Shorthand
Posted: Sun Sep 06, 09 2:02 pmWHY DEAR GOD? FUCKING. WHY?
First off, I'd like to differ what I find as shorthand and what I find as an acronym. Because the two, for me, are entirely different. One I dislike and one I don't mind.
Shorthand: "u" for you, "r" for are, "2" for to, too or two, etc.
Acronyms: brb being short for "be right back", lol short for "laugh out loud", omg short for "oh my god", etc.
Acronyms I do not mind, I even use them. Shorthand I have a problem with however, especially when used in abundance. I know many people started using it for texting as well as instant messaging, but now it's also used in general typing such as e-mails or forum posts.
Some people don't mind it, but I can't stand it. For texting it's fine, because (at least on NZ phones) you only get a limited amount of characters for your message (160 here but I've heard of people having more on different phones). But why for e-mails, forum posts or instant messages? Yes it takes longer to type out something in correct grammar and in paragraphs but at least people can read it!
During my time on the internet I have attempted to use shorthand very scarcely. I have always typed e-mails in proper spelling and grammar (or at least to my best abilities, I don't deliberately make grammatical mistakes), I have attempted to do the same for forum posts. Even on the instant messenging systems I use (Xfire, MSN, Yahoo, Steam, etc) I use proper spelling, or try to.
I don't see the need to brutally bash the English language. But, as I said, I don't mind it if it's used "appropriately" (for lack of a better term). I don't like it when it's used like this.
"Omg Joshua, wow hw r yah???? farowt its ben lyk wat!!!! 10 odd yrs or sumthing huh??? lol man wt yah ben up to nw. u du memba me yeah we were rm 5 with mrs Lees wt u dng nw with yah lyf"
Note: I'm not trying to call this person out or anything. I could have easily found something else like it, but this one was an example readily available.
This was from someone I knew 10 years ago, during primary school. It seems most shorthand is simple removal of vowels. And that's generally because it is. Then we have things like "lyf" for the word "life" and lyk" for "like". I don't see a need for it, maybe you do but I don't.
I spent 10 years at school (less than most) and during that entire time I was taught how to spell, I was taught how to read, and I was taught how to write. I was taught correct spelling and correct grammar, and while I do make typo's (just as everyone else does) I was not taught to remove vowels and make words shorter for "ease-of-use". I don't find it necessary.
A few years back (I don't know the details on it now) some New Zealand Universities, Polytechnics and other tertiary learning centres allowed students to use shorthand in their exam papers. Prior to that you would have been marked down for excessive spelling mistakes and grammatical errors but then they changed that (due to the texting craze) and ruled it out.
It's pathetic really. The education of basic reading and writing are compulsory subjects in New Zealand. All the way up until you are at your 12th year of school (if I recall correctly). For at least 10 years you are taught to read and write. What correct grammar is and how to spell.
I have always hated the Literature side of learning English but I went through it knowing it would help me later in life. I am extremely grateful to know how to read and write. But now, now I feel like the entire subject is pointless. Why bother learning how to write correctly if people are going to turn around in a decade's time and just shorten it to their own liking?
First off, I'd like to differ what I find as shorthand and what I find as an acronym. Because the two, for me, are entirely different. One I dislike and one I don't mind.
Shorthand: "u" for you, "r" for are, "2" for to, too or two, etc.
Acronyms: brb being short for "be right back", lol short for "laugh out loud", omg short for "oh my god", etc.
Acronyms I do not mind, I even use them. Shorthand I have a problem with however, especially when used in abundance. I know many people started using it for texting as well as instant messaging, but now it's also used in general typing such as e-mails or forum posts.
Some people don't mind it, but I can't stand it. For texting it's fine, because (at least on NZ phones) you only get a limited amount of characters for your message (160 here but I've heard of people having more on different phones). But why for e-mails, forum posts or instant messages? Yes it takes longer to type out something in correct grammar and in paragraphs but at least people can read it!
During my time on the internet I have attempted to use shorthand very scarcely. I have always typed e-mails in proper spelling and grammar (or at least to my best abilities, I don't deliberately make grammatical mistakes), I have attempted to do the same for forum posts. Even on the instant messenging systems I use (Xfire, MSN, Yahoo, Steam, etc) I use proper spelling, or try to.
I don't see the need to brutally bash the English language. But, as I said, I don't mind it if it's used "appropriately" (for lack of a better term). I don't like it when it's used like this.
"Omg Joshua, wow hw r yah???? farowt its ben lyk wat!!!! 10 odd yrs or sumthing huh??? lol man wt yah ben up to nw. u du memba me yeah we were rm 5 with mrs Lees wt u dng nw with yah lyf"
Note: I'm not trying to call this person out or anything. I could have easily found something else like it, but this one was an example readily available.
This was from someone I knew 10 years ago, during primary school. It seems most shorthand is simple removal of vowels. And that's generally because it is. Then we have things like "lyf" for the word "life" and lyk" for "like". I don't see a need for it, maybe you do but I don't.
I spent 10 years at school (less than most) and during that entire time I was taught how to spell, I was taught how to read, and I was taught how to write. I was taught correct spelling and correct grammar, and while I do make typo's (just as everyone else does) I was not taught to remove vowels and make words shorter for "ease-of-use". I don't find it necessary.
A few years back (I don't know the details on it now) some New Zealand Universities, Polytechnics and other tertiary learning centres allowed students to use shorthand in their exam papers. Prior to that you would have been marked down for excessive spelling mistakes and grammatical errors but then they changed that (due to the texting craze) and ruled it out.
It's pathetic really. The education of basic reading and writing are compulsory subjects in New Zealand. All the way up until you are at your 12th year of school (if I recall correctly). For at least 10 years you are taught to read and write. What correct grammar is and how to spell.
I have always hated the Literature side of learning English but I went through it knowing it would help me later in life. I am extremely grateful to know how to read and write. But now, now I feel like the entire subject is pointless. Why bother learning how to write correctly if people are going to turn around in a decade's time and just shorten it to their own liking?
