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Writing posts in "text-type" is not allowed at MLHH. Occasional abbreviations are no big deal but posts containing mostly this type will not be posted.
See:
11. May I post in foreign languages, use regional expressions, or use "text messaging" lingo or similar abbreviations?
The purpose of our site is for us to communicate with each other, and posts should be made to be as readable by others as possible. As best you can, please post in English and use standard spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Avoid all but the most common abbreviations. Try to avoid expressions that are not understood in all regions or by all generations. Foreign language posts are fine from users who do not know English or in the occasional banter between users who share a language; however such posts will be removed if the crew cannot ascertain their meaning. Use of "text messaging" lingo or similar abbreviations is prohibited. There is no need for them since most of our users are not viewing the site with small handheld screens. Text messaging lingo and regional expressions are difficult for some native speakers of English to read, and these are nearly impossible for most users whose native language is not English to read. The reason you post is to get your words read, and we consider the writer's one-time effort to make his post readable a more efficient use of everyone's time than making several hundred users each spend extra time to figure out what the writer meant. The purpose of this rule is not to discourage those with no or limited English skills from posting. It is to discourage those from using poor English who should know better.
.... The purpose of this rule is not to discourage those with no or limited English skills from posting. It is to discourage those from using poor English who should know better.
Jason, you are awesome! I couldn't have said it better myself -- "text-lingo" is very difficult for me to understand, for example, even though about a year ago I finally learned HOW to text message (I have an old fashioned cell phone, haven't yet purchased a "smart phone" or other cell phone with a full keyboard).
Maybe it's because I'm an old geezer; but I just love good old plain-speaking type of conversational English, especially whenever spelling and punctuation, etc. are paid attention to (as much as possible)... which makes it a hell of a lot easier for the reader to understand!
My greatest admiration to all of our non-native English speakers from the many different countries who visit here -- they usually do a better job of actually communicating than many Americans and Brits I know do!!!
Thanks again for your reminder, Jason, I much appreciate it!
- Ken
Thanks Ken.
The writer of the FAQ did an excellent job in summing up why textspeak is not acceptable here.
I do occasionally text with my phone but I'm not a big fan of it. I can see where extensive abbreviations would be appropriate in that context but on a message board such as this one, they're not. It's important to take a bit of pride in one's written presentation and by doing so, a much better response is likely.
I wholeheartedly agree with you. Couldn't have said it better.
While I agree with this I would mention that some people who
use the internet are using them on devices like an iphone/ipad/
smart phone where the keyboard is difficult to use because it
is on the screen.
I hate text messaging abbriviations but the main reason they are
used is to save typing strokes on tiny keyboard on a device like
a cell phone. (think your typical dumb phone where if you
wanted to type a simple two letter word you had to hit 12 keys to
get those two letters in the right case. I had a Motorola phone
a few years back where I had to 12 keys to just produce two
letters in the right case. Fortunetly that phone died, but that
is the reason text messaging abbreviations came about.)
I would mention though that Pcs are now being outsold by tablets with keyboards that are not especially user friendly. Consider that when you contemplate getting a tablet rather than a PC or
laptop.
Jason,
If this was targeted at me then I no longer wish to participate at a site that would limit my first amendment rights for freedom of expression, whether it be in language, dress, or growing out my hair, of which the latter is more encouraged by this particular community.
Language is fluid, subjective, and full of rules and nuances that proliferate to continue to change in order to meet the needs of human social interaction throughout time. I do not think it is also necessary to go over the subject of semiotics in order to try to understand the fluidity of language, nor try to understand hierarchy discourse between the forms of language utilized by the ivory tower of academia right down to what the lower class utilizes.
It is enforced structures of language that has taught me a valuable lesson in how it oppresses a mass of underprivileged human beings who have struggled in life to obtain even the ability to learn how to read and write, whether it was obtained from a privileged institution or from the streets. It is also prevalent and tied to Hegelian philosophical "master" and "slave" dialectical discourse, in which through critical analysis of what is to be learned from this would have opted you to even consider writing such bombastic declaration of an outdated rule that needs to be changed.
I do admit I sometimes utilize particular American west coast regional dialects from particular ghettos in Oakland CA (whether it was unconscious or not), slang that were a trivial part of my up bringing, and is a part of who I am along with the history attached to it. However, I embrace all forms of slang whenever I travel or visit a foreign country. Learning the utilization of slang of any culture I encounter is the first thing I want to learn, because it is what a lot of the unprivileged masses uses, and to also understand the diverse flavors of language in order to weave in understandings that compromises a particular culture I encounter as a whole(latest cultures I've engaged in learning slang are English cockney, and Peruvian Indian Incas).
I'm in the moral mind frame that if I don't understand something, then it's expected of me to look it up first thing (that is the power of Google)before approaching anyone about the slang that was utilized. If I cannot find what i'm looking for then I will approach that person and ask for clarification or "elucidation"(if its fancy words you seek to tickle your senses). "you catch my drift with this.." or is this too colloquial. I'm in favor of this kind of logic/reasoning because that is what a worldly person practices when embracing different forms of backgrounds through expressions utilized in any form of language. As long as it doesn't offend anyone, or have no intentions to degrade a person's race, gender, and sexuality, then I'm fine with diverse utilization of slang within language. In fact, it will give me something new to learn that I could treasure.
Peace out,
rowie
Does your post have any resemblance to textspeak? I don't recall you ever posting in such a fashion. Do you understand what is meant by textspeak?
You have always written in an excellent manner as far as I can recall. I don't understand why you would think the post was directed at you unless you don't understand what textspeak is.
What I quoted is in the FAQ which has been here much longer than I have been a moderator. I fully endorse what the rule says and, as moderators, we try to keep the site in line with the directives laid out.
Jason,
There is no need to try to insult me with my understanding of "Textspeak." My whole rhetorical argument is based on your emphasis on "Try to avoid expressions that are not understood in all regions or by all generations. Along with the term “Regional expressions” in rule 11 . Language and interpretations are personal and subjective to ones own upbringing. Heck, if "textspeak" is what you are arguing mainly about then stick to it by giving the title specifically to it, because the term "regional expression" can connote many different interpretations, in my case I took it within the directions targeted at slang and proverbial sayings. Yes I have used slang in here like "Chillaxin like ah villaxin", or ghetto versions of "the" into "da." :)
I'm from the old generation when the only form of texting was through beepers (remember those hahaha). I mean I get annoyed as well when people use so many abbreviated terms that can mean something, but I embrace that because that is a new form of language that many people use in order to try to communicate quickly and effectively. I find that there is a whole new language to be learned, and that is the joy I find in it.
I also don't mean to sound stuck up, as this is only geared towards understanding one another. I hope you are not angry with me as I value you as a human being, but i'm only trying to engage in clarification that bothers me such as enforcing rules which I know is good for the common goal of this community, but at the same time opens a discourse i've been beaten on during my undergraduate studies concerning "enforced language structures."
Rowie,
Your posts have never come near to incurring any violations of site standards so I was left with wondering whether we are clear on the definition of textspeak. What else could I think? You were the one who inexplicably applied the post to yourself. Why did you do that?
Perhaps I should have put quote marks around what I pasted from the FAQ. I thought by including the number of the FAQ it would be clear enough that they were not my words.
You do not see what goes on behind the scenes and what posts do not make it to the board because of egregious violations of the writing standards here. A post filled with "u" and "ur" and "gr8" and the myriad of other forms of textspeak will generally not be allowed to reach the board.
To get on a moral soapbox and talk about some kind of class warfare as if MLHH and its rules are discriminatory was over the top in my opinion as was your saying that you were prepared to leave the board over me quoting one of the frequently asked questions.
Jason
Jason,
My post I thought does not apply to the implied rule that my writing should be understood by everyone. When I use specific language that only a specifc "region" uses, then logically it fits with rule 11. So of course this would tie with my rhetorical argument towards structured writing.
Ok this is my interpretation of the last sentence of the rule and I quote
"It is to discourage those from using poor English who should know better."
"poor English" is what hits me because I'm constantly wondering if my language skills are "poor" even though I've used a slang term of which can be interpreted as "poor" language because it does not conform to standard English.
I'm not trying to argue with you on what you are only passing down, it is just the way it is written that bothers me and perhaps can use rewriting.
Again I quote from rule 11 " Try to avoid expressions that are not understood in all regions or by all generations," and also the terms used in the sentence of the rule "use regional expressions"
Nowhere in this rule states whether regional American English slang is prohibited, or is slang classified along with text speak?
We try to capture the spirit of the guidelines of the site. I think you're seeing a Pharasaical interpretation of this rule which is not how it is applied.
I quoted the entire entry from the FAQ. The focus of my reminder was the textspeak part. The vast majority of users here post well enough that this is not an issue but if some wonder why their posts didn't make it to the board, it could be because of writing in such a fashion that a person versed in English would be challenged to understand it and a person for whom English is not their native tongue, wouldn't stand a chance. That's not fair to the readership and as the FAQ stated, the poster should know better.
You're good. Keep on posting exactly as you have been.
Jason,
I'm pleased that you are fine with my writing. But my interpretations were not meant to sound pharisaical, but more in line towards clarification of understanding that protects those from the pedagogy of the oppressed that the theorist Dr. Paulo Freire presents( unless you haven't read his work,check out "Pedagogy of the Opressed," it's by him, and it's good read).
In defense of the moderators, I will say that the rule was not written to make any one user feel the most of welcome, so much so that it would be at the expense of others. It was written to, as much as practical, make everyone feel equally welcome.
I've said more in a reply to the post at the top of the thread.
Bill
Jason and all,
The requirement of avoiding text speak makes a lot of sense. It guards against exclusion of those who don't speak it. Also,I would imagine that any violations would get a very kind reminder from the moderator. MLHH is much more of a spirit of the law kind of place than a letter of the law kind of place.
I will add that I always access the site via a tablet and therefore do have to watch my self and the spellchecker lest I post nonsense!
Be well
Tony
Some in this thread have wondered about the history of Rule 11 and why it came about.
When MLHH first appeared in 1997 the Internet was mostly a U.S. event. Now in 2013 it has become worldwide in scope. During the transition, the moderators discussed how to best integrate the newcomers with the long-time users. The aims were to maximize communication between everyone and make everyone welcome.
According to archive.org, Rule 11 as it is now written was added to the General FAQ in early 2008. As with most of the General FAQ, the moderators talked about what the rules should be and then I wrote them.
Use of local expressions such as those I grew up with in the Ozarks or someone grew up with in a district in London do not improve the communications experience with the site for others, and in fact, such expressions make others feel left out. The same can be said for expressions that one generation uses and other generations don't understand. If you know an expression is not apt to be understood by many, then out of politeness and consideration for others, please don't use it.
The rule also addressed the concerns that users had raised about using foreign languages.
The first sentence of the rule and the last two best state the purpose of the rule. Please re-read them below.
Beyond what is stated in the rule, I would add that using "good English" is not picking the most obscure and impressive words you can think of to express your thoughts. It is picking the simplest words that get the job done. People write for two reasons - to impress themselves and to pass ideas to others. Others will not be impressed by writing that is a tough read. They are more apt to ignore it or just glance over it, absorbing little.
Remember, when you are writing, you are writing to get read. Make it as easy on your readers as you can!
Bill
I would mention that I never do texting so I never using texting
abbreviations. There are probably alot of them that i'm not familiar with. Also there are tons of abbreviations on the internet, some of which can have multiple meanings.
One of the reasons I stay away from doing texting is the 20 cent
per text that they charge. So i'll stick with email which for
me is free.