Internet Literacy

[NewClassic_v1legacy]

lol, nubs.

Fair warning, friend, it's posts like this that start probation.

... I kid, I kid. Actually, in essence, I believe the downfall of language on the internet is a harbinger of changes to come. even now, people are saying these things like "pwn" and "lol" in real life. what these changes will be though, IDK.

You point illustrates mine, actually. Short-hand has become a very viable and functional form of communication, and the emphasis on spelling/grammar seems much more lax these days because communication has "evolved" into something vaguely resembling the typing of a stenographer.

 

[Conqueror Kenny]

I have found a lot of people here using "QFT" on a quote about how bad it is to use short hand expressions. Irony, or stupidity. I hope the former.
Anyway, I find that if you are in an instant messaging chat, then abbreviations or lack of punctuation is acceptable, as speed is somewhat important there. However on a internet forum or other form of internet communication, where you have all the time you need, I see no point in these things other than sheer laziness.

 

[Avatar Roku]

I myself am fine with emoticons and things like this: <3. I'm fine with lol, etc. But what I have a problem with is the overall shorthand. Seriously, I posted on GameFAQS before this, ans dor the first half year, I remember being confused by what people meant my "roflmao." Obviously, I now know it means "rolling on the floor laughing my ass off" but I still went through a while not understanding, which undermines the point of a forum.

 

[Danny Ocean]

None taken.

Anyway, I think those without a decent grasp on spelling and punctuation know about it pretty darn quick, so maybe they will learn.

Was it you who's post I re-worded to correct the syntax, grammar, and spelling?

 

[Trace2010]

Oh, I'm sorry...I guess somebody thought that I was some old guy lamenting on the fact that we don't teach cursive anymore...I didn't really mean to make people feel bad because they weren't forced to sit in front of a Big Chief Tablet and recopy the BASIC PRINT BLOCK letters 300 times until they got it right. No, I understand that cursive has gone the way of calligraphy (used more as an art form than a means of personal correspondence) but when it's come to the point where school districts have to print a student's name on a standardized test entry blank because they know the students cannot do this by themselves, there is a problem.

I write in cursive, and i am not old. What are you saying about me??

Where in either of my previous posts did I even mention the phrase "old" in association with writing in cursive?

 

[hippo24]

Oh, I'm sorry...I guess somebody thought that I was some old guy lamenting on the fact that we don't teach cursive anymore...I didn't really mean to make people feel bad because they weren't forced to sit in front of a Big Chief Tablet and recopy the BASIC PRINT BLOCK letters 300 times until they got it right. No, I understand that cursive has gone the way of calligraphy (used more as an art form than a means of personal correspondence) but when it's come to the point where school districts have to print a student's name on a standardized test entry blank because they know the students cannot do this by themselves, there is a problem.

I write in cursive, and i am not old. What are you saying about me??

Where in either of my previous posts did I even mention the phrase "old" in association with writing in cursive?

I was joking. (sarcasm doesn't work well in writing...who knew)

 

[milskidasith]

Oh, I'm sorry...I guess somebody thought that I was some old guy lamenting on the fact that we don't teach cursive anymore...I didn't really mean to make people feel bad because they weren't forced to sit in front of a Big Chief Tablet and recopy the BASIC PRINT BLOCK letters 300 times until they got it right. No, I understand that cursive has gone the way of calligraphy (used more as an art form than a means of personal correspondence) but when it's come to the point where school districts have to print a student's name on a standardized test entry blank because they know the students cannot do this by themselves, there is a problem.

I write in cursive, and i am not old. What are you saying about me??

Where in either of my previous posts did I even mention the phrase "old" in association with writing in cursive?

I was joking. (sarcasm doesn't work well in writing...who knew)

Just about everybody, if you do it badly. It's easy to do sarcasm well. If you aren't being too over the top with it, you just end it with a >.> or a and people get what you mean. If you are being extremely over the top (which you weren't), the sarcasm is also easy to recognize.

 

[SecretTacoNinja]

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

Seconded.

One of the factors may be slow typing as well, I can type pretty fast now so I can put in all the punctuation, but if you type really slow, have low finger dexterity or just aren't familiar with a keyboard it can take ages to type a sentance. But if we're talking just bad spelling than there's no excuse for that.

 

[Trace2010]

Oh, I'm sorry...I guess somebody thought that I was some old guy lamenting on the fact that we don't teach cursive anymore...I didn't really mean to make people feel bad because they weren't forced to sit in front of a Big Chief Tablet and recopy the BASIC PRINT BLOCK letters 300 times until they got it right. No, I understand that cursive has gone the way of calligraphy (used more as an art form than a means of personal correspondence) but when it's come to the point where school districts have to print a student's name on a standardized test entry blank because they know the students cannot do this by themselves, there is a problem.

I write in cursive, and i am not old. What are you saying about me??

Where in either of my previous posts did I even mention the phrase "old" in association with writing in cursive?

I was joking. (sarcasm doesn't work well in writing...who knew)

Just about everybody, if you do it badly. It's easy to do sarcasm well. If you aren't being too over the top with it, you just end it with a >.> or a and people get what you mean. If you are being extremely over the top (which you weren't), the sarcasm is also easy to recognize.

[Aside to ...sith] I am still pretty new at the game, too. Being a musician (and recognizing audio clues more than others on sarcasm) I will need to be a part of twice as many forums to recognize on sight. EDIT: Oh, one more thing...thanks for the tips!!



1) If you write like "crap" (as one person put it), I do not blame you, nor do I demean you as a person (you at least know HOW to write). It would be extremely stupid of me to do so. I have had to resist the urge to strangle elementary school teachers who would come up to me and say "Why do the students have to learn to write Arabic numerals? They now have the computer to do this for them!"

2) I am trying to establish the connection between the decline of genuine literacy taught in the elementary schools (especially WRITING and the fundamental ability to write) with the complaints posted in this thread. Obviously, spelling is definitely affected, but other aspects (grammar, punctuation) are affected indirectly. And word to the wise, unless its on a cell phone, try not to use the word "l8er".

3) I worry that too many students are willing to give up their ability to write down their ideas on a piece of paper.

4) To Hippo: This is why you try not to communicate with a significant other by e-mail (unless its established beforehand and you know eachother very well). I have been burned WAY TOO MANY times with my girlfriend 'cause she thought I was being serious.

 

[742]

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

that means its NOT IMPORTANT, name one thing typed with thumbs that was important

also anyone who uses the word "elitist" as a serious insult instantly loses all respect from me, that implies your a fucking idiot whos jealous of anyone who might possibly be better at anything than you are.

 

[smallharmlesskitten]

How many of you carry a notepad around? i find it helps with spelling any overall literacy.

 

[killerap85]

I don't mean to play the devils advocate here, but are none of you capable of interpreting "U" as "You"?

This thread gives off a very "Elitist" vibe.

Using your own language correctly makes you an elitist?

What exactly is wrong with being elite anyway? I was always under the impression that being the best that you can be was a GOOD thing...

no but looking down on others for poor spelling/grammer might be elitist

i think they meant patronizing or condescending

I think it is fair to say that elitist can be a synonim for this

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I think it is fair to say that elitist can be a synonim for this

Synonym.

And seriously, you can't be elitist for asking things to be spelled correctly. When did 'accuracy' become such a bad word?

Most of the dyslexics I know try their damn hardest to be accurate, it's often the lazy who just slap-dash words about.

Being correct is never a bad thing.

 

[killerap85]

What I find to be real funny about all of this is how language itself tends to develope based more on people misusing words and sentences than anyone who using them correctly. Just look at the history of the word "poor"

"Synonym."

thanks, you helped a lot


I spell phoneticly. /shrug People can get all uppity if they want. I confuse words like soul and sole. The only people I have found that are truly bothered about it are the self-righteous ones that would just find something else to get all uppity about. What other point is there to pointing out things so trivial if not to bolster your own ego?

"Being correct is never a bad thing."
It is if you are correcting the wrong person =)

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

What I find to be real funny about all of this is how language itself tends to develope based more on people misusing words and sentences than anyone who using them correctly. Just look at the history of the word "poor"

"Synonym."

thanks, you helped a lot

"Being correct is never a bad thing."

It is if you are correcting the wrong person =)

Now why is this post correctly punctuated when the last one wasn't? (curious)

And no-one's to say you have to be corrected.

 

[killerap85]

Does it matter? If it wasnt would U stop being a prick about it?

 

[killerap85]

Thats it? /thread?

People can stop running for their keyboards the grammer police have left the thread?

 

[Imitation Saccharin]

First, I must ask for consistency. Are you asking about speech or writing here?

It's language.
It is both.

Spelling things correctly helps you understand what the word means... as I have said.

Is-ought fallacy.

And I have also said "Phillip" wouldn't matter because it's just a name and names don't have any objective, non-trivial meaning.

I think you misunderstand what a "language" is.

That, or you deliberately take things out of context and twist them, as evidenced by you reasserting a point I had already addressed and you ignored.

Simply because you don't feel validated doesn't mean they haven't been addressed.

2. You don't actually know any of the rules of grammar.

My usage of said rules would seem to negate this point.

The only people who argue against structure are people who don't understand why it's necessary.

Or people who think the current structure is stupid.
But hey, I get what your saying.

Someone trying to fix a pointlessly difficult system MUST be an anarchist. There's no other option.

Republican conventions are well-known for their abundance of half-rules?

Remember all those people bringing up gays?

 

[Humbug]

To emphasise my point, I was abused the day before yesterday by my sister when she was complaining to her friend that when using predictive text on her phone it takes three key presses to get "u". I suggested, knowing exactly what I was going to get, "why not just write 'you'? It takes the same number of key presses." She said "but then you look like some gay ... texty person" then left me with "you just don't get it."

Oh, I get it. I think it's stupid too. Mostly when it carries through into a respectable place like the internet... I mean a respectable place like this.

 

[hypothetical fact]

Let's bump this grammar rant up a notch, I hate split infinitives!