level. Fair enough if you are texting (or should that be txtng) but on a forum where you have no excuse other than your own laziness to press keys there really is no excuse. I know I'm not the only person that feels strongly about this, so what do folks think should people at least try to use proper English rather than leaving letters out all over the place?

[OldBloke]

/me waits for the pedants to jump on GFK's errors.  

For myself ...

If I can read and, more importantly, understand what's been written then I'm OK with it. I must admit though, I am surprised that spelling, grammar and legible handwriting appear to count for nothing in today's English examinations.

Probably a lot to do with my age.  

[Niel]

Ooo dear..."Grumpy Old Man" alert  

I assume you're referring to the same "youth of today" that have some ridiculous pass rate for GCSE's and A levels.

You may have a point !!

[Gh0st Face Killah]

Originally posted by OldBloke@Sep 8 2004, 10:25 AM
/me waits for the pedants to jump on GFK's errors.  

 

I'm not concerned about spelling and grammer, we all make those mistakes. Its the leaving out of vowels (which I suppose could be classed as spelling).

[Gh0st Face Killah]

Originally posted by Niel@Sep 8 2004, 10:27 AM
I assume you're referring to the same "youth of today" that have some ridiculous pass rate for GCSE's and A levels.

You may have a point !!

So if they can do it for their exams why not carry it on in normal life?

[Cadaver]

THE PAOMNNEHAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer In waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is that the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm.

Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, But the wrod as a wlohe.

Amzanig huh?



So maybe the rationale behind certain folks 'txt spking' on forums is simply this:  They have grasped the fact that they can get away with typing any old crap, and everyone will still be able to decipher their inane ramblings.  It increases their typing efficiency, allowing more of their illegible tripe to be propagated, and produces less wear on their valuable keyboards.

Personally I find it incredibly lazy, annoying, and, to some extent, just plain rude. But then I'm one of the aforementioned GrumpyOldMen™

[A Twig]

Thats mad! Never seen that before! Ach well, yeah, generally i do tend towards proper english, I just can't always be bothered to correct all my many typos!

[Moment]

Wow Cadaver didnt know that!

[Jamoe]

lol, i had seen that befor, i was tempted to write a mini script that automated the scrambling

might give that ago tonight if i get chance.

As for my english, considering its my one and only language its shockingly bad.  I've been tempted to go to nightschool or some course to refresh my english skills. I had to retake my gcse english while i was doing a-levels. I even had 1-1 teacher time (can't spell tution)  but i stil sucked. Scrapped a C in the end.

I tihnk sometimes i type how i talked, but the typing gets left behind (including some of the words. )

[Benny]

I agree 100%. I can forgive the odd spelling mistake or grammatical error, but I personally find it rude.
It's not difficult to type what you are thinking, and the excuse that you are in a hurry doesn't wash in a forum.

A great bit huge blockof text fullof numb3rs and l33t bollocks is annoyingfrustrating and frankly disturbing.

I don't see it as particularly comforting that the younger generation, and quite frankly I'm not that old, can't articulate without resorting to abbreiviations and acronyms. I also find it disheartening, and perhaps I'm tarring everyone with the same brush here,  that this is the best we have to offer? Internet and PC literate people who cannot express themselves without lapsing into garbled rubbish.

As most of you know I hang about a little in the Sandbox at N42, Dudeman is a great example, he has some interesting points, but it is so frustrating to read through his temperamental ugly posts it loses a lot of its weight.

If this strikes a chord, look at your last 20 posts using the tools built into this forum and see if you can do better. If your last 20 posts are gr8, yef I r leet, then think about it. If you generally don't hurry through posting as quickly as you can whilst not considering the reader then ignore my ramblings.

Edited to include a smiley so no-one gets offended.  :winkiss:

[Benny]

Oh and this is a new post as it's important. If your post doesn't add weight or opinion don't post.

Unless of course it's funny. Or you're me.

[FatBob]

Good point L33tly put !!
On the point about abbreviations, you've only got to look at the good old Beeb for adding to the complete misery that is now deemed as acceptable.
I mean sitting down on a friday night as a kid to watch telly used to involve a program called (and i'm sure you'll remember) "Top of the Pops" nowadays we get TOTP. Match of the day is another prime example now MOTD and the list goes on. Not that many of todays teenagers actually sit in and watch TOTP, least not while theres crack cocaine, joyriding and all night glue/cider parties.
Bare in mind the BBC is apparently Englands flagship tv station as far as decency and standards are concerned, then surely they are guilty as charged for at least aiding and abetting to destroy the use of the english language.(/points of view..sorry POV type rant off)......Over to you Barry <_<

p.s. Quality post cadaver. i sat there reading it totally unaware for about the whole of the first two lines....sheesh i hope no-one tries to sell me any windows today .

p.p.s. Benny rules all !
P.p.p.s how did you get on with D----- of death!!(that ones for benny LOL....Doh!!!)

[sheepy]

i dont speel rite sum times 1 coz im lazy and 2 coz im clumsey and hit the wrong keys [ see point one as 2 why i dont corredsct them]

[Benny]

Sheep, you don't count, you are an institution and generally I understand your posts. It's more the lazy postage that incurs my distaste.

[Gh0st Face Killah]

Proper abbreviations weren’t particularly what I was bothered about. They are in everyday use on the beeb, in the papers etc. It was the dropping of vowels etc. For example th instead of the, ur instead of your. What’s more commonly known as text speak (txt spk). As has been said by others it’s lazy and there is no need for it on the forums really. People using this sort of language have added posts to discussions on the forum and failed to add anything to the discussion because they have used so much of it that their point fails to come across.

P.S. What Benny said about Sheepy's posts is very true.