# Text speak?



## chrismbee (Mar 24, 2011)

Kids have recently started _saying _LOL, in response to something that tickles their fancy.

As a fan of the English language, I personally find this a sorry development 

What other, teenage corruptions have you experienced?


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## Royston46 (Mar 24, 2011)

what does LOL mean ?


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## chrismbee (Mar 24, 2011)

Laugh Out Loud


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## Steff (Mar 24, 2011)

lol.laugh out loud Royston

Oh i consider myself slapped on the legs cause i use it all the time


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## Robster65 (Mar 24, 2011)

"My bad"  = I am responsible for that error/accident/faux pas, but to be honest, I don't really care so deal with it.

Rob


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## Steff (Mar 24, 2011)

Robster65 said:


> "My bad"  = I am responsible for that error/accident/faux pas, but to be honest, I don't really care so deal with it.
> 
> Rob



here here !


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## Caroline (Mar 24, 2011)

Having been taught to write in sentences and use the full word text speak annoys me.

I know language is develeoping and evolving all the time, and txt spk is another language developed because you can only use so many charecters in a txt mssg. Well that and part of me is frustrated at not being able to text on my current mobile!


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## novorapidboi26 (Mar 24, 2011)

Not even teenagers, but my nieces and nephews (8-10yr old) all use language online (MSN) which frankly I don't understand, mostly 10 letter long acronyms. This coming from a fairly up to speed guy in terms of technology etc,......


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## Royston46 (Mar 24, 2011)

Thanks for the confirmation, I will LOL more often !!!!


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## chrismbee (Mar 24, 2011)

Caroline said:


> Having been taught to write in sentences and use the full word text speak annoys me.
> 
> I know language is develeoping and evolving all the time, and txt spk is another language developed because you can only use so many charecters in a txt mssg. Well that and part of me is frustrated at not being able to text on my current mobile!



But this is entirely my point!
LOL is a handy abbreviation, to minimise the no. of characters used in a text.
I can't see an excuse for it to migrate to the spoken word, though


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## novorapidboi26 (Mar 24, 2011)

Caroline said:


> Having been taught to write in sentences and use the full word text speak annoys me.
> 
> I know language is develeoping and evolving all the time, and txt spk is another language developed because you can only use so many charecters in a txt mssg. Well that and part of me is frustrated at not being able to text on my current mobile!



You need a new phone then...........*LOL*......

Most phones today let you write as much as you want, I personally love punctuating my texts, my bad habit is the continuous line of full stops.................see........


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## Caroline (Mar 24, 2011)

novorapidboi26 said:


> You need a new phone then...........*LOL*......
> 
> Most phones today let you write as much as you want, I personally love punctuating my texts, my bad habit is the continuous line of full stops.................see........



Plenty of phones to choose from out there too.


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## chrismbee (Mar 24, 2011)

AYB (ah, yeah but) each text is still limited in terms of no. of characters.
More texts = more money (unless you've got one of those tarifs with unlimited SMS, in which case you should be speaking proper-like


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## novorapidboi26 (Mar 24, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> AYB (ah, yeah but) each text is still limited in terms of no. of characters.
> More texts = more money (unless you've got one of those tarifs with unlimited SMS, in which case you should be speaking proper-like



Absolutely right.............


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## AlisonM (Mar 24, 2011)

I sense a another list of acronyms coming on!

ROFLMAO


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 24, 2011)

AlisonM said:


> I sense a another list of acronyms coming on!
> 
> ROFLMAO



LOLOL ......


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 24, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> Kids have recently started _saying _LOL, in response to something that tickles their fancy.
> 
> As a fan of the English language, I personally find this a sorry development



Shouldn't that be "the English Language" ( Proper Noun)


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## chrismbee (Mar 24, 2011)

mcdonagh47 said:


> Shouldn't that be "the English Language" ( Proper Noun)



Not sure you could class "language" as a proper noun - will investigate


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## everydayupsanddowns (Mar 24, 2011)

AlisonM said:


> I sense a another list of acronyms coming on!
> 
> ROFLMAO



Bill Bailey 'Dandelion Mind' (other comedy DVD's are available):
ROTFLWSST (rolling on the floor laughing while somehow *still typing!*)


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## chrismbee (Mar 24, 2011)

mcdonagh47 said:


> Shouldn't that be "the English Language" ( Proper Noun)





chrismbee said:


> Not sure you could class "language" as a proper noun - will investigate



Couldn't find a definitive answer, but the OED repeatedly refers to "the English langauge" ie. using _langauge _as a noun.

see http://oxforddictionaries.com/page/asktheexperts
for an example.

Good question though .....


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## chrismbee (Mar 24, 2011)

Kids use OMG a lot, as in O - M - G.


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## Steff (Mar 24, 2011)

Each to there own get with it! we are not in the 1930s now


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## ypauly (Mar 24, 2011)

wots wiv u peeps i fink ur tripin if u fink im gonna type dat cr*p in ful dis is proper inglish we jus keepin it real ur mekin a fus of nuffin innit chillax blud!







P.S where did I leave my burberry cap?


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 24, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> Couldn't find a definitive answer, but the OED repeatedly refers to "the English langauge" ie. using _langauge _as a noun.
> 
> see http://oxforddictionaries.com/page/asktheexperts
> for an example.
> ...



I reckon its a Compound Proper Noun - a noun in two (or more) parts where the first word is capitalised by definition -    New York, National Health Service, Town Council.
And the definite article ("the") makes it a highly specific reference to particular language.
But it might also be used with a small l when English is being used as an adjective to describe any old language i.e the language of the English 
And I have just seen a website about the History of the English Language where they toggle back and forth between using the phrase as a common noun and a proper noun !!!!


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## novorapidboi26 (Mar 24, 2011)

ypauly said:


> wots wiv u peeps i fink ur tripin if u fink im gonna type dat cr*p in ful dis is proper inglish we jus keepin it real ur mekin a fus of nuffin innit chillax blud!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Magnificent......


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## Caroline (Mar 24, 2011)

ypauly said:


> wots wiv u peeps i fink ur tripin if u fink im gonna type dat cr*p in ful dis is proper inglish we jus keepin it real ur mekin a fus of nuffin innit chillax blud!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I think part of it is an age thing too. English is constantly evolving and it varies from are to area too. BBC English is understood but not spoken by all.


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## caffeine_demon (Mar 24, 2011)

zomgwtflolwut!

incidentally - what does the Z in ZOMG stand for?


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## Sheilagh1958 (Mar 24, 2011)

I love my text speak but there is a time and a place for it my daughter is a teacher and some of the letters she gets from parents are written in text speak


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## teapot8910 (Mar 24, 2011)

When I was at school one of the teachers said they had to mark an exam which was completely in text speak 

ROFL


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## Witchy Mum (Mar 24, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> But this is entirely my point!
> LOL is a handy abbreviation, to minimise the no. of characters used in a text.
> I can't see an excuse for it to migrate to the spoken word, though



Call me old fashioned but I HATE text speak, my kids usually have to translate for me!!  I try to avoid it and stay stuck in my lovely mud!


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## Klocky (Mar 25, 2011)

ypauly said:


> P.S where did I leave my burberry cap?



I think Steffie borrowed it ROFLMAO


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## Klocky (Mar 25, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> But this is entirely my point!
> LOL is a handy abbreviation, to minimise the no. of characters used in a text.
> I can't see an excuse for it to migrate to the spoken word, though



But surely that is how language evolves - something comes into common usage and thus becomes part of the language?


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## katie (Mar 25, 2011)

Steff. I think chrismbee meant kids who actually say 'lawl' out loud. My little brother does quite alot haha. (I say little, he's 20).

O.M.G annoys me out loud! I type 'omg', but I read it as 'oh my god'.


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## chrismbee (Mar 25, 2011)

Aww, fanks katie - wuz beginning to fink I wuz a crusty .....


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## ypauly (Mar 25, 2011)

novorapidboi26 said:


> Magnificent......


Thank you  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Thank you  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  and once again I thank you


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## Steff (Mar 25, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> Aww, fanks katie - wuz beginning to fink I wuz a crusty .....



thanks Katie for clearing that up x

Klocky how dare you associate me with burberry im a lascoste gal


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## squidge63 (Mar 25, 2011)

I cannot stand text speak even when texting and I do sometimes use it. I despair when I read some status updates on Facebook, the spelling is atrocious and some of these are from people at school who have got A and A* grades at English GCSE.

I have found that I use LOL a lot or lmao and rofl. I just hope that common sense prevails and we get back to using the Queen's English.

On a lighter note I saw this on Facebook today and it is funny....

SENIORS TEXTING CODE : ... 

*ATD*..At The Doctors. 
*BFF*..Best Friend Fell. 
*BTW*..Bring the Wheelchair. 
*BYOT*..Bring Your Own Teeth. 
*FWIW*..Forgot Where I Was. 
*GGPBL*..Gotta Go Pacemaker Battery Low. 
*GHA*..Got Heartburn Again. 
*IMHO*..Is My Hearing-Aid On.
*LMDO*..Laughing My Dentures Out. 
*OMMR*..On My Massage Recliner. 
*OMSG* ..Oh My! Sorry, Gas. 
*ROFLACGU*....Rolling On Floor Laughing And Can't Get Up. 
*TTYL*..Talk To You Louder


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## margie (Mar 25, 2011)

Text speak in the OED   as reported in the Guardian.


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## Estellaa (Mar 27, 2011)

i must say that i am a teenager and i do not use the text speak although i will occasionally use the:
OMG
LOL
LMAO
LMFAO
FML
FTW
and you will see me use HAHA all the time 
but i hate that text speak, i don't understand how people can consistently use it :/


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## Northerner (Mar 27, 2011)

Estellaa said:


> i must say that i am a teenager and i do not use the text speak although i will occasionally use the:
> OMG
> LOL
> LMAO
> ...



That's very refreshing to hear Estella, now I don't feel so bad (or so old!) for hating it!


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## Klocky (Mar 28, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> Aww, fanks katie - wuz beginning to fink I wuz a crusty .....



Bless, you are a krusty xx


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## AlisonM (Mar 28, 2011)

I can tolerate it, though I rarely use it. I got used to an early version back in the dark ages when it was leetspeak on the computer. Of course, the problem has existed for many years, it first showed up as 'telegraphese' used by folk who were sending telegrams to save money. Those of us who are old enough may recall that you paid for your message by the letter so word contractions became common. The complaints then were just as vociferous.


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## Copepod (Mar 28, 2011)

My partner, his parents and then girlfriend have all told me about when he worked in Antarctica for 2.5 years, with only 100 words per month in each direction, by telex - so they had to think of efficient use of words, plus that all 4 would see the messages. Some challenge, I think! Unlimited email, plus Facebook etc makes life now so much easier, apart from still missing each other.


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## Liz! (Mar 28, 2011)

Oh, come off it! The wonderful thing about language is that it DOES evolve! It has to evolve, to encompass everything that is new and exciting about life. 

Our language is so varied, colourful, expressive, and full of shades of meaning because we have encompassed words from every language we have come into contact with, unlike the French for example. They have 10,000 words in their whole language, or thereabouts. We have 171,000 in current use.

Shakespeare invented 2,000 words. Would you have been in the audience complaining he was ruining the English language? Without him there would be no 'summit' for our ambitions, no 'barefaced' liars, there would be nothing to 'aggravate' you, and you certainly couldn't be 'critical'.

LOL is a brilliant way of expressing amusement, and it feels good in the mouth. I think it's here to stay.


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## Andy HB (Mar 29, 2011)

Liz! said:


> LOL is a brilliant way of expressing amusement, and it feels good in the mouth. I think it's here to stay.



I agree that english should be allowed to evolve. The French made a huge mistake trying to wrap theirs in cotton wool.

But someone saying LOL, rather than just laughing is akin to them saying "I'm laughing" when amused. Seems a bit odd and contrived to me. Hurrumph!


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## Steff (Mar 29, 2011)

Here here Liz well put


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## Liz! (Mar 29, 2011)

Andy HB said:


> But someone saying LOL, rather than just laughing is akin to them saying "I'm laughing" when amused. Seems a bit odd and contrived to me. Hurrumph!



But it's usually used by teenagers, who traditionally would rather never be seen being amused by anything which involves sharing with the older generation - if saying LOL allows them to communicate a certain amount of pleasure/amusement then all power to it is what I say! Obviously it is an acronym for Laugh Out Loud - but that meaning will pass - has passed, into it being a just an expression of amusement.


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## Copepod (Mar 29, 2011)

That's happened in the past eg Port Out Starboard Home (cooler cabins on voyages between Europe and Far East) may (only may) be the origin of "posh". 
I also love using different words for mountain features depending on whether I'm in Wales or Scotland or England or Pyrenees or Alps or Scandinavia etc.


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## Ellie Jones (Mar 29, 2011)

Even though I enjoy listening to an debate of the written English language, I do find that it?s a form of snobbery and frequently used to belittle others?  Written language is a way of communicating with others, as long as the others can understand what is being communicated it really doesn?t matter whether a spilt definitive been used or not!

What does matter is  etiquette side of things

Such as you don?t use Txt language for a formal letter.

You don?t use txt within a forum, unless it?s a specific acronym such as OMG, LOL to express an emotion..

Txt speak should only be used in texting via mobile phones or MSN where space and how you type your message using a phone key pad makes it a lot easier and quicker to write your information..

Strangely I use very few txt words even when texting, the same with my children they don?t use the full array of txt words, the odd one or two such as the LOL, 4 and 2 etc.  

And who can spot the fragment Error?

I typed this using Word and there is a fragment showing!


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## Liz! (Mar 29, 2011)

Split infinitive


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## Ellie Jones (Mar 29, 2011)

Liz

But which sentence?

But even if I did reword the sentence involved to avoid a split infinitive, it would still say the exactly the same just with different words!

But the English has evolved and there's no reason why it shouldn't continue to do so...   

I've got a conveyance document dated 1814, as you can imagine the written english language was much different in those days both in how it was worded and how words were spelt, along side words that are no longer used in modern english language or have a different meaning!  The document is huge around 65 cm long and 80cm wide parchment detailing the sale of a plot of land in Islington know as Felix place, or should I save as they spelt it then FFelix Place!


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## Liz! (Mar 29, 2011)

I wasn't commenting on your grammar, just the fact you said, 'split definitive' I was just pointing out it's a split 'infinitive'!


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## Liz! (Mar 29, 2011)

Spelling has only comparatively recently become fixed, Shakepeare and contemporary writers spelled the same word all manner of ways - including, in Shakespeare's case, his own name.


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## PhilT (Mar 30, 2011)

I think text speak is fine when used for texting or in MMORPG's (Massively multi-player online role playing games) where it is prolific, but to use when writting letters etc is just wrong as it is just a form of slang.

I use a lot of cockney rhyming slang when I talk about certain things but wouldn't dream of writting it in a letter! 

And as for schools allowing it's use in essays and exams etc. I think it's wrong. Kids should learn to write and spell in 'proper' English before they use slang. Most people use regional slang for things but I'm sure the vast majority can write and spell in 'proper' English as well.


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