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The new growth language

With the influx of technology in the UK such as the Internet and mobile phones we find that a new language has developed. It is called Text Speak and is based on what I believe is English but it looks unrecognisable to the uninitiated.

Luckily, being the output from a bunch of semi literates from a Western education it isn’t all that hard to work out. It is simply shorthand where the words are shortened and are either initials for short phrases such as AFAIK for As Far As I Know or characters representing words such a CUOL for See You OnLine and as these characters can also be numbers you can have things like 4 representing for. There is a few that are not clear such as 20 from CB days, it means location. It is a bit weird but not that difficult.

The Internet was really the start of it with a lot of TLAs, FLAs and so on. LOL, ROFL and others were used in IM and on newsgroups until a new shorthand is not only in play but is in heavy use, even foreigners use this instead of creating their own. This includes the French amazingly enough and you know how protective they are over their language.

I think that these people will be in trouble when they are out looking for jobs but now this language is so common that even people like me are using it. Just look through this site and the forum to see how common this is and how it has become part of our language. If an event was to occur we must also consider that the younger have a much better chance of survival than us older types with them being generally fitter and healthier.

This means that if we are not careful the tables could turn and we could find that we don’t understand our own language. Perhaps, as well as basic English lessons we should put Text Speak on our lesson plan for after an event.

CU L8R

11 comments to The new growth language

  • iaaems

    It is a great shame to see a language degenerate as you describe but it has been going on for quite a while – see ITMA and TTFN.
    I am not so sure that I would agree with you that the younger generation are as fit as you claim.

  • Silent Storm

    IMOAO This is not the degeneration of the language, it is its evolution.

    Think how different the language that we now consider to be English is so different from the language ussed in a Shakespear play.

    iaaems. I couldn’t agree more about the fitness of todays ‘yoof’

  • mikebratcher69

    Half the time when I get a text of one of my boys, I cant ubderstand a fu***ng word their saying, thats ok though, because as teenagers they usually want money…
    Fitness is as fitness does as they say, most young lads that I know generally sit on their ar** all day playing call of duty, great game but doesnt keep you fit.. well maybe your thumb and a couple of fingers.
    And the girls are bad enough, his hirlfriend is quite a good example of a teenage girl… lounging about all day having a bath putting make up on, and the only sweating they do is if you ask them to do a job around the house!!! I do agree though about the language evolving, but it works both wuage we were brougays you know tell a teenager to do something in “old speak” i.e. langht up with,smatter in the odd big word like conflagration for example, and watch the confusion on their face, it can be hillarious!!

  • mikebratcher69

    Excuse the spellings, my computer randomly types charactors where it wants in a sentence, the mouse pads on the bottom of the arm rest, stupid place to put it if you ask me…and I forgot to check it before I posted!!It should read “but it works both ways, try telling a teenager what to do in “old speak” i.e. the language we were brought up with and smatter in the odd big words like conflagration and watch the confusion on their face it can be quite amusing!!

  • iaaems

    Silent Storm. Maybe degeneration was a little bit strong, but it was from my own particular perspective and therefore unique. I agree that evolution is probably more appropriate in this context but it still does not alter the fact that it makes simple communications more complicated than they need to be.
    IMOAO?

  • Skvez

    IMOAO beautifully clarifies the problem with txt spk (and abbreviations in general).
    I think Silent Storm meant IMHO (In My Honest Opinion) but there is insufficient redundancy for me to be sure.

    Contrast with if I’d written the above (with many errors) as:

    IMOAIO butfly clarfys the problem wih txt spk (n’d abrevations n genral).
    I thinc Silnt Storem mnt IMHO (In My Honest Opinyon) but thre s insufishent redndancy for me to be sure.

    It’s applaing spelling (or typing) but you can still understand it.

  • iaaems

    Skvez. Thanks for the interpretation. I have struggled with the English language all my life and I have come to accept that it has a certain beauty and structure which I, probably, accept now more than ever. Given the general weakness of my intellect, and the fact that my brain hurts, I will not be making any attempt to be proficient in the Acronym/text language. Rather, I will now go and rake some leaves, keeps me fit!

  • Ellen

    I went and checked out the list. I thought I would print it out for fun, no dice it is 37 pages long. So I will remain stupid in the new language, THANK YOU.
    It amazes me that they can remember all the shorthand for texting and can’t find their way home. Or out of a mall.
    That also goes along with their music. They can remember every word of the song, but can’t find their way to school to learn how to spell,read or write.
    I don’t believe they are stupid, well maybe a little, just that they are more tuned out than previous generations.
    Oh well, each decade there is something new to worry about, guess I am just jealous as my rememerator is shot, but then again it was never very good.

  • Skean Dhude

    Everyone remembers what is important to them. A large amount of muslims can quote all of the Loran it is all they know, Some people can remember the lyrics from hundreds of songs, others the specification on every military aircraft of WWII, and so on. School works isn’t on the list when the latest pop song is due.

    Unfortunatley, adults should be putting their feet down but sadly are hamstrung. It is part of the reason youngsters are 1M out of the 2.4M unemployed.

  • Silent Storm

    IMOAO = In my Own Arrogant Opinion.

  • grumpy old man

    it’s down to the values you pump your kids with my olds at 14 has a saturday job and works after school and during hoildays has an apperticeship lined up after school with a full time job after if he keeps his head down. my two young daughters are assastaint teachers in their martial arts and earn a few pounds not a lot but it’s the values they get from the responsablities they have their age 9 and 10 i love all my kids and protect them like a lion would but i don’t rap them up in cotton wool with false prasie