The_root_of_all_evil:

Anarchemitis:

scumofsociety:
Perfectly acceptable shorthand. Although I have to admit I still don't know what 'WOOT' means.

It's perfectly acceptable when time is a notable constraint, such as video game multiplayer chat and maybe instant Chat programs. But on a forum where time is given, it is inexcusable.

I disagree. It's a question of your own image and the people you're talking to. Talking entirely in txt spk is intolerable, but the odd usage of it to underline a point is acceptable, as is TLA's or gamer jargon.

You wouldn't say "I've got three gigabytes of Random Access Memory", would you?

1337 speak does have it's place, but only usually as an expression of emotion that two-dimensional text can't routinely display.

I'd hate to think that we're ignoring someone purely for their misuse of English.

Bing! We haaaaaave a wiiiiiiner! *holds up the_root_of_all_evil's hand*

Caliostro:

In Before [something] (inb4[something])
In Before The Lock [inb4lock)

Where would these be used? I'm ashamed to admit I'm no wiser about the meaning now that I know what the term is short for.

Jaythulhu:

Caliostro:

In Before [something] (inb4[something])
In Before The Lock [inb4lock)

Where would these be used? I'm ashamed to admit I'm no wiser about the meaning now that I know what the term is short for.

The latter is probably used when there is a thread that is obviously created for flame-bait or is otherwise, pointless. The former is usually just a smug prediction on the lines of "Oooh, I know what's going to happen now!"

Arntor:
The latter is probably used when there is a thread that is obviously created for flame-bait or is otherwise, pointless. The former is usually just a smug prediction on the lines of "Oooh, I know what's going to happen now!"

Aah! Thanks for enlightening me.

The Iron Ninja:

LewsTherin:
There seems to be a weekly influx of troll every Wednesday. I believe it has something to do with a certain video posting that goes on.

I'm looking at you, Unforgotten Realms.

Damn Rob (whatever his last name is) and his weekly videos!
*shakes fist*

needausername:
This seams like a good place to post this, as its been bugging me for some time, is "dunno" a word?, or is it an abbreviation of don't know?

It's just a colloquialism. It takes it's roots from the words "Do not know" but I don't think it's a recognised word in any official dictionaries.

Alright, it's just the Escapist doesn't put a red wavy line underneath it.

Here in Sweden some slang words have been acknowledged and been put into the official dictonaries.

Names changes first by pronoucing it differently, whereas when the majority of people use it the words spelling actually changes. This is determined by many factors but mainly society, where they grew up, upbringing by family etc hence some people have accents in different parts of a country.
Now the "internet" could be used as a factor, as it's affecting alot of peoples everyday lifes, and influences speech/writting. I've seen alot of people(specially teenagers) use words as "lol" in the non-internet world. Everything evolves, but how far can we[humanity] push this and what is acceptable?

Take the example of "dunno" as in "Do not know/Don't know", will it ever replace that phrase? Of course the "do", "not" or "know" can't be replaced entirely as it's used in other sentences.

For the sake of the debate, anyone knows a word that's not spelled as it's pronounced?

Edit: I mean with ALOT.
Like;conscience. Goodluck guessing how that is spelled by pronouncing it out loud.

I still laugh that the most used abbreviation I've seen on this site is Q.E.D, which is an abbreviation of a latin phrase (quad era demonstrandum, or something of that nature). Shows how intelligent we think we are.

JadeWah:
For the sake of the debate, anyone knows a word that's not spelled as it's pronounced

Mnemonic, pneumatic, enough, strength, debt... Among others, which I'm really not thinking clearly enough at the moment. Perhaps I'll think of some more later.

Also, isn't this a form of thread-jacking?

scumofsociety:
Perfectly acceptable shorthand. Although I have to admit I still don't know what 'WOOT' means.

I'm actually quite surprised that nobody has mentioned the MMO origin of "woot". From my understanding it's a kind of shorthand. When a player would kill a monster in an MMO and attempt to loot the corpse, the exclamation would go something like "Woo! Loot!" This was eventually condensed into "woot". At least this is what my MMO friends tell me :)

NewClassic:

JadeWah:
For the sake of the debate, anyone knows a word that's not spelled as it's pronounced

Mnemonic, pneumatic, enough, strength, debt... Among others, which I'm really not thinking clearly enough at the moment. Perhaps I'll think of some more later.

Also, isn't this a form of thread-jacking?

I'm just tried to point out that it has happened before and while some might frown upon some words today, those words might get accepted tomorrow and included in the dictonary - regardless of how weird they are.

crimson5pheonix:
What's happening to English on The Escapist?

Lo siento pero no te entiendo, ¿puedes repetir en una lengua que no es ingles? Gracias!

zhoomout:

Caliostro:
Do you prefer a forum that has the .... or one that's stuffed with "LOL U GUYZ R SO FUNNI!!!!!!11[two billion smileys here*]".

That's pretty much every other gaming forum I was on before I found the escapist.

My point exactly.

brice85:

crimson5pheonix:
What's happening to English on The Escapist?

Lo siento pero no te entiendo, ¿puedes repetir en una lengua que no es ingles? Gracias!

Van magyar?

What I find really annoying is these strange algebraic equation things at the end of sentances like =x, =3, XP or XD.

What equals x or 3? Is your entire post a formula I just don't understand?

+XP? =XD? Are you playing some sort of thread RPG in your head & gaining experience for every post?

Someone once told me that things like =3 or =p represents the writer winking and sticking their tongue out at you, but surely not?

If someone did that when talking to you in real life, unless they were properly, actually medically brain damaged retarded, or having a stroke, you would find it very strange, or for the want of a better word, gay.

I mean if some guy was talking to me, and he kept winking & sticking his tongue out at me at the end of every sentence, I would probably take it as a clumsy, & creepy attempt at picking me up. Likewise if a female did it although I would still find it a bit strange, I would feel slightly encouraged.

But why do it generally, to everyone, on a non-dating website?

If it's not sexual then isn't punctuating with smiling faces really childish?

I suppose what also bothers me about it is that there seems to be no consistency to this shit, I've seen plenty of different examples of the same thing & it's like people cant even be bothered to write out their stupid 3 character equations properly & even those get abbreviated to mindless drivel, like 'P'.

brice85:

crimson5pheonix:
What's happening to English on The Escapist?

Lo siento pero no te entiendo, ¿puedes repetir en una lengua que no es ingles? Gracias!

Pardon, c'est mon faut.

Récemment, il est venu à mon attention qui les mots de "texting" sont devenus plus populaires ici. IMO, FTW, FTL. Ceux-ci sont employés plus avant, mais ils sont plus populaire maintenant. Je pourrais seulment noter plus maintenant qu'avant, ou que pendant que je deviens plus actif dans les forum. Que pensez-vous?

I honestly have never understood "text-speech". Maybe I'm too old (I can remember pre-cellphone days). I feel like I need a decoder ring just to communicate with people these days. I believe the nutty turd on the top the shit heap still remains as "lol". Why not just type "ha" or "ha ha"? Is that not just as short and simple and convey the same message?

crimson5pheonix:
Recently it has come to my attention that texting words have become more popular here. IMO, FTW, FTL. These were used before, but it seems like they're more popular now. I might just be noticing them more now than before as I get more active in the forums.

What do you think?

You'll see an increase in texting come January 20th, as users realize there will be an increase in taxation on the use of vowels as part of the redistribution of wealth plan.

Plus, everyone knows texting is heavier in the blue states.

Therefor practice you're L33T and TXT speak now as the market is sure to continue a bumpy ride during the first 100 days

-I approve this message

*of the shit heap (the irony of poor English in a forum on bad English is not lost on me so don't bother pointing it out)

photog212:
*of the shit heap (the irony of poor English in a forum on bad English is not lost on me so don't bother pointing it out)

First off, Edit button.

<Tangent>
Secondly, why stop at pointing out the irony of the poor grammar and English when I can be upset with your for using so intentionally? If you know the problem is there, then fix it! Your dedication to laziness is the reason that acronyms/words like "lol" and "rofl" are beginning to replace simpler words that had sufficed previously. You aren't part of the solution by intentionally using questionable, even outright wrong, grammar or spelling in a thread like this. You're part of the problem.

Shape up, man, this is really poor form.
</Tangent>

The_root_of_all_evil:

Anarchemitis:

scumofsociety:
Perfectly acceptable shorthand. Although I have to admit I still don't know what 'WOOT' means.

It's perfectly acceptable when time is a notable constraint, such as video game multiplayer chat and maybe instant Chat programs. But on a forum where time is given, it is inexcusable.

I disagree. It's a question of your own image and the people you're talking to. Talking entirely in txt spk is intolerable, but the odd usage of it to underline a point is acceptable, as is TLA's or gamer jargon.
You wouldn't say "I've got three gigabytes of Random Access Memory", would you?

I never said Acronyms were pointless, just one that are unnecessary I was prodding at. Such as exclamations or notions of joviality. I'd seriously much prefer typing "Hahahaha" over LOL.

All this shorthand and them acronyms are NBG.

Anarchemitis:

The_root_of_all_evil:
Talking entirely in txt spk is intolerable, but the odd usage of it to underline a point is acceptable, as is TLA's or gamer jargon.
You wouldn't say "I've got three gigabytes of Random Access Memory", would you?

I never said Acronyms were pointless, just one that are unnecessary I was prodding at. Such as exclamations or notions of joviality. I'd seriously much prefer typing "Hahahaha" over LOL.

To be honest, I'd rather type "Bwahaha" or "Mwahaha", but whatever floats your boat. Back on point, abbreviations which simplify complex phrases aren't just acceptable, but I'd say they're a good thing. I'll use the pre-suggested examples of QED and RAM. More people use QED, knowing the correct situation in which to use it, than know what it stands for. QED is a phrase by itself, so it has a place in common useage. RAM is also more recognisable than Random Access Memory, and speeds up the flow of reading when it is used. When, however, people knock out two letters of a word (u no wot i mean), that's when I'd say you are using abbreviations when you don't need to.

Using QED, RAM, etc, FIFA, EU, USA, MSN, HQ, 1/2mv² and TES IV serves not as an act of laziness, but to aid understanding and keep your writing clean and concise.

The_root_of_all_evil:
Eeeeeee...back in my day, this was all 1's and 0's.

And the occasional 2, if we were feeling daring.

Di22y:
All this shorthand and them acronyms are NBG.

Stop with the TLAs!

We on the ETLAs already

crimson5pheonix:
Recently it has come to my attention that texting words have become more popular here. IMO, FTW, FTL. These were used before, but it seems like they're more popular now. I might just be noticing them more now than before as I get more active in the forums.

What do you think?

That's natural... Reverse evolution of English language.

I wish I didn't have to put my top hat and monocle away now...

But seriously, take a look at all the new posters, in this case, I'm a good example. With so many people joining every month, the old standards won't keep up.

newclassic: First off, Edit button.

<Tangent>
Secondly, why stop at pointing out the irony of the poor grammar and English when I can be upset with your for using so intentionally? If you know the problem is there, then fix it! Your dedication to laziness is the reason that acronyms/words like "lol" and "rofl" are beginning to replace simpler words that had sufficed previously. You aren't part of the solution by intentionally using questionable, even outright wrong, grammar or spelling in a thread like this. You're part of the problem.

Shape up, man, this is really poor form.
</Tangent>

First, I'm new to this whole forum thing(thought that would be obvious), and I wasn't aware of the edit button. Sorry.
Secondly, I've become so dependent on my copy editor that my grammar is devolving. Again, my apologies. I wasn't trying to be coy.

I always thought FTW stood for Fuck the World.

photog212:

First, I'm new to this whole forum thing(thought that would be obvious), and I wasn't aware of the edit button. Sorry.
Secondly, I've become so dependent on my copy editor that my grammar is devolving. Again, my apologies. I wasn't trying to be coy.

Thirdly, 'Quote' button. In the bottom right. Or just use [Quote] tags.

fish food carl:

AuntyEthel:
I always thought FTW stood for Fuck the World.

Halo 3, Fuck the World!?

Haha! What I meant was I'd seen FTW elsewhere before I'd seen it in games, like in songs and such (Turbonegro and Tiger Army both have songs called FTW, from what I can think of now). So when I first saw it in a game I was really confused.

fish food carl:

AuntyEthel:

fish food carl:

AuntyEthel:
I always thought FTW stood for Fuck the World.

Halo 3, Fuck the World!?

Haha! What I meant was I'd seen FTW elsewhere before I'd seen it in games, like in songs and such (Turbonegro and Tiger Army both have songs called FTW, from what I can think of now). So when I first saw it in a game I was really confused.

Ah. Either that, or there are very many fanboys out there proclaiming a violent dislike to our earth.

Well, listen to Turbonegro's version. They say they want to Fuck the World, as opposed to just Fuck the World, if you see what I mean. Fanboys probably proclaim violent hatred because they're socially inept and can't get laid, so it could be true.