Watch for chatspeak please

Never heard of chatspeak. I must really be out of the loop. What is it?

All of the items that I listed in my post of 5:38 pm today describe what is included in "netspeak" or "chatspeak". Netspeak is the language that is used in instant messaging and text-messaging. It is a type of short-hand that is used when people are trying to communicate quickly by typing. It includes lack of capitalization, lack of punctuation, and substitutions of shorter spellings for words. If anyone has further clarifications for this definition of mine, please feel free to add them.

Also, I feel badly for anyone who felt disrespected by my requests for them to follow the rules. Our protocol as moderators is to contact people privately and ask them to self-correct, whenever it seems to us that they are not following the rules. Whenever we do that, we try our best to do so gently and with respect. That is what I have been doing. If my best has not been good enough, I regret that, and I will keep on trying to improve my ways of communicating my requests. But we would like everyone to follow the same rules.

Naturally, if someone speaks English as a second language or has special needs, we will make accommodations and adjustments. But in order to learn about those needs, and do so with respect and dignity for both the moderators and the members involved, we will need to be able to have private dialogue with them and not debate the issues in public, in threads open to everyone.

Thanks,
Joy

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ August 14, 2006 11:44 PM: Message edited by: djsnjones ]</font>

Thanks. I didn't know it was a language used for instant messaging. That's what I wanted to know.

Guess that's why I didn't know what it was. I don't use instant messaging on phones. For me, it's just easier to call the person and talk to them.

Thanks again for the clarification.

Hello everyone I am sorry to say but this is such a touchy topic. I can see putting some limits on some of the lanage that is use but spelling and gramer and punication is to much and it is hurtful. I have had dyslexia since I was very little and also have had surgey on both of my hands for carpul tunel and I sometime am not that careful when I type .I get on this board to have fun not watch every letter I type or I would hardly ever post. I am going to have to think about all of this . and decide if it is all worth it , thanks anyway Diane [img]frown.gif[/img]

Diane,

Im so sorry your feelings got hurt. My DD has bad dylexia and has for many years , she had to finish high school through a night program because she felt embarrased about her problems..I know how hard it is for you!! Im so sorry you are so hurt!! Your typing doesnt bother me at all its completely understandable.. Please come to play things we will welcome you there!!

Jeannie

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ August 14, 2006 11:18 PM: Message edited by: Samanthasmom ]</font>

Netspeak is not only used on phones...it's also used on computer IMing. And informal writing...such as emails to friends, message boards, or chatrooms. I know I use chatspeak (LOL is chatspeak, technically, as are other abbreviations.) in emails all the time. It depends on where you're writing/typing whether or not it is appropriate.
Why is this such a big deal anyway? It's not like most people are typing posts that are too hard to read. I mean, I think I've seen one or two that go to extremes and you can't understand what they're saying without a little effort, but other than that...a little i instead of a capitalized one is still understandable. Not every gramatically incorrect thing is an attempt to use chatspeak, either. i guez it wood B hard 2 understand if u type lyke this, but no1 is doing that. (I guess it would be hard to understand if you type like this, but no one is doing that.) (And I won't even get into that fact that a lot of people today are very comfortable with chatspeak and find it easy to understand.)

Anyway...just my [img]graemlins/money.gif[/img]

Everyone on this board is guilty of the "crime" of netspeak... because well news flash everyone this message board is on the net!

I am an English Major at a very good school... but when I sign on to a message board about dolls... that's just not a good enough incentive to want to use all my dandy wordly skills.

I encourage you to find an authors blog spot... I guarantee that even the best people with a pen are casual and look over proper punctuation, spelling, and capitalization. Its called RELAXING.

Like someone else said. A good many member grew up with using such speech. In fact netspeak is becoming accepted as official English to a degree.

On most boards when the rules ask for no netspeak or abbreviation, they are talking about:
Gr8 2 C U H8 2 B U

That is just annoying and takes more time to read. They aren't talking about LOL OT IMHO IRL or any variation of sane abbreviation. Which technically is net speak... and the mods here are ALL guilty

Correct punctuation and capitalization is just for the birds. Unless someone on here is printing our words off and making a bound book... it doesn't matter. In less than 24 hours 98% of our words will be on the back burner. Oh wait... I abbreviated... ninety-eight percent of our words... better?


This is a pointless endeavor. I imagine if your sole intention was to stir up trouble... then top notch ol'bean.

I agree with what Miss Nellie OMalley said. I don't belive that our "chatspeak" is to the point that it is not understandable to most people. This is not school and most of us are not young children. There is no one on this board whose posts I have difficulty reading. This is supposed to be a casual, fun atmosphere. Let's try to keep it that way. That's just IMHO (in my humble opinion).

I also hope that this thread doesn't end up getting deleted just because there are some disenting opinions. Respectfully disagreeing with someone is not "flaming" and it doesn't mean that we dislike the person we are disagreeing with. Having different opinions is part of life and I sincerly hope that no one here takes it the wrong way.

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ August 14, 2006 11:56 PM: Message edited by: Stephanie31802 ]</font>

I totally agree!!! I type all day at work,I have to make sure everything is perfect. I come to this board to relax have fun and enjoy, not worry about my spelling and grammer. I graduated high school 25 years ago!! My spelling and grammer mattered then because I was getting a grade on it!! I come here for fun, not to worry about my errors in spelling or forgetting to use proper grammer!! I find this totally rediculas!! I have never had a problem understanding a misspelled word I just use my ADULT head and figure out what is was supposed to say! Well thats my 2 cents too.

Diane - I am very sorry that you were offended. You are a valuable member of our board, and I have always enjoyed your posts.

This is supposed to be a fun board and most of the time it is. Unfortunately, misunderstanding have hurt feelings in the past. The mods will look at our rules and modify if necessary.

I hope everyone will try to use the clearest communication possible. I think that because our membership is so broad in age, nationality, etc., it is important that we use regular English to the best of our abilities. That doesn't mean perfection, of course. [img]wink.gif[/img]