# Dudes of straight dope, if I type in proper english... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 15, 2013, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899 "2013-09-15T08:14:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/21 "2013-09-15T09:38:56Z")
> [@](#): > > As long as i get the message across You aren’t getting your message across. Your writing is deliberately ambiguous, and your style of posting tends to discourage people from reading whatever it is that you feel you need to say. And people are free to point this out to you. You can’t claim that you have some sort of right to post however you want, and then claim that nobody can complain about your style of posting. It goes both ways. ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/22 "2013-09-15T09:39:00Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > **Define “polluted”** I’ll give it a try: > [@Gateway](#): > > Then go cry abt it. In every post i made sum1 is on my ass abt how its not up to their level of how they think every1 should type apparently. > > 1. Its faster > 2. There is no 2 cuz 1 is all u need! For reel… if u dont like it tuff. As long as i get the message across then i dont see y u guys r so sensitive abt it. Go talk abt it with ur therapists or sumthin, but keep ur obvious observation that im not using “proper” english outta my threads. > > And i suggest u all look at ur reel motivation behind needing my posts to be written “properly” Why is tradition good 4 the sake of tradition? Who’s idea was it that this or that way is the rite way? Easy. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/23 "2013-09-15T09:40:39Z")
**Gateway** , your “shorthand” is difficult for many people who are native English speakers to understand. I know that’s baffling to your young self, but there it is. For the many, many people on this forum for whom English is a second (or third, or _nth_) language and who have enough trouble with standard English it’s probably incomprehensible gibberish. The fact your way is “faster” is pointless if it fails to communicate your message. Seriously, it’s not like we’re asking you to write in cursive (if you don’t know what “cursive writing” is look it up) or use a slide rule or log table. If you have sufficiently poor English skills that you can not adhere to the rules of this forum, which require posts to be in English, I’m sorry but this place is probably not for you. Come back when you are able to write coherently. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/24 "2013-09-15T09:54:57Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > You aren’t getting your message across. Your writing is deliberately ambiguous, and your style of posting tends to discourage people from reading whatever it is that you feel you need to say. > > And people are free to point this out to you. You can’t claim that you have some sort of right to post however you want, and then claim that nobody can complain about your style of posting. It goes both ways. Nope i figured you guys could understand it @ worst with a small amount of effort. In other words Im not typing something in order that u cant read it… They can point it out but when every thread goes to the subject of grammer that is a bit ridiculous, at least if no one is pointing out that they actually cant read it. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/25 "2013-09-15T10:01:20Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > Then go cry abt it. In every post i made sum1 is on my ass abt how its not up to their level of how they think every1 should type apparently. > > 1. Its faster R U in a hurry ? R we not worth UR t8m ? > [@](#): > > 1. There is no 2 cuz 1 is all u need! For reel… if u dont like it tuff. If we don’t like it, we can tell you to jolly well jog on with your illiterate fucking prose, can’t we ? Again, and again, and again. As it seems is your complain. You don’t like that ? _Tuff_. > [@](#): > > And i suggest u all look at ur reel motivation behind needing my posts to be written “properly” Why is tradition good 4 the sake of tradition? Who’s idea was it that this or that way is the rite way? Spelling and grammar aren’t about tradition. They’re about mutual understanding, and respect. If you can’t be arsed to write properly, for our sake if nothing else, why should we give a flying fuck about anything you have to say ? ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/26 "2013-09-15T10:12:11Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > And people are free to point this out to you. You can’t claim that you have some sort of right to post however you want, and then claim that nobody can complain about your style of posting. It goes both ways. But… but… he’s _entitled_!!! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/27 "2013-09-15T10:29:08Z")
Aww. That’s so cute. He’s putting his widdle foot down and telling everyone it’s just “tuff” we don’t like the way he writes. No comprehension of the irony. Tough, kid. You wanna be a moron, go right ahead. Expect to be called on it. You need tougher skin if you wanna hang with the big kids with your dick out. Make yourself a [fuck shit stack, be ready to stand in it.](http://youtu.be/CJQU22Ttpwc?t=18s) ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/28 "2013-09-15T10:42:13Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > Then go cry abt it. In every post i made sum1 is on my ass abt how its not up to their level of how they think every1 should type apparently. > > 1. Its faster > 2. There is no 2 cuz 1 is all u need! For reel… if u dont like it tuff. As long as i get the message across then i dont see y u guys r so sensitive abt it. Go talk abt it with ur therapists or sumthin, but keep ur obvious observation that im not using “proper” english outta my threads. > > And i suggest u all look at ur reel motivation behind needing my posts to be written “properly” Why is tradition good 4 the sake of tradition? Who’s idea was it that this or that way is the rite way? If you are unwilling to put any time and effort into the composition of your messages, why would you expect anybody to invest any time and effort reading them? Doesn’t that seem kind of lopsided to you? And speaking as one whose native language isn’t English, yes, it is extremely hard to make sense of your posts. One problem is that you rely on the homophonic nature of certain letters/numbers and words for your abbreviations; but ‘u’, for instance, isn’t pronounced ‘you’ in every language, so I have to first ask myself how one would pronounce a certain letter in English, in order to find the word you are substituting it for. By writing more legibly, you’re extending a curtesy towards readers such as myself, while your way of writing basically amounts to one big ‘fuck you, I don’t give a shit’. Or in other words, subtext matters: the same content will be received differently depending on the presentation; an effort on your part may be greeted with an effort on the reader’s, while not giving a shit about them makes them not give a shit about you, and what you may have to say. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/29 "2013-09-15T10:43:54Z")
Well collectively u guys have some good points, and was thinking of saying that i took wat u said into consideration and toning down the way ive beene writing. i have been doing this. in any case in the future hopefully u can bring up how u couldnt read the writing BEFORE u jump down the persons throat seemingly over u guys just being grammer nazis. If you dont remember wat was said B4 you all actually got 2 your point… Thank you September 2013! Wow. I have a headache now. Go away. polluted our forum we don’t serve your kind here. your ludicrous "shorthand"trying to help you not sound like a frothing idiot Responding to his threads is just encouraging him. Use proper English or fuck off. Responding to his threads is just encouraging him. So THANK U 4 the hate. And by the way, how do u report someone 4 saying fuck off? ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/30 "2013-09-15T10:52:30Z")
I bet you like Avatars also. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/31 "2013-09-15T10:56:36Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > If you are unwilling to put any time and effort into the composition of your messages, why would you expect anybody to invest any time and effort reading them? Doesn’t that seem kind of lopsided to you? > > And speaking as one whose native language isn’t English, yes, it is extremely hard to make sense of your posts. One problem is that you rely on the homophonic nature of certain letters/numbers and words for your abbreviations; but ‘u’, for instance, isn’t pronounced ‘you’ in every language, so I have to first ask myself how one would pronounce a certain letter in English, in order to find the word you are substituting it for. By writing more legibly, you’re extending a curtesy towards readers such as myself, while your way of writing basically amounts to one big ‘fuck you, I don’t give a shit’. Or in other words, subtext matters: the same content will be received differently depending on the presentation; an effort on your part may be greeted with an effort on the reader’s, while not giving a shit about them makes them not give a shit about you, and what you may have to say. One of the best posts I have seen on this thread, Half, I didn’t know my posts weren’t legible at the beginning. I didn’t think about how people who speak English as a second language have great difficulty with my posts. I agree with the ‘not giving a shit’ idea too, I don’t know if I have thought about it like that before. And yes, it WAS a fuck you, but it was a fuck you to status quo grammer Nazis, and not so much to you guys (unless basically there were grammer Nazis among you or sheep who don’t like bad grammer just because that’s what everyone else thinks). In any case due to this post I feel it is in my best interest at least to get my message out to use normal spelling. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/32 "2013-09-15T11:04:50Z")
Thank you. I for one appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/33 "2013-09-15T11:06:08Z")
Unless you are typing on a tiny keyboard or a smartphone, there isn’t really any case to be made for abbreviations to be “faster”. This excludes some well-known acronyms that are often used, even in the names of the forums here on the SDMB. Similarly, for all the complaints over the years of “too long, did not read” (or TLDR), you’re not limited to 140 characters in this format and can take all the space you need. But if you can touch-type with any proficiency, the difference between typing “u” and “you” is minimal, especially since it is all done with the same hand. Saving one or two keystrokes doesn’t make you look efficient, it makes you look lazy and sloppy. Some of these “savings” are even more absurd. “Every1” for “everyone” only saves you two keystrokes and requires a shift up to the numbers row that could be done more quickly just by staying in the letters portion of the keyboard. If you are actually using a touchscreen keyboard, it makes even less sense as you’ll have to actually shift through the display, which will take you longer than simply writing “one”. And you don’t get to report someone for saying “fuck off” in this forum. Others, maybe, but you opened this thread in the free-for-all and now you get to live with the response. Much like attempting to use text-speak in a medium that does not require it for an audience that is actively hostile to it. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/34 "2013-09-15T11:11:58Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Unless you are typing on a tiny keyboard or a smartphone, there isn’t really any case to be made for abbreviations to be “faster”. This excludes some well-known acronyms that are often used, even in the names of the forums here on the SDMB. Similarly, for all the complaints over the years of “too long, did not read” (or TLDR), you’re not limited to 140 characters in this format and can take all the space you need. But if you can touch-type with any proficiency, the difference between typing “u” and “you” is minimal, especially since it is all done with the same hand. Saving one or two keystrokes doesn’t make you look efficient, it makes you look lazy and sloppy. Some of these “savings” are even more absurd. “Every1” for “everyone” only saves you two keystrokes and requires a shift up to the numbers row that could be done more quickly just by staying in the letters portion of the keyboard. If you are actually using a touchscreen keyboard, it makes even less sense as you’ll have to actually shift through the display, which will take you longer than simply writing “one”. > > And you don’t get to report someone for saying “fuck off” in this forum. Others, maybe, but you opened this thread in the free-for-all and now you get to live with the response. Much like attempting to use text-speak in a medium that does not require it for an audience that is actively hostile to it. I am typing on a playstation 3 which can take a long time to type on. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/35 "2013-09-15T11:15:24Z")
> [@](#): > > In any case due to this post I feel it is in my best interest at least to get my message out to use normal spelling. Any time you want people to read your words, think about them, and respond intelligently, you should take a moment to write proper English. If you don’t care whether anybody ever reads your words use nonstandard forms of spelling and grammAr. Why? There’s only so much time. I can read something written to be read, or I can read gobbledegook. I prefer to spend my time reading posts which are well formatted. Others here do as well. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/36 "2013-09-15T11:20:25Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > One of the best posts I have seen on this thread, > Half, I didn’t know my posts weren’t legible at the beginning. I didn’t think about how people who speak English as a second language have great difficulty with my posts. > I agree with the ‘not giving a shit’ idea too, I don’t know if I have thought about it like that before. > And yes, it WAS a fuck you, but it was a fuck you to status quo grammer Nazis, and not so much to you guys (unless basically there were grammer Nazis among you or sheep who don’t like bad grammer just because that’s what everyone else thinks). > In any case due to this post I feel it is in my best interest at least to get my message out to use normal spelling. Much better, thank you. This post I could and did read. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/37 "2013-09-15T11:20:59Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > I am typing on a playstation 3 which can take a long time to type on. AFAIK the overwhelming majority of USB keyboards will work with a PS3 - you can get one for 10 bucks or so, less if used. You won’t need any adaptator, special cords or any of that crap, it’s just plug and type. In any event, thank you for making the effort. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/38 "2013-09-15T11:23:25Z")
**I can read something written to be read, or I can read gobbledegook.** Again, good point. I didn’t consider this at first but it makes sense that people like to read what is more inviting to read. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/39 "2013-09-15T11:24:09Z")
The little specialized keyboard is pretty nice as well, especially if you’re better at thumb-typing than I am. It’s handy for browsing, for things like code entry in the Playstation Store, and of course for gaming. More expensive, but a pretty good use of $50. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/40 "2013-09-15T11:32:00Z")
\*AFAIK the overwhelming majority of USB keyboards will work with a PS3 - you can get one for 10 bucks or so, less if used. You won’t need any adaptator, special cords or any of that crap, it’s just plug and type. \* Hey, thanks for letting me know, and you too Asterion. And you guys are welcome too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899.md?page=3)