Internet Literacy

[Invader Ezri]

Lately something has been getting on my nerves; illiteracy on forums and the internet in general (although this doesn't seem to be a huge problem on the Escapist). I'm not talking about poor vocabulary or the occasional misspelled word, I'm talking about the inability to write a complete sentence, or even an understandable thought. Is it really so hard to type "you" instead of "u" and put a punctuation mark at the end of whatever you're trying to say? It doesn't take even a second to type the extra two letters that make up words like "you" and "know", but people skip them anyway. I'm sure these people have at least a third-grade education, and if they don't I'm not sure why they're attempting to make an intelligent argument of any kind. Does anyone have an explanation for this? Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Trace2010]

Hmmm...

1) The fact that according to public schools, no one needs to know such an arcane thing as "Penmanship" since everything is now on computer anyway. I have met grown adults who can't even print their name...they can read but they can't write to save their lives.
2) Spelling a word correctly simply as a matter of personal pride is out of fashion.
3) Some people actually choose to write and spell the way they talk- I get a kick out of these sometimes. I wonder if they are actually doing this on purpose or not...just word to the wise: if your spelling could function in a "Chick-Fill-A" advertisement, you probably need an on-board spell checker.

 

[Maet]

People would argue that omitting letters, punctuation marks, or even entire clauses, improves efficiency. I find this flawed for (at least) two reasons: 1) for many people, interpreting such messages become unnecessarily difficult, and 2) I have to go out of my way to type such incomprehensible gibberish.

I suppose I could understand a person not wanting to waste time spell-checking, but going out of your way to put forth such garbage is neither efficient nor ideal.

 

[OuroborosChoked]

If you waste comprehensibility for the sake of expedience, you have to wonder exactly how important what you were about to say really was. If you can't be understood, why bother communicating?

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

People would argue that omitting letters, punctuation marks, or even entire clauses, improves efficiency. I find this flawed for (at least) two reasons: 1) for many people, interpreting such messages become unnecessarily difficult, and 2) I have to go out of my way to type such incomprehensible gibberish.

I suppose I could understand a person not wanting to waste time spell-checking, but going out of your way to put forth such garbage is neither efficient nor ideal.

What he said.

 

[leugim789]

i don't have spell checker on here, and i'm not exactly willing to go over every conversation i input, but i am thoroughly tired of people talking like ThIs iS CoOl.

 

[fluffylandmine]

Internet Literacy is becoming the oxymoron of the decade...

 

[COR 2000]

Well, I'm a teenager, and even I use correct grammar and punctuation. Of course, I have seen my fair share of misinformed idiots.

Yesterday, my friend was trying to convince me to ban someone. He used such horrible pronunciation and even said this:"Could u band him plz?". Really, that's what he said.

Last week, I was over at my cousins' house. My younger cousin and I were using his computer, and a AIM message came up for me. I responded with correct grammar, but he didn't approve:
"No, don't put a period in!"
"Dude, don't capitalize and spell correctly! This is supposed to be a fun network!"
In June, after Kane's Wrath came out, Someone on G4 started flaming the game for inane reasons. He could not spell for his life, though.

And that's it.

 

[Eyclonus]

If I recall correctly there has recently been a thread on this, and an older thread with the same title covering the same thing.

 

[Invader Ezri]

If I recall correctly there has recently been a thread on this, and an older thread with the same title covering the same thing.

I searched for this beforehand and found nothing of the sort.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

I would be robbed of a great deal of self-esteem, personal worth, and money if everyone took the time to teach themselves how to write and debate properly. I appreciate the desire for everyone to talk all pretty like but...keep in mind that this is a skill that gets you ahead in the world.

 

[Mistah Kurtz]

The only situation that omitting letters and using internet shorthand is acceptable is in the context of text messaging or anything else you have to type with your thumbs

 

[Invader Ezri]

I would be robbed of a great deal of self-esteem, personal worth, and money if everyone took the time to teach themselves how to write and debate properly. I appreciate the desire for everyone to talk all pretty like but...keep in mind that this is a skill that gets you ahead in the world.

I'm not saying that everyone needs to obtain an affinity for rhetoric, they just need to be understandable.

 

[OuroborosChoked]

Well, I'm a teenager, and even I use correct grammar and punctuation. Of course, I have seen my fair share of misinformed idiots.

Yesterday, my friend was trying to convince me to ban someone. He used such horrible pronunciation and even said this:"Could u band him plz?". Really, that's what he said.

Last week, I was over at my cousins' house. My younger cousin and I were using his computer, and a AIM message came up for me. I responded with correct grammar, but he didn't approve:
"No, don't put a period in!"
"Dude, don't capitalize and spell correctly! This is supposed to be a fun network!"
In June, after Kane's Wrath came out, Someone on G4 started flaming the game for inane reasons. He could not spell for his life, though.

And that's it.

I rarely capitalize first-person pronouns in IMs and rarely end sentences with punctuation other than ellipses, question marks, and exclamation points. Full stops in IMs just seem... weird... and capitalizing I just seems so egotistical in IMs.

But yeah, I'd agree with you on your other points. The younger generations will be tomorrow's butchers...

 

[OuroborosChoked]

I would be robbed of a great deal of self-esteem, personal worth, and money if everyone took the time to teach themselves how to write and debate properly. I appreciate the desire for everyone to talk all pretty like but...keep in mind that this is a skill that gets you ahead in the world.

O Rly? Do you have a job for me then? I can proofread like a maniac.

 

[whitelye]

To capture the spirit of the question, I'll make this as succinct as possible.

People are stupid.

 

[Easykill]

Welcome to the Escapist, we talk more about 1337 speak and it's general shittiness more than we do games.

 

[Invader Ezri]

Welcome to the Escapist, we talk more about 1337 speak and it's general shittiness more than we do games.

Although this is a prdominately video game-themed website, that doesn't mean that video games has to be its only purpose, and in a specific forum called "Off-topic Discussion" I can make a topic about almost whatever I wish.

Welcome to the Escapist.

 

[OuroborosChoked]

There are worse things in the world than sub-standard grammar & spelling.

Not everyone has the privilege of a sound education.

That's a weak excuse. Anyone with the desire to learn educates themselves as much as they are educated by others. Refusing to educate yourself, even without opportunity, just shows the world how dumb you really are.