Ok all, I am 100% guilty of re-posting this blog entry, but I feel like we never really had much discussion regarding this issue. I was reminded of my own questions a few months ago when I read this: http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/09/18/emoticon.anniversary.ap/index.html
Actually, after reading the rationale behind the :-) emoticon, I found myself relaxing my stance a lot. According to the CNN.com article cited above, this was
not the lazy shortcut I'd assumed it was; it was created as an honest attempt to add a bit of personal communication to an otherwise faceless format. Still, I'm re-posting this entry because I'm still interested in a discussion about the use of Internet shorthand.
pls print 2 copies as my wrk machine is down. thks! Ok, all, I have to preface this post with the fact that I personally hate emoticons (those little sideways smiley faces, etc. :) ). I don't believe that many electronic shortcuts can replace the joys of personal communication. I personally loathe the fact that many students have been using "IM-speak" as a tool for writing. But then I realized that I do just the same! Gasp! Yes! I, too, am guilty of taking shortcuts in my daily communications. As I noticed that, I started to wonder if my loathing of grammatical shortcuts was somewhat misinformed. I mean, it seems that I use shortcuts on a daily basis, but I am still able to employ formal English grammar when the situation warrants it. I am rethinking my judgment of students who use similar shortcuts.
For example, they might write, "ur joke was so funny im rol. ttly!" (Your joke was so funny, I am rolling on the floor laughing. Talk to you later.) But truth be told, I remember that when I was in college, a few students who had pagers (hello, old school!) used abbreviations like that too. I know some English teachers bemoan this slang, but lately I've reconsidered it. Maybe students can, and will, differentiate between the types of grammar appropriate to each situation. I am wondering if you teachers of older students have noticed this sort of code-switching going on. Or perhaps you've noticed students' grammar getting progressively worse over the years. What is it, do you think?
