If smilies offend so much

Hmmmm,

I have divided views. On the one hand it seems to be part of the general decline in standards (on various fronts), on the other hand, the increasing trend towards more shorthand use of the language has been going on for centuries - it may just be accelerating at the moment due to the proliferation of mobile communications and the internet...

I speak to my Nephew on Skype (an excellent programme) and he says 'kl', i.e, cool. Cool only has 4 letters, does it really need abbreviating?? good grief...

Phil

Txt spk has its merits when used to send SMS (ie: Short Message Service) messages with a maximum of 160 characters per message costing 10 or 12p each.

Even so, given that I never go over my £10 monthly allowance for messaging I frequently send longer messages in two parts using fully and correctly-spelt words and punctuation including appropriate spacing.

There is never an excuse to use such short hand in emails or Instant Messaging unless you are some kind of illiterate chav or one of their apologists.

Sorry if I'm beginning to sound like Mick...

Nah. I thought you were beginning to sound like Steve.

Nime.
I suddenly feel someone (but not the both of us) has moved to an alternative dimension!

Ah, now I must side with the snobs - I HATE textish! A smilie is funny, textish is twaddle.

EW

I thought this was interesting

Is txt mightier than the word?

Spock

Faced with unnecessarily long words and place names, may be the writing is on the wall!

I don't particularily like txt spk but faced with something like Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyllllantysiliogogogoch you have to wonder if some of our language is outdated and could benefit from some revision.

Gr8

Spock

It's not every day you need to come across Klanvejrwotsit.

Volvo dealer, a crafts centre, a few cahnsil azzez and bugger all else.

I dont really see what the problem is, as long as it is only recognised as another form of shorthand, which as far as I can tell it is. Shorthand has been around since ancient Greece (Socrates memoirs were written in shorthand), Latin shorthand was invented in 63BC and lasted over 1000 years. In the middle ages it was associated with witchcraft and all but dissapeared until Thomas Becket later became interested in Tiro`s (Latin) system. Pitman and Gregg have been around since the mid 19th century and for those with a literary objection, remember that Sam Pepys diary was written in Shorthand, as were George Bernard Shaws plays.
Time for another form to suit current social conditions....why not?

Factoids from Encyclopaeda Britannica.

WLBgRmeIydnoIdr!

quote:

I don't particularily like txt spk but faced with something like Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyllllantysiliogogogoch you have to wonder if some of our language is outdated and could benefit from some revision.

"St Mary's Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel near a Rapid Whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the Red Cave" is a rough translation of this famous Anglesey town's name. In fact this is perhaps an extreme example of how a lot of the village, town and city names in the british isles were derived. I am not sure how you could revise this and still be faithfull to the heritage embedded in it. Maybe something we should not be too quick to loose.

I don't mind txtspk in context i.e. in a text message to my phone but I seriously object when it appears on message boards, in emails, or even worse, in emails in work.


bahmbg

I think we forget how much of what we use on a daily basis is already abbreviated. How about abbreviations like eg, etc, I`m, don`t, wouldn´t. Also, phone rather than telephone, e mail rather than electronic mail, pram for perambulator, car for motorcar, fridge for refrigerator. What about names? Tom, Geoff, Phil, Steve, from this thread only.
Just curious as to how those that object differentiate between acceptable and not acceptable?

quote:

Originally posted by Merto:
I think we forget how much of what we use on a daily basis is already abbreviated. How about abbreviations like eg, etc, I`m, don`t, wouldn´t. Also, phone rather than telephone, e mail rather than electronic mail, pram for perambulator, car for motorcar, fridge for refrigerator. What about names? Tom, Geoff, Phil, Steve, from this thread only.
Just curious as to how those that object differentiate between acceptable and not acceptable?

Easy. If I don't like it, it's not acceptable!

If I do not like it it is not acceptable... thx

If you don't like it then don't use it. If you enjoy using it then fine carry on, whats the fuss?

PB

By the same token I could say if you do not like the look of grafitti, look the other way.

The reality is that by splashing smilees everywhere you are akin to some chav splashing tatty images throughout a decent forum.

Regards

Mick

OH YEAH!



Can I claim my £350 prize please, Mick?

Some see grafitti as art and some see it as a nuisance, who's right, who's wrong?

Neither, I believe in each to his own and live and let live.

You and I have a fundamental difference in opinion Mick. I can live with that, why can't you?

Regards

PB

Because you inflict your tat on me like a smoker inflicts his stink on everyone.

Mick,

Humbug.

You don't inflict anything on anyone, 'cos they don't 'have' to log into this forum and they don't 'have' to look at this post. Smoking is different to that, and the comparison is a dud, dude...

Andy

So if I don't like them I can stay away, Ok I will go.

Bye

Cheer up lads, Mick will be back soon.

I can choose to walk into this forum, so to speak...

I have no choice when I walk round a corner into someone's 2nd hand smoke, do I?

Your pub addage is, of course, quite right IMO. I do have a choice whether to go in or not. The diff is I make that choice, don't I?

I also have a choice when reading summat whether to reply to it. I would not go so far as to say I 'hate' or 'detest' something written on a forum - too strong, and there are more important things in life.

Mick, No offence meant. I was just giving you an example of the fact that we sometimes have a choice in some things, sometimes we don't.

More important to me is the use of foul language... now I hear that at work, so I don't want to read it on here...

Mike,

Andy's right.

Smileys are an irritant for you, I get that, but they are not a health risk, unlike passive smoking, to which I personally have been subjected and detest utterly.

And don't worry, Mick WILL be back - the only way he won't be is if he's banned!

Cheers,

Jon