The Death of the Question Mark ? ? ? ? ?

I try T.B., we think english is tough to spell through, did I get a rude awakening. When I was in Shreveport Louisiana, I saw all kinds of signs that read "Geaux Tigers" , well my yankee ignorance and natural curiosity got the best of me so I asked what in the world does Geaux mean? The reply from the locals was "go". 'bout a week later I figured out I wasn't cut out to live in the south. 

Bish its color sir not colour LOL. like Lincoln only different.

the doog

I have to say, I'm thoroughly enjoying the conversation, ribbing, and information and input in this thread. Good to know that I'm not the only one who is lamenting the corruption of our written language. Keep the thoughts coming, anyone who has something to contribute. :)

 

 

Karl, you've definitely hit the nail on the head. I get confused real easily with all the "text-speak" and "text-spell" that more and more ends up on computer forums and from what I understand, even student papers. I'm glad I'm not an English teacher.

About a month ago, I was in the apartment manager's office and she had a few papers she was going to post that had wrong sentence construction and when I pointed it out and verbalized how the sentence should be written correctly, she said that while what I said sounds correct, her computer "grammar checker" (I didn't know they even had those, only spell-checkers, which I'll touch on in a minute) told her the wrong way was correct. I gently pointed out to her that aside from the fact that I'd never heard of a grammar checker, my spell checker insists that I spell my original home city name wrong and so I don't put too much stock in it and to ignore the grammar checker in this case. (More recently, when they had to close the swimming pool for remodeling, she put up a notice "Pool Close for Remodeling." Without the D.)

Now my take on spell checkers: I can understand, for example, when I type in the name of a Hawaiian community like Koloa or Lihue or Aiea, the spell checker telling me I made a mistake. But my spell checker insists I misspell Los Angeles. I'm originally from a suburb of Los Angeles; I still go to Los Angeles at least once a year for visits, and I know darn good and well how to spell Los Angeles! Bottom line: The spell checker is an idiot.

On to another subject: Aside from the usual "your/you're" and "it's/its" and "they're/their/there" mix-ups discussed earlier that drive me crazy, here's one that drives  me up the wall and down the other side: As someone who loves the weather, I hate seeing "lightning" as in "thunder and..." spelled with an E! No, no, no!

Here's the difference: "Lightening," as in, "The wheelbarrow is too heavy with two bags of cement in it, so I'm lightening the load by removing one so I don't get a hernia."

"Lightning," as in "During the thunderstorm yesterday, I saw lightning hit a power pole and blow it to bits." 

Cheez, I'm married to a journalist and ex-English Teacher, I can't get away with anything! All good of course, I've been writing a lot lately on forums and other journalistic endevours and she keeps me straight with her Big Red teacher marking pen. I still make mistakes and I'm corrected often. I'm lucky to have her for many reasons!

We duz the best we can. 

Max

Jim Barton

 Here's the difference: "Lightening," as in, "The wheelbarrow is too heavy with two bags of cement in it, so I'm lightening the load by removing one so I don't get a hernia."

"Lightning," as in "During the thunderstorm yesterday, I saw lightning hit a power pole and blow it to bits." 

 

When I first started flying and got back into models...I would hear "lightning holes", referring to aircraft construction. Admitting my ignorance...I didn't know there was a name for those holes, and had assumed that they were a structural thing (thinking about the strength of an arch) and/or for reducing weight. After hearing "lightning holes", I thought that maybe, somehow, some way, they had a special purpose for when the aircraft was struck by lightning(how? I do not know!). It wasn't until I saw it in print "lightening holes", that it all made sense!

Interesting conversation this one, so if I can add my 2 Canadian cents...Language is a living, changing thing. In my family, while growing up, we spoke one language but outside the house we switched to the local one. So I grew up bilingual (along the way I learned English and Italian). But, since there were no other people who spoke our language (except grandparents) our language was fairly old style compared to current speakers. So when we had tourists coming from our country of origin, which my great-great parents left more then 120 yrs ago, they were always srprised about our archaic expressions, the way we addressed our parent, manners etc. So I guess we are seeing the same thing with todays generation and that our grandparents were maybe also thinking the same about us.

Hodakamax

Cheez, I'm married to a journalist and ex-English Teacher, I can't get away with anything! All good of course, I've been writing a lot lately on forums and other journalistic endevours and she keeps me straight with her Big Red teacher marking pen. I still make mistakes and I'm corrected often. I'm lucky to have her for many reasons!

We duz the best we can. 

Max

 

Can't be good for your screen though.

armornut

I try T.B., we think english is tough to spell through, did I get a rude awakening. When I was in Shreveport Louisiana, I saw all kinds of signs that read "Geaux Tigers" , well my yankee ignorance and natural curiosity got the best of me so I asked what in the world does Geaux mean? The reply from the locals was "go". 'bout a week later I figured out I wasn't cut out to live in the south. 

Bish its color sir not colour LOL. like Lincoln only different.

 

I despair i really do. All these years and you ain't learnt nuffink.

Ahh shuck man, LOL.

ManCityFan

I have been ridiculed for using full words and punctuation when texting. I have co-workers who have not figured out the difference between your and you're. Makes me crazy. I used to pride myself on having a well developed vocabulary, but with age, I am finding that I am much less erudite due to having difficulty recalling words. Having a well developed vocabulary and a good sense of humor go hand in hand. Without the vocabulary, you miss too much of the word play, and well thought out word play is a reason to live! A pun! A pun! My horse for a pun!

 

This.

People always hack me for using full words and sentences to convey a message via text. The only one that doesn't is my youngest son/middle child. Has made it a far as graduating from community college thus far, and to date has had no grade, ever, below an A. And he is an English freak. He loves anything to do with language and words.

What drives me insane is writing out a nice, detailed text about whatever, and getting the response "K." "K" what? Nice letter, but what does it mean. One person in particular does this and it almost throws me into a blue, Irish rage. So, being a knucklehead of the first order, I respond to texts from this person with a randon letter.

Good post Doog.

CharleyGnarlyP290

 

 

What drives me insane is writing out a nice, detailed text about whatever, and getting the response "K." "K" what? Nice letter, but what does it mean. One person in particular does this and it almost throws me into a blue, Irish rage. So, being a knucklehead of the first order, I respond to texts from this person with a randon letter.

Good post Doog.

 

I do the same thing with a particular friend who is habitually using the dreaded "u" in place of the same word with two more important letters. I always answer her posts with "I do not understand your comment/question. Can you please clarify?"

Gets her every time. I'm glad she's an old, dear friend, or she'd probably deep six me by now....

well I was going to have a rant on the use of "disorientated" as opposed to "disoriented" but apparently they mean the same.  One is just the English version of  an American term.  You learn something every day...

Oh Gee;

 I could've gone there too . When I was a kid I was told it was Checzkloslovakia . Somehow over the years the first " L " disappeared .Same with De-Salinization . Now it's missing the  "iz  " . Language changes partly on the part of the users due to laziness .

   Kind of reminds me of the two Bushes , saying Newcular instead of Nuclear , See ?  T.B.