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  dorpus, 1 Apr 2003 @ 1:20am

  
  

  Dialects of net-speak

  I've noticed that American chatters rarely use "plz", "wot", "c2c", so this is one way to spot a foreigner right away. If Americans do use it, they are most likely teenagers, so it is another way to spot someone who claims to be an adult.
  
  

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    Anonymous Coward, 1 Apr 2003 @ 2:21am

    
    

    Re: Dialects of net-speak

    I've noticed this is a sure-fire way to spot an idiot. If you see "M$ s|_|X!!@!$", you can be sure you're talking to someone of subpar intelligence, and shouldn't bother with further communications with this person.

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      Duffman, 1 Apr 2003 @ 6:34am

      
      

      Re: Dialects of net-speak

      I completely agree with the comment in the article that outright bans aren't right, that it would be better to teach them which usage is appropriate in each situation. I like the yardwork/going out analogy. I mean Olde English had just as much emphasis on grammar and spelling as we have today, and it's still english, but try speaking or writing in it today and people will regard you as nuts. The medium is causing the language to evolve, and it will continue to do so, no matter how people try and change it. Don't get me wrong, I dislike the erosion of grammar and spelling too. I can be a militant grammarian myself at times. But the kids'll be around a lot longer than the rest of us. :)

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      anonymoose, 1 Apr 2003 @ 7:23am

      
      

      Re: Dialects of net-speak

      Is that because of his dislike of Microsoft or the way he expresses it?

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  Chris Falco, 2 Apr 2003 @ 1:15am

  
  

  yeah!

  Right, lets ban people for being efficant.
  
  You know I remember a time when memory was expensive and using shortcuts was innovative and necessary.
  
  I recal stories of certain Atari programmers being paid $1000 for each memory chip they could eliminate in a final product.
  
  In instant messages, grammer is rarely important. It's the content of the message that is important, so saving time and using shortcuts is perfectly logical.
  
  SMS is an even better example.
  
  Just make sure your kids understand the difference between formal and informal writing.

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    dorpus, 2 Apr 2003 @ 2:08am

    
    

    Re: yeah!

    >lets ban people< br>
    Did you mean "let's ban people"?
    
    > for being efficant.
    
    efficient?
    
    >I recal
    
    recall?
    
    >grammer is rarely important.
    
    I believe grammar is quite important.
    
    >Just make sure your kids understand the difference between formal and informal writing.
    
    It could be that kids who do not practice formal writing end up sounding illiterate.
    

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  phyche, 2 Apr 2003 @ 2:03pm

  
  

  It's defintiely a problem

  I see it all the time. It's not limited to instant messaging. People are applying the "it's the message that counts, not how it's spelled" thought to almost every form of written communication. I've seen the poor writing/grammar in numerous emails, product brochures, and even formal business proposals. There is definitely some breakdown in the education system, it's not merely a side effect of using IM programs.

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  ShadowAngel, 27 Apr 2008 @ 1:03pm

  
  

  Thank you for helping me

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