Abbreviating words- a sort of rant

[April20]

I was on FB tonight and realized that this one gal I know abbreviated nearly every word she types. I get that typing on a phone can be a real PITA, but I don't think she's always posting from a phone. She abbreviates nearly every word that isn't a, an or the. For instance, she abbreviated "pick" as "pik". I mean, was the C really that hard to type? Did leaving it out save that much time? I've also noticed that she abbreviates "probably" as "prolly". What.the.heck? I've seen that elsewhere. Is it a new word? (I'm realizing I'm probably going to have to delete her from my FB account if she irritates me this much).

Quite frankly, I mind all the abbreviated English to be mostly lazy English. It makes me nuts. I really wonder if she speaks this sloppily on a daily basis or if it's just in type. When did things slide to the point that people cannot be bothered to spell out SHORT WORDS???

 

[amc80]

"Prolly" is one of my pet peeves. Ick. Really, is it that hard to type out a few letters? I have friends on FB who do the text speak as well and it drives me insane. I've actually unfriended people because of it, ha.

 

[JewelFreak]

+ a million!!!

 

[Bleed Burnt Orange]

I feel the EXACT same way. I get that it was originally used for text messaging with a character limit, but, um...that's not an issue anymore.

I have argued with my little cousin over it before and proceeded to delete her. It's called ENGLISH, people!! What's worse is that a lot of people just don't know how to spell properly anymore! It's sad.

It annoys the poop out of me!

You can hide people so you don't see their stuff. I've done that to a few people.

 

[April20]

I've hidden a TON of people. I hid one girl because she always typed in all caps and it made me crazy. The only reason I didn't delete her is she's related to me by marriage and I felt a little too guilty to do that!

 

[kenny]

I was on FB tonight and realized that this one gal I know abbreviated nearly every word she types. I get that typing on a phone can be a real PITA, but I don't think she's always posting from a phone. She abbreviates nearly every word that isn't a, an or the. For instance, she abbreviated "pick" as "pik". I mean, was the C really that hard to type? Did leaving it out save that much time? I've also noticed that she abbreviates "probably" as "prolly". What.the.heck? I've seen that elsewhere. Is it a new word? (I'm realizing I'm probably going to have to delete her from my FB account if she irritates me this much).

Quite frankly, I mind all the abbreviated English to be mostly lazy English. It makes me nuts. I really wonder if she speaks this sloppily on a daily basis or if it's just in type. When did things slide to the point that people cannot be bothered to spell out SHORT WORDS???

What's FB?

 

[April20]

I was on FB tonight and realized that this one gal I know abbreviated nearly every word she types. I get that typing on a phone can be a real PITA, but I don't think she's always posting from a phone. She abbreviates nearly every word that isn't a, an or the. For instance, she abbreviated "pick" as "pik". I mean, was the C really that hard to type? Did leaving it out save that much time? I've also noticed that she abbreviates "probably" as "prolly". What.the.heck? I've seen that elsewhere. Is it a new word? (I'm realizing I'm probably going to have to delete her from my FB account if she irritates me this much).

Quite frankly, I mind all the abbreviated English to be mostly lazy English. It makes me nuts. I really wonder if she speaks this sloppily on a daily basis or if it's just in type. When did things slide to the point that people cannot be bothered to spell out SHORT WORDS???

What's FB?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got me on that one but at least it's a REAL abbreviation (of sorts) and not just lazy spelling!!

 

[kenny]

I was on FB tonight and realized that this one gal I know abbreviated nearly every word she types. I get that typing on a phone can be a real PITA, but I don't think she's always posting from a phone. She abbreviates nearly every word that isn't a, an or the. For instance, she abbreviated "pick" as "pik". I mean, was the C really that hard to type? Did leaving it out save that much time? I've also noticed that she abbreviates "probably" as "prolly". What.the.heck? I've seen that elsewhere. Is it a new word? (I'm realizing I'm probably going to have to delete her from my FB account if she irritates me this much).

Quite frankly, I mind all the abbreviated English to be mostly lazy English. It makes me nuts. I really wonder if she speaks this sloppily on a daily basis or if it's just in type. When did things slide to the point that people cannot be bothered to spell out SHORT WORDS???

What's FB?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got me on that one but at least it's a REAL abbreviation (of sorts) and not just lazy spelling!!

LOL

Frankly, I think people write pik, instead of pick, for the same reason you wrote FB.
It's quicker and easier and they expect you just know what they mean.

 

[slg47]

I was on FB tonight and realized that this one gal I know abbreviated nearly every word she types. I get that typing on a phone can be a real PITA, but I don't think she's always posting from a phone. She abbreviates nearly every word that isn't a, an or the. For instance, she abbreviated "pick" as "pik". I mean, was the C really that hard to type? Did leaving it out save that much time? I've also noticed that she abbreviates "probably" as "prolly". What.the.heck? I've seen that elsewhere. Is it a new word? (I'm realizing I'm probably going to have to delete her from my FB account if she irritates me this much).

Quite frankly, I mind all the abbreviated English to be mostly lazy English. It makes me nuts. I really wonder if she speaks this sloppily on a daily basis or if it's just in type. When did things slide to the point that people cannot be bothered to spell out SHORT WORDS???

What's FB?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got me on that one but at least it's a REAL abbreviation (of sorts) and not just lazy spelling!!

LOL

Frankly, I think people write pik, instead of pick, for the same reason you wrote FB.
It's quicker and easier and they expect you just know what they mean.

I would not have known what pik means automatically!

 

[kenny]

I was on FB tonight and realized that this one gal I know abbreviated nearly every word she types. I get that typing on a phone can be a real PITA, but I don't think she's always posting from a phone. She abbreviates nearly every word that isn't a, an or the. For instance, she abbreviated "pick" as "pik". I mean, was the C really that hard to type? Did leaving it out save that much time? I've also noticed that she abbreviates "probably" as "prolly". What.the.heck? I've seen that elsewhere. Is it a new word? (I'm realizing I'm probably going to have to delete her from my FB account if she irritates me this much).

Quite frankly, I mind all the abbreviated English to be mostly lazy English. It makes me nuts. I really wonder if she speaks this sloppily on a daily basis or if it's just in type. When did things slide to the point that people cannot be bothered to spell out SHORT WORDS???

What's FB?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got me on that one but at least it's a REAL abbreviation (of sorts) and not just lazy spelling!!

LOL

Frankly, I think people write pik, instead of pick, for the same reason you wrote FB.
It's quicker and easier and they expect you just know what they mean.

I would not have known what pik means automatically!

Well, in context you might . . . She couldn't decide which dress to pik for the prom.

 

[April20]

I did know what she meant In context, but every single post is this jumble of lazy spelling.

I have to wonder, does this type of abbreviating/lazy spelling spill over to the workplace and then limit what opportunities/promotions a person is considered for? I know if I was hiring/promoting, it would turn me off.

 

[kenny]

Don't get me wrong.
I dislike it too and share your rant.
I often don't know what people are talking about.

 

[dragonfly411]

O pls, r u rlly that bthrd by lzy ppl?

LOL

I totally agree. I hate when people abbreviate so much. Since when is proper grammar and spelling no longer the required norm? I hate it. Teacher's and parents allowing kids to rely on spell check is not helping matters either. I also can't stand the lack of common spelling knowledge now. So many younger girls I know spell tomorrow as tomarrow. Really? There's bone marrow in the coming day?

My kids will be learning how to spell, and how to punctuate, and how to use proper grammar.

 

[Karl_K]

1 fav b
2b!2b

 

[fleur-de-lis]

We are witnessing the origins of a deep generational divide occurring in real time.

 

[decodelighted]

Ya kno, I tink o' it lik a STYLZZZZZ ting. Snazzzlicious! Jazztastic! Y b bbbbbooooorrrrrriiinnnnggg?

 

[decodelighted]

I have to wonder, does this type of abbreviating/lazy spelling spill over to the workplace and then limit what opportunities/promotions a person is considered for? I know if I was hiring/promoting, it would turn me off.

I've noticed SO MANY MORE unintentional errors -- really embarrassing ones! ... that irk me WAY more than kind of jazzy spellings and abbreviations with flavor. Depends on the workplace. In my field it's very important to be *current*. And *casual*/*funny*. If I worked at a bank - or - ha! a school! perhaps I'd feel differently.


ETA: And I'll add this Fun Fact! I used to be an insufferable grammar Nazi. And then I realized that language, um, EVOLVES. And spellings of words change over time as well. How fun is it to be so brittle?

 

[kenny]

I know a few people on other fora who never use capitals.
One is a published writer.

 

[kenny]

We are witnessing the origins of a deep generational divide occurring in real time.

I agree.
I think in a generation or two English will be VERY different!


Do they even teach children to write in cursive script any more?

 

[zoebartlett]

We are witnessing the origins of a deep generational divide occurring in real time.

I agree.
I think in a generation or two English will be VERY different!


Do they even teach children to write in cursive script any more?

They do (usually in second or third grade). I'm not sure English will be so different. I mean, yes, language evolves over time, but I think it will still be important to know how to write properly.

My friends laugh at me because I'm incapable of texting in short hand. I can't do it. Just can't.

 

[kenny]

We are witnessing the origins of a deep generational divide occurring in real time.

I agree.
I think in a generation or two English will be VERY different!


Do they even teach children to write in cursive script any more?

They do (usually in second or third grade). I'm not sure English will be so different. I mean, yes, language evolves over time, but I think it will still be important to know how to write properly.

My friends laugh at me because I'm incapable of texting in short hand. I can't do it. Just can't.

What is considered proper changes too.
In 20 years the texting generation that we find so annoying today will be WRITING the English textbooks for the next generation.

 

[MissStepcut]

We are witnessing the origins of a deep generational divide occurring in real time.

I agree.
I think in a generation or two English will be VERY different!


Do they even teach children to write in cursive script any more?

They do (usually in second or third grade). I'm not sure English will be so different. I mean, yes, language evolves over time, but I think it will still be important to know how to write properly.

My friends laugh at me because I'm incapable of texting in short hand. I can't do it. Just can't.

What is considered proper changes too.
In 20 years the texting generation that we find so annoying today will be WRITING the English textbooks for the next generation.

I bet I spend a lot more of my day writing than my parents did when they were growing up. Writing gchats, emails, text messages, on forums, blogging... I mostly communicate through writing. When more communication is in this form, yes, you're going to have more examples of bad, but I think my generation's writing skills, on average, will exceed the previous generation's skills.

 

[zoebartlett]

We are witnessing the origins of a deep generational divide occurring in real time.

I agree.
I think in a generation or two English will be VERY different!


Do they even teach children to write in cursive script any more?

They do (usually in second or third grade). I'm not sure English will be so different. I mean, yes, language evolves over time, but I think it will still be important to know how to write properly.

My friends laugh at me because I'm incapable of texting in short hand. I can't do it. Just can't.

What is considered proper changes too.
In 20 years the texting generation that we find so annoying today will be WRITING the English textbooks for the next generation.

I know what you mean. I don't think it will be that bad though. Kids/Young adults will be taught to write properly and professionally as they get older. I was thinking of little kids and teaching them how to form letters properly when I wrote what I did earlier. You should see the funky way some of my students grip their pencils and write certain letters. It's interesting.

Hopefully that made sense. I'm tired.

 

[fleur-de-lis]

We are witnessing the origins of a deep generational divide occurring in real time.

I agree.
I think in a generation or two English will be VERY different!


Do they even teach children to write in cursive script any more?

They do (usually in second or third grade). I'm not sure English will be so different. I mean, yes, language evolves over time, but I think it will still be important to know how to write properly.

My friends laugh at me because I'm incapable of texting in short hand. I can't do it. Just can't.

What is considered proper changes too.
In 20 years the texting generation that we find so annoying today will be WRITING the English textbooks for the next generation.

Eh, but our grandparents would be aghast to discover the prepositions our generation ends our sentences with.

 

[JewelFreak]

I see here examples of one thing that gets me in a stew -- no criticism intended of those who do it, it just is a bugaboo of mine: the "/" instead of "and" or "or." From a style standpoint, it's unattractive. More important, it does not make the point clear.

Example: "DH gets annoyed/angry when I say that." "Angry" and "annoyed" are not synonyms. Which is it? Does he become one sometimes (say, annoyed) & the other, others (angry)? Or is he annoyed and angry at once?

It isn't hard to type 2 or 3 more letters: "My DH gets annoyed or angry when I say that." "My DH gets annoyed and angry when I say that."

If someone does mean to use synonyms, it's redundant: "My DH gets angry/mad when I say that." Use just one; they mean the same thing.

Ok, vent over!

 

[dragonfly411]

Jewelfreak - I always take / to mean "and, or" as in " My DH gets angry and, or annoyed when this happens."

 

[fleur-de-lis]

I see here examples of one thing that gets me in a stew -- no criticism intended of those who do it, it just is a bugaboo of mine: the "/" instead of "and" or "or." From a style standpoint, it's unattractive. More important, it does not make the point clear.

Example: "DH gets annoyed/angry when I say that." "Angry" and "annoyed" are not synonyms. Which is it? Does he become one sometimes (say, annoyed) & the other, others (angry)? Or is he annoyed and angry at once?

JewelFreak, I believe the writer means to indicate a fractional relationship where "annoyed" is the numerator and "angry" is the denominator; thus, his annoyance is only part of his anger. Though there are different f(r)actions on this issue, there are those who would say this viewpoint is perfectly... rational.

<--- (Math and grammar geeks, unite!)

 

[amc80]

I think I'm the only one I know who texts with full words and puncuation. I've never used "lol" and I (hopefully) never will.

 

[packrat]

I do weird things sometimes but I talk that way at times, to be funny, so some of it doesn't bother me. I say "pry" instead of probably and "dunna" instead of don't. However, I have a friend on FB, the daughter of one who was my bff for a few years, and I've not seen her since she was a young girl, who types..crap I can't even do it, it's so foreign. Not many vowels..it's as if she were speaking w/out moving her lips or something. dat=that, sum=some etc..a whole sentence like that makes me feel like I'm chewing on tinfoil. You know those emails where they have the letters all mixed up in the words but you can still read it? No problem. Those status updates w/all the weird abbreviations? I look like I'm trying to decipher quantum physics when I read it.

 

[zoebartlett]

I think I'm the only one I know who texts with full words and puncuation. I've never used "lol" and I (hopefully) never will.

Yep! Me too.