Please type in English!

[Lucy]

I think perhaps this is a great time to bump up this sticky.
We have so many new members who may not be a aware of the request not to use text speak.
Avoiding text speak will make your threads much easier to read.
Since we're dealing with the lives of our finned friends, it's important that members can completly understand the questions and information given.

Thanks!

[sirdarksol]

Also of importance is the line "use a descriptive title for your threads."
I've noticed a few cases recently where a thread had a very generic title, but the thread was regarding a very specific issue. In one of these cases, a thread went unnoticed for several weeks because it had a title that had nothing to do with the real purpose of the thread.

[Lucy]

We have many members whose first language is not English.
This thread isn't about our international members.
Who, btw, always impress me with their English skills.

[Jaysee]

Originally Posted by Lucy

We have many members whose first language is not English.
This thread isn't about our international members.
Who, btw, always impress me with their English skills.

It's sad (and wonderful, depending on point of view) that they speak and type better english than a lot of people whose first language is english.

[aquarist48]

Good morning. Is typing even offered as a class these days? Just curious.
I've seen some posts that were very difficult to read and they had very few responses. if any. If you can't read the post then why bother?
Please, type in English, not in text!
Thanks!
Ken

[Lucy]

Originally Posted by aquarist48

Good morning. Is typing even offered as a class these days? Just curious.

Yes, but it's called keyboarding. lol

Originally Posted by aquarist48

I've seen some posts that were very difficult to read and they had very few responses. if any. If you can't read the post then why bother?
Please, type in English, not in text!
Thanks!
Ken

Let's not forget sentences, punctuation and paragraphs!

[Meenu]

No punctuation drives me batty. Almost all of those posts get skipped by me. It makes my eyes cross trying to decipher them.

[aquarist48]

LOL keyboarding. ok...
Too, let's not forget about Titles. Try to make them specific as mentioned above in post #73 by Sirdarksol. It really helps to get more responses.
Ken

[sirdarksol]

Originally Posted by Tigerlily

I guess I'm not the only one who skips messages written in textspeak and those without both capitalization and punctuation. My ADDer (attention deficit disorder) brain has enough trouble just coping with large unbroken blocks of text.

Yeah, sorry about that. I try to put paragraph breaks in periodically.

You're definitely not the only one. Because I'm a writer, I've been exposed to enough experimental writing that I can handle some lack of capitalization and lack of punctuation (though it still drives me nuts) but too much of it, and especially if it's in large blocks, it drives me away.

[Tigerlily]

Regardless of ADD, I'm a voracious reader. That said, reading something that has been planned, edited and re-edited is, generally speaking, far different than reading on a message board. Not putting off on anyone else, your talent is obvious and your writing flows so well it's not difficult for me to read.

[harpua2002]

Seriously, please type in English. Text speak is difficult to read and many of us probably won't bother. Punctuation is definitely a bonus.

[jesskimo]

I agree completley with this thread, and I'm still new!
Regarding english as a second language, I don't believe the original post had anything to do with that. Usually, if a user's second language is English, they will work harder to ensure that their post is clear and consise (usualyl harder than those who's first language is English!). It's usually people who text, or do mass amounts if IM'ing who have to abbreviate and acronym everything to death!
It's also been mentioned in this thread the counter arguement about using terms like FW or WC.... those are Forum Acronyms, and I believe there is a list somewhere on here as to what those acronyms mean. There is no such list for non-fishkipping acronyms that I am aware of.

I'd like to bring up one last point on this topic - not sure if it's already been mentioned, but I skimmed...so it could have been. Newbies, who are using the Search function on the forums will never find any valuable information regarding your issue (assuming there was a valid response) if you have typed in "text-talk". Typing in "Laughing Out Loud" into the Search field will not bring up results typed "LOL". Thanks all... that's just my

[claudicles]

I am so glad there is a thread for this! I have been on so many forums where anything goes and I give up. Text talk is another language and requires learning just like any other. I can sort of understand why people would use it from a phone but even then I just type the word, but writing a forum entry in it is just appallingly lazy. It assumes everyone else should have to go to the trouble to decipher your abbreviations while you couldn't be bothered writing properly. I don't read them on principle.

Lack of punctuation is another story altogether. I usually assume someone who types a great swathe of text without any punctuation is barely literate and then I feel bad discriminating against them by not reading what they have written. It is pretty tough going though.

[inari]

this is a great post i love it i absolutely hate it when people use short hand that only a few people know what i means and punctionation use it i'm not too concerned about capitalization but one or the other needs to be used other wise it's worse than reading conrad's 'heart of darkness' terrible read it's three chapters long and has maybe a handful of punctation some paragraphs go on for pages with no so much as a comma to break up the thoughts

Yes I know that last bit is exactly what I'm complaining about. I'm being stupid with but I will translate into something readable:

This is a great post, I love it. I absolutely hate it when people use short hand that only a few people know. Punctionation use it!! I'm not too concerned about capitalization, but one or the other needs to be used other wise it's worse than reading conrad's 'heart of darkness'...Terrible read it's three chapters long and has maybe a handful of punctation; some paragraphs go on for pages with not so much as a comma to break up the throughts.


Ahh that is so much better, it took me way to long to write the first part and I guess I'm trying to make a point for those who do it, so they can see how tough it is find the complete thoughts :-D

And when I do it, I don't mean to in the least. So I will appologize now for those who have caught my lack of grammer...and massive spelling errors

(Missspelers untie)

~Inari

[Kati B]

Originally Posted by Lucy

Yes, but it's called keyboarding. lol



Let's not forget sentences, punctuation and paragraphs!

Great thread. I am new here but I have been lurking since September '09. The biggest reason is because it is friendly, and people go out of their way to help. Why throw that knowledge and opportunity away because no one can understand the text-speak people insist on? Take time to type it out.

My BF's (Sorry - boyfriend's) daughter took "Keyboarding" in high school. They used Dragon Naturally Speaking!!!! Come on !!! No wonder kids today can't communicate via the written word...

[inari]

what (sensored) when i took keyboarding in middle school we had to actually type things out. I don't remeber the name of the program but it gave u things to copy over and you could not use backspace or delete 'cause it measured your accuracy. Now they use something else, I'm not familar with Dragon Naturally Speaking but I saw it sold at the textbook stores I work in for college, usually to ESL students (english as a second language) or to the foreigh language courses. I thought it was supposed to help you learn to pronounce things, but that does explain why all the students had a problem with their foreign languages. sigh, we should get back to the basics, if you can't spell it, put in Word and use the spell checker, if you don't know the meaning of something use a dictionary, if you want to text get your phone and text someone who knows how to read/speak it.
~Inari

[sirdarksol]

Originally Posted by haedra

Well I am definitely old. When I went to school, there was no such thing as text speak. The internet did not exist yet. We had a typing class, on old IBM typewriters; you know, the kind where you had to hit the letters hard enough or the ink wouldn't be dark enough, lol. And we were taught how to type properly formatted letters!

Yeah, textspeak is a new thing. BBSs were popular among the nerds when I was in high school, and there were some shortening of words (the beginnings of what would be called l33tspeak), but nothing like textspeak.
I remember the whole format thing. Now, people applying for jobs are too lazy to even use Word to auto-format their letters properly.

[bolivianbaby]

Bump. Text speak doesn't count as English. It's difficult for many members (myself included) to comprehend.

Thanks

[aquarist48]

Good morning,

Due to the number of new members to the forum, I'm bumping this thread.

Thanks!

Ken

[LarrythEDeer]

I usually type my reply then copy and paste it into Word to double check it...

[Lexi03]

I do all my Fishlore activities on my phone, I have no way to spell check, and I know my spelling is aweful. The carpal tunnel isn't helping matters either, words with a double letter in them keep ending up misspelled, I try to edit it when I catch it, sorry everyone.

[aquarist48]

Good morning,

Incorrect spelling, we can usually figure it out. No need to apologize

I hope your carpal tunnel gets better soon!

Ken

[LyndaB]

Always a good thing to see this thread bumped.....

[FishResearcher]

Thank you Ken!! I was just noticing this too and am glad someone took the time to remind everybody.

[ChristineG]

Perhaps FL could add a "dictionary" thread to explain some letters, too, like BTW, IMO, LOL, and ROLF (Took me awhile to figure that one out.)

[noslen1003]

Originally Posted by Lucy

We have many members whose first language is not English.
This thread isn't about our international members.
Who, btw, always impress me with their English skills.

in non-English speaking countries - you start learning English more about writing/ grammar. spelling, etc before verbal English.

[sirdarksol]

Originally Posted by ChristineG

Perhaps FL could add a "dictionary" thread to explain some letters, too, like BTW, IMO, LOL, and ROLF (Took me awhile to figure that one out.)

Abbreviations, Initialisms, Acronyms, and other Lingo

[divefanatic]

sorry everyone! Ill try harder my next post! promise haha

[aquarist48]

Good morning,

I've been running across some posts lately that have been difficult to read due to one reason or another. Please do not get lazy with your posts simply because you are on a device other than a computer. If your device has a Comma and a Period key, please use it.

Please take a moment and review the information that has been posted in this thread. I want everyone to receive as many responses to their inquiries as possible.

My eyes! My eyes! Too, my contacts, bifocals and screen enlargements can only do so much!

The easier your post is to read, the more responses you will probably receive.

Thanks!

Ken

[Stang Man]

I agree Ken 100%