Seriously? What Is with the Text Lingo!?!?

If someone uses a few words that are shortened it doesn't bother me. Example: lol, bf, b/c, etc. As long as most of it is written in real words with punctuation and proper spelling, I'm fine. Basically, if I can read something and understand what it says, I'm ok. A little annoyed, but ok. :)

Try being a high school teacher and getting homework/papers that are riddled with all this unintelligent garbage. These same kids grow up to include their abbreviations in cover letters and resumes - appalling!

I don't mind the 'leetspeak' as it is called, but there's a time and a place for everything. Keep it in the text messages, as they are typically an ultra-casual way to communication, but elsewhere it's just ignorant and lazy.

What drives me nuts, is when people make up their own and think we all should know what it means. My brain will not even think quick enough for L8er & all the other lingos. so wtbs (with that being said) ttfn lol ;-)

Your post made me totally laugh (LOL, ha!). As a communications major, I completely agree w/ you!

I'm with you. I always spell everything out when I text and I figure if I can't fit it into the 160 character limit I should either call the person or send an email.

At first it bothered me too; before I learned what most of it means. I have an almost teenager, so I had to learn the language or I would be behind. I now find myself using it all the time. I guess I look at it the same way I do in my field of work. We use a lot of symbols and abbreviations. It is a lot easier to write, saves time and as long as everyone is speaking the same language it is not a problem. In the begining when I did not know what everything stood for, I felt as if I was in a country where everyone was speaking German and I had no clue what they were saying. So it bothered me much more until I learned the language.
I do feel that it is a time and place for everything. I do not think text talk should replace the "English Language." I feel that it is 100% inappropiate for students to use them in school assignments or in the work world. There is a time and place for everything. I do not think it should replace language but can be used in addition to the language. My niece is a high school english teacher and takes off 5 points for any "text" lingo. Good for her.. I think that is 100% (one hundred percent) LOL (laugh out loud) appropiate for her to do. See it can come in handy... (LOL can mean read the humor in what I just typed). With technology taking a turn where more things are written (e-mail, text, IMs) you need some of the lingo so that people can get some of the emotions of what you are saying :) (SMILE). You do not have facial expressions to read or voice tones to tell you. It also saves you characters. Most text, tweets, FB resposes and EBay listings have character limits so a lingo is necessary.
I will REPEAT, I do not think it should be used at all in the content of a paper or a professional level, but does have it's place. Realize I am a mother who searched for a school that still taught Handwriting; because I think it is crazy that many kids who are in school now have no idea how to read or write cursive. When I realized this, my first thought is a keyboard should not replace, it should be in addition to. So I feel the same way about texting....

if it's in a text it dosen't bother me b/c of the simple fact that it takes a lot more effort and time to text than type , but also texts can only hold so many characters.
If it's in an email or on these message boards yeah it drives me crazy and it just looks uneducated.

It drives me nuts. Even at work I get emails from 40+ year olds with text "lingo". I don't use it, don't like reading it. But I am afraid it isn't going away. It is becoming so immersed in our kids culture it will be here for a while. It will morph but I doubt it it going away anytime soon.

Before the days of unlimited text you were allotted so many messages per month and would be charged and arm and a leg for anything over that so most people start abbreviating or using acronyms in place of words to get more said in less characters. But when posting a message to face book or sending a message or emailing there is no excuse to use acronyms. These should be full words like the "big kids" would use. But obviously it's not going anywhere so you should get use to receiving messages like this. :-(

I agree to an extent, but sometimes you have to shorten words when you only have 160 characters to send a text. But some of the things I've seen people use drive me crazy, like when people use z's instead of s's. That is just nonsense.

It bothers me. I broke down and i use (lol...lmao) only because "hahahahahahahahaha" looks weird to me. Can you just imagine the future of term papers....court transcripts...encyclopedias and closed captioning?

nightmares..............lol...rofl

p.s. (thats an old one...'post script')

p.p.s. i like using rachael rays coined text term. "evoo", its just easier to jot in my recipes

:D No it's not just you. What really bugs me when I hear kids talk like that or incorrect grammar. It is worse than nails down a chalkboard.

Why do they do this? Honestly I have no idea. My 17 year old brother talks like that and when I ask him why he just shrugs and says that he doesn't know. I often feel like bashing my head through the wall.

I don't mind it in texts because it cost less money if you do that. It is also hard to type on a phone and makes it a little easier. However, it does bother me when people use it in other instances. But, what REALLY gets me is when they "speak" using the text lingo.........that is just crazy! ;)

I agree. It drives me crazy, but I think it is a way for junior high and high schoolers to communicate and bond and feel like their parents or teachers are left in the dark. I find it immature. I think it makes kids feel superior to have their own language. It drives them nuts when adults figure out what they are saying and they try to find new acronyms every time they are figured out. I just hope that it keeps them on their toes and out of trouble. At least they are using their brains rather than doing drugs:-)

It is a huge problem. My sister is a teacher and she sees it in the essays that students turn in from middle school - high school.

I'm right there with ya, J.. Total pet peeve.
I've even tried to get on board and use "text shorthand" as I call it, but I'm so anal I will delete it to write out the whole word! I just think it looks so stupid.
Improper English and incorrect grammar have always bothered me though.
I am a fan of LOL and either a smiley face or a frowny face to convey tone.

You are not alone. I wonder if the new generation will even know how to form a complete sentence. Will anyone know how to spell? Penmanship is no longer a priority either. I'm going to teach my daughters the "old outdated" writing skills just so they won't appear ignorant when older. Unfortunately, I'll have to learn the texting language too. It's a shame there isn't a book on it.

I especially can't stand "y" for why. The first time I saw it, I stared because I just could not figure out what it meant. Then when it hit me, I was even more annoyed!

I agree, I also have a great deal of trouble trying to "read" this stuff. If we adults are so lazy what can we expect from our kids?

I don't mind it too much. I use it when I text (used it more often before I "upgraded" phones & didn't have a Qwerty keyboard). But it is annoying to me when I see it in emails and other mediums where you have the capability to "write" it out. I'm a stickler about making sure things are spelled correctly. And yes, I do pull out a dictionary when I'm unsure how something is spelled. I've known English & Spanish my whole life and am the same way in both languages. I've had friends whose only language has been English (or Spanish for that matter) & are terrible spellers. This text lingo has only made it worse. I agree with a previous response in which she looked for a school that taught handwritting. My 8 year old is excited that she can sign her name in cursive. I love it that they still do that. I don't do it as often as I used to, but I still actually WRITE letters and note cards and send them thru snail mail. I even send out handwritten birthday cards. That's just another dying breed. :( But this is just my opinion. God's blessings to you all.

This drives me INSANE!!!! I cannot stand all the text lingo, and I know right where you coming from. I have decided that I'm just old and out of date since I can't keep up with the lingo. Although, I do believe it is pure laziness when it comes to email, Facebook, or anything else. I kinda get why they shorten words in text, but it is still VERY annoying!!!

I personally don't understand what all of them mean (some even on here like dd and ds) and I don't think it should be used in everyday communication. I will always look at that as "teenagerish" - Until text abbreviations become a universal language in school, I think it should be limited to best buddies, stenographers, typists and anyone who needs to shorten their words for lack of space or time. Even journalists who abbreviate have to end up writing it in English for the everyday folks like us.

Okay, totally with you on this. I can see for texting since it lets you get the message over faster. Maybe even instant messaging online. But for letters and such, so frustrating. My daughter was writing a letter to a friend last week and I made her redo it because she had so much text lingo in there. Yes, I have used BTW or OMG but beyond that....
I also think writing letters, real letters with real thoughts and words, is being pushed out for quick notes and shortened words.

Oh, this is one of my biggest pet peeves. I cannot stand emails typed this way, and personally, I spell out my texts. I cannot stand all lower case letters with no punctuation. It drives me nuts. And I used to teach freshman composition in college...let me tell you that this is how most of them communicate. They think this is ok to use in papers, etc. This is what our society is becoming. I would give my classes lectures every semester...It is ok to communicate with your friends this way, but when you are communicating with ANYONE else, no matter in what form, text, email, letter, etc, you really need to spell out words, use proper punctuation, etc. I would tell them that it gets you in the habit, and you will need these skills in the real world. The only problem is that I'm afraid they won't!!! I'm afraid that our world is going to become a world of C U L8er's!!!

YES!! It drives me nuts!! Sometimes they even use abbreviations to ask questions on here. It can be hard to read!!

I totally agree. It always annoys me when I see text lingo!!!

As most of the others here, it drives me crazy too!
My concern is that this will become more and more "the norm" and it will begin to "sneak" into being acceptable in schools. As parents, we need to make sure that our children learn proper English, including grammar!!!

Yep, drives M. crazy too! Not long ago, I was watching my teen-ager on the computer and one of his friends responded to one of his questions with "IDK". I asked what it meant and he said "I don't know". I said, "we're smart people, I'm sure we can figure it out...hmmm, i-d-k?" "It's I Don't Know, Mom", he said. Boy did I feel stupid! He'll never let M. live it down...

When I was student teaching I had a junior in high school turn in a paper full of text lingo, and since i had no clue what she was saying, I didnt give her a very good grade and she had no idea why that wasn't acceptable.

It bothers me a great deal. I don't understand why it's so hard to write/type YOU (not U) or L8er (not later). I can't stand it when people email me with all those shortcuts, it's like writing a letter, why can't you take the time to write out the words? I can understand sometimes shortening messages on phones, but good grief, sometimes it's just TOO short to understand.

I live in Memphis & I can barely understand what some of the people here say much less read what they write.

I'm glad to see that some people still care about the English language!!

It doesn't bother me as much as sometime I can't figure out what people are saying! :) I have had to google some of the acronyms to see what they mean.

I agree with you, but do remember, many people check their emails on their cell phones, yes even when reading/ responding to Mamapedia and it is easier to use shorter phrases or shorter versions of the words..

If I am at home on my computer or have a laptop I will try to use full words and spell check, but on the phone it can be cumbersome to respond in full spelling.

It drives me nuts!!! I just thought it was because I wasn't into texting - I just like talking to people instead. What drives me nuts more is no capitalization. I just don't have the patience to figure out those sentences, and that seems to be creeping into more and more places even faster than the abbreviations.

Nope, doesn't bother me. I don't use it, but I don't have any trouble reading it - you just pronounce it exactly how it looks!

I agree. I had a hard time initially with the whole idea. Like you I usually type out the entire word. I feel it children have hard enough time learining to spell.
However that being said we are out numbered. I had to go to a friend and ask what all those initials meant. Sometimes I still am clueless which leads to a good laugh.
However to keep up and be hip with our kids, nieces etc. we need to know those annoying text lingo

Some things bug me, like l8er. But for the most part it is simply a lot faster and more efficient when texting to type OMW C U soon than it is to type it all out. As someone else mentioned as well, there are limits to the number of characters in a text message, so sometimes it allows you to send 1 text rather than 2 and if you pay for text messaging that can be a big deal.

Emails are a completely different issue, as are boards such as these, text or chat room lingo, should be left there.

J.,

Personally I think it is a disservice to the English language and will have children and adults taking steps backwards. I don't text and I don't read text messages.

I like words, not symbols and abbreviations.

Blessings....

I really don't see the big deal. I do it when I text. It's not that anyone is being lazy, it's because it's kinda fun and faster to shorten the word's or make up different word's of your own with friend's. But when it comes to e-mail's I do spell out everything.

I don't mind the shortened versions of words at all unless I have no idea what they are. I do agree that we should not shorten every word there are but the usual ones like "LOL", "C U" or I use "PPL" for people, not sure if that is valid but just easier to text "ppl" than people. Granted I do use full words and correct grammer etc. when I email but when I text it is much faster and simpler to use shortened versions of words where necessary. I see texts not as personal as emails so I do relax a bit when I text.

the lingo is used to make texts shorter, instead of sending 2 texts you get to send on by keeping it short. i use 'u' for 'you' @ for at etc. doesn't bother me one bit. if i see such words in an email, i click delete as i do not have the patience to try decoding it.

J., I know that it can be annoying to read made up words, however it's origin is valid. The less words used in a text, the less money you have to pay for data usage. Unlimited text has its limits. If you type out every word, you are bound to run out of size assigned for your data usage.

J.,

I agree! I don't know what all the abreviations mean for the people/relationships they're talking about.

I just wish it would stay in texts. It is pure laziness for people to use the text language on forums like this. I skip any posts that have it. It makes me wonder if the person really doesn't know how to spell "later" or "see".

IDK, my BFF Jill!

Ha-Ha...sorry, I just had to do it...so funny!

The point of it is to sent someting quick! so you abriviate your words I dont use the goofy ones like your example above but I do use....dnt, knw, lol, omg, idk, U, ect.. Its just faster.