Does texting dumb down the English language?

[megumidesu]

How many languages actually use punctuation marks as prolific as in english?!"';:.,()

I ask this because I know that in Japanese there are no punctuation, instead when a question is asked, the sentence ends with 'ka'

this is pointless because you can't see what i'm saying ... but oh well.

japanese uses something sort of like a full stop at the end of sentences , except it's a circle not a dot. 。
and we also use commas occasionally . and question marks because not everyone ends a question with "ka" ~
in spoken japanese , "ka" acts as a question mark . in written it can be either "ka" or ？

oh and we don't have speech marks either . 「we write like this if we're quoting someone 」

[OrphanPip]

Punctuation didn't always exist in English either, it was introduced by the French. If I remember correctly most European punctuation was invented by Italian monks sometime in the Middle Ages for Vulgate Latin to facilitate their recitation of Bible verses. Prior to that there was only punctuation to indicate full stops.

[Geminize]

I don't mind texting shorthand, but don't let it influence the rest of your communication. As a heads up to the teens and 20-somethings here...

I'm an employer, and I review all the job applications for my business. I can't believe how sloppy some of them are. (More now than 15 years ago.) Applications filled out in pencil, with poor spelling, punctuation and grammar go to the bottom of the stack. The applicants may be fine potential employees, but I have to start somewhere. Attention to detail is an important part of most jobs, and if someone can't be bothered to put the effort into their application, why should I put the effort into reading it?

You only get one chance at a first impression. Just sayin'.

[Miles]

japanese uses something sort of like a full stop at the end of sentences , except it's a circle not a dot. 。
and we also use commas occasionally . and question marks because not everyone ends a question with "ka" ~
in spoken japanese , "ka" acts as a question mark . in written it can be either "ka" or ？

oh and we don't have speech marks either . 「we write like this if we're quoting someone 」

Quoted because informative :p

[trialbyerror]

May I weigh in on this ?

Does texting "dumb-down" the English language"?

No I think not. I personally don't like it but to be honest, I think it is more an English evolvement to facilitate communication under specific conditions.

One of those conditions is messaging. (There are others)

I have a problem when it is used in conjunction with, or outside of. those conditions. It points to laziness & a lack of self-pride.

Having said that, when my son was still in school, a particular educator used to excessively verbally ride him about his pronunciation and structuring of sentences. (He was predominantly Afrikaans at the time).

I told him to do this: -

"Next time that happens, ask her if she understood what he had said"
"If she answers "yes" then reply thus": -

"Miss, language is only a means of communication. You understood, I communicated". And sit down.
He did just that.
She stopped.

Regards,
Trial by error.

[Pix]

Schools (at least in theory) are meant to teach proper grammar to best communicate their thoughts to the world at large, not just their social circle. Without it then speaking and writing can be very unclear, and the person can come off to employers, professors, and the like as unclear. For example:

"Miley told her neighbor that she had had intimate relations once with her boyfriend." Who had the intimate relations, Miley or the neighbor? And whose boyfriend participated, Miley's or her neighbor's? If Miley is the intended referent of one of these pronouns but not the other, the subsequent exchange between them may reach Jerry Springer levels! :tongue:

In theory schools are supposed to teach how to communicate clearly so that they can enter into a good college (granted, many high school graduates have to take "bone head courses" to enter, that is to say remedial high school) or land a good job, not just simply read a menu or have a basic idea of how to speak. It's also important for reading comprehension and learning how to diagram sentences which can help you figure out what someone is saying or even if it's just gibberish.

Even worse, turning words into fuzzy, adaptable tools instead of precision instruments allow for "Humpty Dumpty philosophy" of words (whatever the speaker wants it to mean at that moment, say calling someone who eats meat a vegetarian :tongue: ) as well as enabling spin doctors (and like when Clinton said, "It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If the—if he—if 'is' means is and never has been, that is not—that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement"), both of which can easily create misunderstandings, corrupt our politics, and even demean language itself which is the very glue that holds civilization together.

More:

https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm

Sorry to get melodramatic, and given how mentally exhausted I am right now I'm sure I'm not expressing myself too well either, but kids are SUPPOSED to learn the proper ways to communicate. That's not to say they need to talk that way all the time (though it might be funny if they did ), and I'm not against the use of text speech and the like, just that when it's time to use English correctly then they need to know how, just like one needs to know how to dress for a job interview (while not dressing like that most of the time). Otherwise you might as well leave the kids with babysitters because they certainly don't need school just to figure out how to talk in general, and I'm sure most kids could at least figure out how to read a menu or simple instructions without an education, too.

[Lilitu]

How many languages actually use punctuation marks as prolific as in english?!"';:.,()

I ask this because I know that in Japanese there are no punctuation, instead when a question is asked, the sentence ends with 'ka'

I think that's the only way english can express itself though, through constant and frequent punctuation.

imagineifwewerelikechineseandalltheletterswereputogetherlikethisandfullstopsweretinycirclesandtomarkapauseyouhavetowriteallthisshit等等andsayitjusttoactlikeadashoracomma。Havefunreadingallthis

[trialbyerror]

imagineifwewerelikechineseandalltheletterswereputo getherlikethisandfullstopsweretinycirclesandtomark apauseyouhavetowriteallthisshit等等andsayitjusttoact likeadashoracomma。Havefunreadingallthis :eek:

Imagine if we were like the Chinese, and all the letters were put together like this, and full stops were tiny circles.
And to mark a pause, you have to write all this shit 等等 and say it, just to act like a dash or a comma 。
Have fun reading all this

Did I get it right?.... Did I get it right?.... Did I get it right?....
'ope not, I can do with a spanking....

What can I say, I'm obsessive compulsive, pernickity, old, and grouchy Oh an' I like to get spanked :biggrin:

Thanks for the laugh

Trial by error

[Bowyn Aerrow]

I think Spell Check has made the population (including myself) stupider.

I find I rely too much on the little red line under a word to call me on my error instead of taking the time I used to take to sit and think about what I was writing...

Dame spel-chequer

[partisan]

That's truly scary :-O