Deciphering Textspeak – Who Uses it in Home, and Why?
by Dlyrius, in a guest contribution to HSM
Language has changed a lot since it began with cave drawings thousands of years ago. But I honestly believe that since texting was invented, things have taken a downward spiral. In fact, I’ve actually begun to wonder if English isn’t turning into “Nglsh.”
Now don’t get me wrong – I am quite fluent in typo and I do abbreviate to economize space when communicating online or over my cell phone. After all, I was chatting online when “LOL” was invented — and actually meant “laughing out loud” — but come on, people!
I am the first to admit I’m extremely guilty of skipping punctuation and capitalization when I am chatting online out of pure laziness. You have no idea how many times on this article I stopped just to go back and insert a capital letter here or an apostrophe there. But this problem is leaking into the professional world. I witnessed a bad typo on a television commercial for a law office offering help to those “filling” for bankruptcy. Yes, you read that right, FILLING. I was so shocked, I actually paused the Tivo and took a picture of the commercial just in case I felt like sending it into David Letterman.
I’m not sure if it’s a decline in the standards of education these days, a lack of interest, or if it’s just purely for convenience for the typists on PlayStation Home. It is no surprise to see things like “koo wot hv u bn up2” used on a regular basis. I understand that not everyone has a keyboard like I do, and abbreviations make the conversations go faster, but please — just how hard is it to add a vowel now and then? Unlike my days in school, keyboarding is a regular course nowadays, isn’t it? Do they still teach spelling in school?
It all really reminds me of when one of my friends would fall asleep on IRC (internet relay chat), and go face first into the keyboard spewing out a random paragraph of nonsense that would never fail to send the rest of us into fits of literal ROFLMAO! We knew what had happened, and that it was accidental, but it seems that today’s folks are doing it on purpose. I honestly can’t say if it’s all purely to save time, to look cool, to fit in with the crowd, or perhaps to even hide a case of illiteracy.
So, being the curious critter I am, I decided to attempt to find out from some of the folks using this language of acrotextism, and yes, for the record, I just made that word up. Let’s see if they can shed any light on my confusion and maybe even alleviate some of my growing concerns about the state of the world today. After all, these people will be the ones running our government in ten to twenty years, and I really don’t think my GPS will be able to find the wlfr ofc ovr n da stat crib (that is “welfare office is over in the state building” to the rest of us uncool folks).
The random interview process began at the hub with only one person refusing to comment. The age ranges of fell between twenty and fifty. While the responses where fairly predictable, there were a couple of responses I hadn’t considered. Surprisingly, I was unable to locate a single fam member to interview. This was the group I was most interested in, since they seem to have a language all their own. For that I must apologize; hopefully at some point in the future, I will be able to do a second article on this subject and use their comments as well. So for now, let’s continue and break this down by question.
Question 1. Do you feel you have a good grasp of spelling and grammar?
Overall responses were about 50-50 on this. Most felt they needed improvement with spelling and grammar, but had enough knowledge to get by.
"You need to (type fast) on the blackjack table so you don't get kicked."
Question 2. What is the biggest reason you use abbreviations and acronyms while chatting on Home?
Majority response – because it’s faster. The reasons behind this varied between not owning a keyboard, and lag. However the very best response I got came from l3linder at the hub who said, “… you need to on the blackjack table so you don’t get kicked.”
Gotta love that, eh?
Question 3. Do you ever get confused by what is typed?
Most said they usually had no difficulties in deciphering what was being typed around them. However, maryse-is_cool, a law student from UK said, “Yes, especially for foreign people. They struggle to understand what you are trying to say and vice versa.”
l3linder came up with a unique comment worth quoting. He said, “Sometimes the speech on here is like playing Cogs: you have to piece it together.”
I don’t think I could have said it better myself.
Question 4. Why do you feel people use these shortcuts?
"...I think guys use it to get a full sentence in before a girl runs away."
The biggest reply to this was, “to talk faster and shorten sentences.” I hadn’t considered the text limit on sentences as a factor because I type so fast. So many thanks to mztru1, LADYTREXY69, andBUGGZ_BUNNIES for reminded me of this well known fact.
Also thanks again l3linder for bring up another point not considered when he said, “… I think guys use it to get a full sentence in before a girl runs away.”
Question 5. Do you ever form an opinion (good or bad) about someone because of the way they talk online?
This question conjured up many responses and opinions. We all form opinions of others, even judge them to some extent by how they present themselves physically and verbally on Home. While using abbreviations and acronyms didn’t really seem to matter to most folks, the use of profanity did. Any time they saw asterisks they were immediately put off. Granted the censorship doesn’t just bleep out cuss words, it also tends to include things like Assassin’s Creed. Fortunately, most of us are able to determine when someone is dropping the F bomb.
Question 6. Do you feel age or education has anything to do with how people chat on Home?
The overwhelming response to this was “Yes,” and the answer was age. Most felt that education had little or nothing to do with how people chat on Home. When I inquired if what they saw being used on Home made them question a user’s lack of education overall, the answers were split down the middle. It seems a perceived user maturity is the base used when forming such opinions. A more mature user tends to use full sentences and words instead of opting for the shortcuts, but it is rare we see any punctuation unless it is being used in an emoticon form.
While talking without using many vowels seems odd to some, it is considered to be a normal and highly effective way of communicating within the limitations on Home. How this online age will continue to shape the English language remains, inevitably, to be seen.
February 28th, 2012 by Dlyrius | 31 comments
Dlyrius, a native Oregonian, has been an internet chat addict since the days of the old BBS services.
Gud wurds Dlyrius, lol.
Sorry I couldn’t help myself. I too believe the age of the user factors in to all of this, but I also think it is lack of keyboards that are the real culprit in many cases. There are a lot of people who don’t have the patience to sit while someone struggles to finish a sentence with a text box, so they have found ways to shorten it up.
I am not the worlds greatest typist so when it comes to Home I too shorten things occasionally and I prefer a mic whenever I can use one. My friends all know this so they cut me some slack when I shorthand things a bit.
Great first article.
LOL thx Burbie
So first of all, Dlyrius I would like to thank you for a great article. I for a long time have said that the short cuts we use for online chat or text messages have pretty much degraded the language.
I have several problems with not only why or how they are used, but also their failure to even be a proper acronym anymore.
I understand, as you pointed out that not everyone has a keyboard. Fine. And one thing that must be considered is that up until the mainstream of the internet, and by extention text messaging, instant communication was completely audio. Either face to face, or over the phone. If there was type involved, then there was no rush as it was snail mail or some other form of written correspondance. Now we can chat instantly in text form, which means that we are expected to spit out our thoughts pretty much as fast as verbal, but have to type it out. This makes it pretty much a given that we find some shortcuts for common expressions in order to make it flow a little better. That said, they should be limited and still proper acronyms. LOL is laugh out loud as we all know, ok gotcha the letter match. HRU is how are you, wait what? If done properly, then its acronym is HAY. But wait a minute, hay is already just hay; a greeting we can all recongnize.
So now we just throw out the rules and make up our own to suit the purpose?
My real beef is how many people who have used this since they learned the language (yes I am talking about young poeple) only know the short cuts, without knowing the proper language. A movie that shows the scarry end consequence of this past is Mike Judge’s “Idiocracy”. If you have not seen it, after reading this article go on Netflix and watch it. It will open your eyes to a scary future.
Anyway, just some food for thought there everyone. Hope this supplements your awesome article a bit there D.
Oh and BTW (see what I did there, I used one HAHA), if you were to ask me about vocabulary and grammar I know for a fact I am above average for my age group, however I don’t consider myself an expert, but rather the bar is being set lower and lower with every generation.
“IDIOCRATY”^^ a must have! i really love this movie!
to answer to the subject, i often use “sms language”, the lone reason is than i havent a keyboard,and i dont appreciate to type on a keyboard on home, why? because im not a good typer, i have to watch the keys and spend my time on home a key board on my knees and the eyes locked on isnt my cup of tea, i use compromise between correct english and fast answer to the persons who talk to me!
I love Idiocracy, especially the beginning bit that depicts how evolution does not favor what is best.
Thank you so much! I have to agree with you.. everyone does seem to be making it up as they go along. Kinda makes you wonder how long it will take us to revert back to caveman grunts doesn’t it
oogah boogah… uuunngh
this got me curious so i went to netlingo.com on a whim. after i finished ROFLMAO i jotted down a few id like to remember : HIOOC-Help Im Out Of Coffee , DWWWI -- surfing the web while intoxicated , BHIMBGO -- Bloody Hell I Must Be Getting Old , and my new favorite , ROR -- scooby-do for Raff Out Roud …….SMH
LOL Sparky, you realize now I have to go check that out too.. as if I needed (or wanted) to know more hehehehe
My husband and I have one we use all the time: DWE (Driving While Elderly).
Why the police don’t do random spot checks for people doing that is a mystery.
OMG NGLSH ROFL N1
The vast majority probably use short notation texting in order to save time typing, whether they have a keyboard or not. At times, I am away from my wired keyboard and I know how it can been to try and keep up in a conversion using only the controller for text input. So I can relate to someone trying to get something said before things move on to something else and you are left behind.
I would agree that age makes a difference, but not education. Most people on Home are educated enough to spell correctly most of the time.
There are others that I think use spelling alternatives as style rather than for speed; for example replacing s’s with z’s. I see frequently people use alternate spellings that are just as long as the correct spelling. Others try to talk ‘gangsta’ talk or some other such variation on the language. This is like nails on chalkboard for me, but to each its own. Unfortunately, in many cases of texting variations, I am left scratching my head and wondering what was just said.
Very nice first article. I hope to read more of your writing.
What scares me is how often I understand what has just been said: “u gt fb?” for “Do you have a Facebook account?”, for instance.
we have to notice than the auto-censor dont help us to write in a correct manner,if a word have some letters like azz(^^) it is censored, so in numerous case , sony
force us to make mistakes!^^
Thanks 4 drcting me 2 yr article, Dlyrius! Yes, I admit that textspeak has been an interesting challenge for me as I’ve entered the Home world and have been trying to keep up with communicating via thumb. And yes, I’m also constantly having to recheck my “actual” writing to make sure this new lingo isn’t ruining what years (and YEARS) of schooling attempted to install in my tiny brain.
Honestly, I have come across people who I have a hard time understanding, but it’s mostly due to poor spelling and grammar rather than intentional textspeak (I get pretty confused when “where” and “were” are mixed up).
But, as a Canadian, it drives me crazy when someone switches to the mic. I really do have a hard time understanding American accents… and I’m not trying to insult anybody. I just wish people would be more understanding about the audio limitations of the microphones out there and realize that, when combined with an accent that is a little unfamiliar to the listener, makes communication pointless. It would be nice if people would at least ask if it’s OK to switch to mic rather than just barrage me with a cacophony of confusion. I’m sure it would be the same if I were communicating with someone from England or Australia, but I run into the American accent problem more because I’m on the North American server and, naturally, meet mostly Americans. So, as a note to anyone who switches to mic to make communication easier, I’d advise them to check with the person they’re talking to first to avoid what has been, at least for me, inevitable confusion!
I lived in Canada for over four years, never once did I have problems being understood, or vice versa. Except for people coming from Quebec or Newfoundland, but it’s well-known those provinces are a bit… odd.
True enough Terra, pretty much the rest of the Country has a few jokes in their pocket about the people from both provinces.
Thank you Orion, second one is in the works as we speak
SealWyf: I totally know what you are saying, funny how the mind just deciphers automatically for us
Sorrow: that is an issue on home, however my many years on IRC where there is no censorship proved that substitutions like that are common. besides, i kinda like the way lolz looks over lols
Hey D! Nice job on your first article with H.S.M.. Very interesting and takes me back to “the days.” At my age so many younger people in Home are gobsmacked that older generations are even in Home; much less able to keep up with them in our walker’s. LOL They don’t get that some previous generation had to have existed in order to “invent” the Web, social media and everything else that implies. Nice job!
Hi Dlyrius,
In response to your article. It is excellent by the way. I think i’ll respond how i always type. i like 2 abr. some words, and spell out others. i like puncuation, and 4 the most part am good at spelling, i almost nvr capitalize my name or i, as i am not wantin 2b somethin above others. Oh, and as 4 when i talk to a ((NOOB or OUT OF TOWNER, aka FOREIGNER))i spell out everything for their benefit. 1 last thing, i’m not above cuttin corners 2b coo 4 the ladies, l8rs.
I don’t use text-speak, I’m just a terrible typer and it amazes me that people usually know what I’m talking about because I sometimes surely don’t.
When it comes to text-speak unless it’s simple I don’t usually understand it which can lead to some interesting conversations. I don’t have a clue and they don’t have a clue on what is being said.
I wonder how many people make believe that they understand what the other is saying. Reminds me a little of listening to a politician talk, that’s what it does.
Hi Dyl,
Your write up was thought-provoking. One perspective may be as the world becomes smaller due to online communication, the priority of standardized english takes a back seat when the audience is comprised of persons where english is not their primary language? Couple that with a new decade where most of the time communicating is via “144 characters or less” has become endemic. Is the communication de rigueur becoming svelt, terse, truncated, or Neanderthal? ‘IDK’? (couldn’t resist) Keep in mind, there are courses that teach you to write in business at the 3rd grade level and to never communicate beyond the 11th grade level to reach a broader audience and that was 20 years ago. I wonder what the guideline is today? Yes, some of the art and standards are lost but bridges are being built and gaps are disappearing which is a good thing. One could say American English is butchering the Queen’s English. History repeats itself.
Well said Duff
One may ponder about all of this one simple but undeniable fact. And that is in this age of technology, with so many forms of and ways in which to communicate, does anyone really have anything important to say anymore? Or has it all degrated to superficial and superflous conversation, in which no one comes out having learned anything of value? Does it need to degrade further before the masses decide to revolt and make what we say have purpose and meaning? Will the language devolve into something that is a hybrid of our language now and devolved lazy form of itself?
Ok so maybe that is more than one thing to ponder, but I don’t think I am wrong in asking these questions. What does everyone else think?
Ro, may I suggest you read this: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/6868/
I can’t say it will give you answers, but if I’m reading what you’re saying correctly, you may find of great interest.
CONGRATS, on first article!!!!. Can’t wait to see what u write about next..ciao
Thanks so much Mnemonth, it’s been a lot of fun and you will see more in the future that I hope everyone enjoys as well
i want 2 add 2 things 2 this article about y could some1 uses abbreviations & notations. 1st- some famous social networking websites like twitter has a limit of 140 letters n each tweet. 2nd- non-english speakers may use these abbreviations 2 avoid spelling mistakes. 4 xample, they may say “cmpny” instead of “company”. as non-english speakers or english new learners could face some difficulties choosing the suitable letters.
I have to admit.. I type in HOME in the same way I am used to..
Even in Arabic.. I always typed full sentences with punctuations..
I think this is how my brain is wired..
But my English texting is plagued with typos and Arabos.. broken idioms.. spelling hazards.. words holocaust.. I try my best..
But I never go for the shortcuts.. too risky.. my biggest worry in HOME is misunderstanding and/or misinterpretation..
Sometimes if the word is too big or “complicated”, I vowelize it (is it a word?) in my own way.. ending up with Arabos..
Congrats (late) on your first Article!
Peace.
Thanks Roy, as for “vowelize” i like it!