# People who "text", but don't read. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 30, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536 "2008-01-30T00:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/1 "2008-01-30T00:35:24Z")
I’ve noticed this with my daughter and some others who text a lot. If presented in a written form, they miss a lot of what’s written. But if the communication is a lot of "r"s and "u"s and the like they can tell you every thing that’s there, word for word. I’ve also noticed that they use a lot of the abbreviations when they try to write, even in business. An example: “Ok ok, so i sent 1 2 many e-mails. it was a weird thing. my stupid Yahoo isn’t working right 4 some reason. it’s not my computer, at least not this time. 🙂 im learning spanish, im so excited! i learned a song about a cat, 2 learn the vowels. cool eh?” Notice the lack of caps? I love my kids. 😛 Is the old school written language going away, you think? Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/2 "2008-01-30T00:36:56Z")
could b ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/3 "2008-01-30T00:37:40Z")
Look at the average bebo account and try to decipher what has been written. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/4 "2008-01-30T01:03:13Z")
You mean that abbreviation might actually convey things more succinctly? Well, I’ll be damned. Not that many people have ever been forced to really assess just how much unnecessary language they are churning out. Reducing something to its salient points is a real challenge. One option is to eschew most grammar, as can be done with text messages. Or just choose other words. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/5 "2008-01-30T01:08:55Z")
Well, it kind of jars me, just a little, but I’m an old fuddie-duddie. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ThirdCultureKid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@ThirdCultureKid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThirdCultureKid)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/6 "2008-01-30T01:29:14Z")
Speaking as an 18-year old, nothing will have me judge you faster if you craft your written communications that way. I understand it originated in a time where texts were 150 letters or less and you had to cram in as much as possible, but now? It indicates a laziness on the part of the writer, since they could not be bothered to do you the courtesy of formulating a sentence. Really, it bums me out if a guy I like texts me lyke we shd ttaly hang 2day! I can barely bring myself to write " 'cause" instead of “because”, and yes, I’ll include the little dash. Luckily I’m not the only one; full sentences in written communications seem to become cool again once you hit university. ---
**Author:** ![bubble\_pop\_electric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@bubble\_pop\_electric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubble_pop_electric)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/7 "2008-01-30T01:35:02Z")
I’m 16 and I text all the time. My friends and I wouldn’t be caught dead holding a cell with an outgoing text that has “2” or “u” or “r” in place of actual words. I just can’t take anyone seriously who does that. Are we snobs? Probably. But that’s not all of the reason behind it, we just figured out a long time ago that it’s hard to understand each other if we don’t use English. Punctuation can totally change the meaning of a sentence. see eats shoots and leaves) Capitalization is really the only thing we don’t always do. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/8 "2008-01-30T02:28:41Z")
Speaking as a 20 year old, I can’t stand poor grammar in text messages. I also don’t think you’re going to get a decent answer to this question on this board, which self-selects members for adherence to grammar and spelling rules. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/9 "2008-01-30T02:41:36Z")
I don’t do a lot of person to person texting, but [I tweet](http://www.twitter.com) via sms. I usually do ok with grammar/spelling. But I’m much more succinct, what with the 140 character limit. But occasionally when I’m trying to say something, I will make some abbreviations. I do read, though - I’ve got the whole librarian gig going on, so reading - yeah, part of my life. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/10 "2008-01-30T02:44:04Z")
With T-9 anyone who uses that crap is being willfully immature and trite. T-9 makes using full words and caps/punctuation almost easier than leet-speak. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/11 "2008-01-30T02:48:33Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] With T-9 anyone who uses that crap is being willfully immature and trite. T-9 makes using full words and caps/punctuation almost easier than leet-speak. [/QUOTE] Someone who is used to old style texting will be able to text in short hand much quicker than they can use predictive text. They’re not being willfully anything. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/12 "2008-01-30T02:53:37Z")
Also, T-9 learns things you type in so after a while it defaults to txt spk! I’ve had to teach dirty words to every single phone I’ve owned–you think they’d just go ahead and add it all to the dictionary in the first place… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/13 "2008-01-30T07:00:04Z")
I’ve read leet speak ever since there was leet speak. I guess it’s because I don’t text but I’ve never been able to read anything without reasonable spelling/punctuation/grammar/capitalization/kitchen sink anywhere near as quickly. I find it rather selfish. It’s all about how fast it is to type, not how quickly or easily the person on the other end can read or understand. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/14 "2008-01-30T08:58:00Z")
> [@Feersum Endjinn](#): > > Thi slof-geezer whot can onli sai, Ther’s fings goan on, is calld Hombetante & heez thi cheef slof; heez got implantz & is actule considerd a bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds thou u cude stil go off & 1/2 a p, wosh yoor hands & brush yoor teef in thi time it taks him to blink. Heez fat & old & gray & his fungus lukes moar lyvli than he duz. > > I shuden 1/2 luked doobeyus bcoz I cuden lift thi stoan bak up aftir us & so Gaston had 2 sqweez past me 2 do it. I doan no if u 1/2 evir had a larj swety slof wif kopeyis qwantities ov fungis on itz pelt sqweez past u in a confined spaice … Cum 2 fink ov it probly u 1/2nt, but asoomin thass thi case fink uself luky thass ol I can say. It’s coming! You can’t hold it back! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/15 "2008-01-30T11:09:36Z")
My understanding was that it was so people could write their messages quicker rather than truncate them to save space, but perhaps it is a combination of the two. On a numeric keypad without predictive text it takes quite a while to write a message correctly. What I find funny is how it prevails even when txters are using a computer keyboard in a context where space is not an issue. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/16 "2008-01-30T11:25:58Z")
yeah, I was always totally grammatical in my texting when I had T9 mode, but now that I’m confined to only ABC I find myself typing U, B, etc. I hate it, but it takes freaking forever to type everything out. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/17 "2008-01-30T13:43:45Z")
[QUOTE=appleciders] Speaking as a 20 year old, I can’t stand poor grammar in text messages. I also don’t think you’re going to get a decent answer to this question on this board, which self-selects members for adherence to grammar and spelling rules. [/QUOTE] Not a question, my friend. More an observation. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/18 "2008-01-30T14:32:17Z")
I’ve been seeing this occurring over the last few years now: The approach of The Txt Generation. Cell phones kept getting cheaper. Parents started buying cell phones for their increasingly younger children. Prepaid phones got cheap. Text messaging with T9-enabled phones grew incredibly popular as it became cheap. Now I’ve even seen “fastest texter” competitions to see who can T9 their way to a grand prize. It’s sad but hardly surprising then that teens are growing up with text messaging being as common a form of communication as spoken word, and thanks to that damnable T9 system, abbreviations have become the norm because it really is quicker to save typing an extra one or two characters. Unfortunately that seems to be bleeding into their overall language education to the point where they’ve learned to read text message communiques faster and more accurately than the proper written word – and when they are called upon to write anything themselves, it’s peppered with the same short forms. Every kid should have a Treo. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/19 "2008-01-30T14:43:34Z")
What’s wrong with T9? The whole point of predictive text is that you _can_ type the whole word now… ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536/20 "2008-01-30T19:34:39Z")
[QUOTE=Little Plastic Ninja] I’ve read leet speak ever since there was leet speak. I guess it’s because I don’t text but I’ve never been able to read anything without reasonable spelling/punctuation/grammar/capitalization/kitchen sink anywhere near as quickly. I find it rather selfish. It’s all about how fast it is to type, not how quickly or easily the person on the other end can read or understand. [/QUOTE] Text speak isn’t leet speak ‘This is 133t speak’ 7|-|15 15 L337 5P34|\<. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-text-but-dont-read/435536.md?page=2)