25 years of bad English?

25 years of bad English? (Full Version)

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[Poll]

The smiley is 25 years of bad English

31% (5)

We can get emotions across better with emotes.

68% (11)

Total Votes : 16

(last vote on : 9/23/2007 8:59:20 PM)
(Poll ended: 9/30/2007 12:00:00 AM)

Message

FullCircle -> 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 11:41:50 AM)
The smiley was 25 years old the other day. I use it myself but is it required? Is the use of the smiley a failure of your English skills in getting the emotion behind your text across? Wasn’t English fine for generations without such things?

SuspendedInGaffa -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 12:07:31 PM)
Smileys themselves are OK, though they're irritating if overused. Sometimes sarcasm doesn't travel well on the 'Net, particularly if English isn't every potential reader's first language. So I think they have their place. Txt spk cn fck rt off tho.

Ponyboy7 -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 12:11:49 PM)
I'm predisposed to using the smiley when I'm feeling too lazy to write out a response to convey the emotion.

Level -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 12:13:44 PM)
I tried to go a whole day without emoticons once; by the end of the horrid experiment, I was twitching like an epileptic.

cuddleheart50 -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 12:35:09 PM)
I have to have my emoticons! I go into withdrawal without them.[:D]

missturbation -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 12:36:32 PM)
[:D] and that's all i have to say!!

solitudesmiles -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 12:39:39 PM)
[sm=biggrin.gif][sm=banana.gif][sm=biggrin.gif][sm=banana.gif][sm=biggrin.gif][sm=mrpuffy.gif][sm=biggrin.gif][sm=banana.gif][sm=biggrin.gif][sm=banana.gif][sm=biggrin.gif]must have them dont take em away lol

earthycouple -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 12:50:54 PM)
I never use emotes. I do my own lil S for smile and that's that. One day, not to long ago I posted an emote just cause, well, I'd never used em before. I don't think many people have trouble figuring me out... the lack of voice inflection in chat is problematic sometimes so I can see where if you feel you are taken out of context much you should use them. I find when I know someone well enough I can almost hear them as I read what they write. I strive for that with those to whom I'm close. Text type sucks...I hate it. period.

SunNMoon -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 12:59:22 PM)
[:D] I love 'em, besides we're the same age. [:D][:D][:D][:D]

subtee -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 1:00:36 PM)
We'll probably have to legislate it; one emoticon for any writing 3 paragraphs or fewer. Two emoticons are allowed if the writing is 3 paragraphs or more, with an absolute limit of no more than 5 emoticons on any one document or message EVER. Further, each emoticon must be different than the last within the same piece of writing, the exception being the standard smile emoticon seen here [:)], as that is all some care to pursue of emoticonness. What I refuse to use is the "LOL." I've never even typed it....wait...ah, shit.

pahunkboy -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 1:23:39 PM)
when over used thye are irritating. but since context is easy to confuse online- it is an easy to do denote you mean the text in good spirit- rather then as an insult. :-)

FullCircle -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 1:45:30 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: pahunkboy it is an easy to do denote you mean the text in good spirit- rather then as an insult. :-) I present here a part of who I am and I want that part of me to be liked because the people here are the same types of people that will see that same part of me in the real world. It is therefore nice to have that part of me liked here and it hurts if it isn’t, having said that I’m not going to worry if someone misinterprets me. I made this point a few weeks ago as to why people use the term ‘IMHO’ or they turn a statement into a question because they seem to be scared of having an opinion rejected e.g. people end a statement with a question because they are scared to have an opinion don’t you think? I think the same thing has happened with humour with the introduction of emote icons. When I make a joke I now have to point out it’s a joke I’m making by putting ‘lol’ or a smiley face at the end of it. I think it should be obvious I’m joking without the need of such things. It almost feels like an important aspect of the conveyance of meaning has died. Maybe this has more to do with the fact that some people will instinctively look at things as being said in a negative way rather than considering it was said in jest. I don’t mind emoticons I use them as I’ve said but it always seems like I’m failing to get across what I feel or that I’m bowing to pressure when I use one.

Carrianna -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 1:58:59 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: FullCircle The smiley was 25 years old the other day. I use it myself but is it required? Is the use of the smiley a failure of your English skills in getting the emotion behind your text across? Wasn’t English fine for generations without such things? Of course, but we did not have the Internet, I believe the Internet is only 15 years old, by that I mean the average person sending messages to another in a different country, not someone in the same business. Personally I believe the smiles are only there to stop flaming, as it is hard to know what someone is trying to say, ok yes it is written in front of you, but without facial expressions or body language the point often becomes lost. quote: ORIGINAL: FullCircle I present here a part of who I am and I want that part of me to be liked because the people here are the same types of people that will see that same part of me in the real world. It is therefore nice to have that part of me liked here and it hurts if it isn’t, having said that I’m not going to worry if someone misinterprets me. I made this point a few weeks ago as to why people use the term ‘IMHO’ or they turn a statement into a question because they seem to be scared of having an opinion rejected e.g. people end a statement with a question because they are scared to have an opinion don’t you think? I think the same thing has happened with humour with the introduction of emote icons. When I make a joke I now have to point out it’s a joke I’m making by putting ‘lol’ or a smiley face at the end of it. I think it should be obvious I’m joking without the need of such things. It almost feels like an important aspect of the conveyance of meaning has died. Maybe this has more to do with the fact that some people will instinctively look at things as being said in a negative way rather than considering it was said in jest. Things that are obvious to one might not be obvious to another, the Internet was not (originaly) meant for people to converse, was its original concept to make sure the other side got nuked? But yes I do agree with you, I hate people who type as they text, AGGHHHHH, you have ten digits not one thumb! Also you have more space to use!! Whoops...

beargonewild -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 2:02:01 PM)
In many situations, smiley is very useful to convey exactly what emotion is wanting to be portrayed. The trick is not to overuse then or they do get quite annoying!

FullCircle -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 2:08:59 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Carrianna Personally I believe the smiles are only there to stop flaming, as it is hard to know what someone is trying to say, ok yes it is written in front of you, but without facial expressions or body language the point often becomes lost. Funny you should say because I spent sometime here in the chatrooms and people would always type the word ‘smiles’ after they said something they thought might have come across a bit harsh. The problem with typing that is there are all kinds of different types of smile and I always pictured the sarcastic smile. That is my problem for all I know it might have been a warm smile they had on their face. I kind of feel I pictured the sarcastic smile though because the statement they had made was sarcastic and no amount of smiling was going to change that. Therefore by them typing ‘smiles’ it only exaggerated the initial bad feeling that existed between us. I will say that if you write something that can be interpreted more than one way you have failed it’s that simple. That’s how important good English is and that’s what people take for granted. I don’t see it having anything to do with the birth of the internet as people communicated in other mediums before this and didn’t require smiley faces to do so. Maybe the internet makes misunderstandings more obvious though I don’t know.

nyrisa -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 3:54:16 PM)
I know a lot of people who type smirks instead of smiles. A smirk, to me, is a smart assed, mocking smile; the sort that your mama slaps off your face, just before she whups your bottom. (ah, the good old days of parenting.) I hate the little emoticon things, though. And heaven forbid someone posts one in the middle of what is supposed to be a "hot" exchange. [;)] [:)] [8D] Total mood killer.

ChicagoSwitchMal -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 4:00:50 PM)
If we all had time to compose each sentance with the care as we did in English class then no. But we are often rattling out a few words that can misinterpreted with and smilie or two. I think they serve their purpose in chat and message boards - maybe informal emails. But not in business and certainly not in textbooks.

Lumus -> RE: 25 years of bad English? (9/23/2007 4:48:05 PM)
I tend to say precisely what I mean, yet it can be taken out of context. I would take a slight variation on what ChicagoSwitchMal said; misunderstandings from text aren't so often the fault of the "speaker" as it is the "reader", as we try to read vast parcels of information and integrate them all at once. That said, I use emoticons to underscore something I've said; to ensure proper interpretation; or just for shits and giggles. I liken them to crib notes, or a graphical interpretation of a person's actual physical reaction. If used responsibly, they are not that different than any other accepted addition to the writing process. I'd also liken the idea of a graphical portrayal in conjunction with text to "cartoon strips" or "fliers", both of which have existed for over a century. We just do it in bits and bytes now, not just paper.

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