"Textese" is Not Good and here's why...

[Cid Silverwing]

I viciously refuse the usage of this "textese" at all times, save for the extremely few number of people who speak my dialect. It's fucking retarded, it ruins people's literacy and it's fucking retarded (I simply have to point that out twice).

 

[CthulhuMessiah]

The only times I use Textese is when I'm texting someone and:
A)I can't fit it into the 140 character limit
B)When I need someone to read it RIGHT NOW and I have no time to put the extra letters in (my phone uses a keypad instead of a full keyboard).

 

[Lilani]

Anyway, I think as long as we don't lower our standards and expectations for formal writing, "textese" will not mar the English language as much as some people think it will.

That's the issue, though. As this sort of communication becomes more and more common, especially among teenagers and young adults, there is a certain expectation that certain shorthand SHOULD be allowed in formal writing, as I showed in my anecdote.

I'm with you that some people are more alarmist about it than they should be, and I'm not trying to be alarmist, but I do think that "textese" does more harm than good for the development of writing skills.

I see your point, but I think what it all comes down to is how much a person cares about knowing and using proper grammar. I mean, you can block a child off from improper grammar their entire childhood, but in the end when they are inevitably exposed to the "real world" they will pick up what they want here and there and decide on their own what they want to use. Some people are just predisposed to using simpler language than others, and some people care about mistakes more than others.

In school, they will learn proper grammar--or they should, anyway. And if their future careers, or their aspirations, or even just their curiosity require them to retain that knowledge (or even seek out more), then that is what they will do. If they aren't interested, they won't learn it.

Also, you act as though the use of proper grammar in common situations with young folk was running rampant before "textese." Have you heard children and teens talk amongst themselves before? It can be almost painful sometimes. Their little mistakes and made up uses for words run rampant like trends when they get out. And in the school situation, they're all packed in there together, allowing those grammatical fallacies to slowly cook into the deepest parts of their minds. These mistakes slowly becoming adopted as the "right" simply by repetition and peer pressure.

And in the end, the ones who learn and care enough will grow out of it. And those who don't will not. It's sad, but true. That is why you'll get a certain group of college students who still say things like "You times the numbers" and confuse the usages of there, their, and they're, and another group solely devoted to pointing out the mistakes of the former. Some people just don't give two shits. They'll keep making the mistakes regardless of how they learned them, simply because it doesn't matter to them.

 

[crudus]

It is just like cursing or guns. They have beneficial applications and we may use them if taught when it is appropriate. Remember when you would be punished for saying stupid shit like "shit" and "stupid". Now that we (most of us) and adults or young adults people seem to care less if we say it unless it is in a professional setting. "Textese" helps with communication skills, cursing helps manage pain, guns help catch food. We should be taught that you can't use "textese" on a job application, can't use cursing in a job interview, and shouldn't use guns in populated areas. Other than that textese is perfectly fine. Honestly, I can't wait for "textese" to be a dialect.

if you agree with the prevailing opinion on the site, anything goes.

History goes to the victor.

 

[Deacon Cole]

Do you allow your students to use contractions in their academic writings?

 

[remnant_phoenix]

Anyway, I think as long as we don't lower our standards and expectations for formal writing, "textese" will not mar the English language as much as some people think it will.

That's the issue, though. As this sort of communication becomes more and more common, especially among teenagers and young adults, there is a certain expectation that certain shorthand SHOULD be allowed in formal writing, as I showed in my anecdote.

I'm with you that some people are more alarmist about it than they should be, and I'm not trying to be alarmist, but I do think that "textese" does more harm than good for the development of writing skills.

I see your point, but I think what it all comes down to is how much a person cares about knowing and using proper grammar. I mean, you can block a child off from improper grammar their entire childhood, but in the end when they are inevitably exposed to the "real world" they will pick up what they want here and there and decide on their own what they want to use. Some people are just predisposed to using simpler language than others, and some people care about mistakes more than others.

In school, they will learn proper grammar--or they should, anyway. And if their future careers, or their aspirations, or even just their curiosity require them to retain that knowledge (or even seek out more), then that is what they will do. If they aren't interested, they won't learn it.

Also, you act as though the use of proper grammar in common situations with young folk was running rampant before "textese." Have you heard children and teens talk amongst themselves before? It can be almost painful sometimes. Their little mistakes and made up uses for words run rampant like trends when they get out. And in the school situation, they're all packed in there together, allowing those grammatical fallacies to slowly cook into the deepest parts of their minds. These mistakes slowly becoming adopted as the "right" simply by repetition and peer pressure.

And in the end, the ones who learn and care enough will grow out of it. And those who don't will not. It's sad, but true. That is why you'll get a certain group of college students who still say things like "You times the numbers" and confuse the usages of there, their, and they're, and another group solely devoted to pointing out the mistakes of the former. Some people just don't give two shits. They'll keep making the mistakes regardless of how they learned them, simply because it doesn't matter to them.

Now there's a good point.

I've argued that most of human behavior comes down to value systems, what a person values as compared to what they don't.

I value the "how" that is being communicated just as much as I value the "what" that is being communicated, thus I get frustrated at people with the attitude: "Why does the 'how' matter?"

Some people value the "what" more. They'll simplify language wherever possible and not bat an eye.

Some people value the "how" more and these are your grammar nazis.

 

[EternalFacepalm]

Sure, you can get away with that sort of thing if your *AHEM* someone like House, so good at what you do that it doesn't matter if you're unkempt (and I doubt that this sort of thing ever even happens in the real world). However, for most people, if you're going to be taken seriously at whatever job you work, you need a professional appearance that suits that job.

I'm sorry, but please tell me you did that on purpose. Please.

OT: Textese is obviously not good, and the two articles saying it was, were wrong. It's really as simple as that.
Hell, I have trouble deciphering it, and when I attempt to do so, it gives me a major headache. So for me, the "it doesn't matter how it's spelt, as long as you understand it"-argument really doesn't work; I guess that's subjective, though.