[Gannu_1]

Each SMS has a character limit of 160. To save up on the costs perhaps? And time as well. For those who keeps texting a lot, they eventually end up saving a lot of time if they were to type the entire words and sentences.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by CaliAtenza

I have a burning question. Why is it that people use "SMS" language while texting on the phone? or using Whatsapp? Is regular English that hard to type out or use? It makes me think that they don't know proper english at all.

Capitalization. Character limit. Checking spelling. Checking grammar. Too much trouble on a cellphone with only numerical keys.

The word 'texting' started off as an abbreviation for sending text messages. SMS - again an abbreviation. Well then, why can the whole dictionary not be abbreviated?

[CaliAtenza]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Capitalization. Character limit. Checking spelling. Checking grammar. Too much trouble on a cellphone with only numerical keys.

The word 'texting' started off as an abbreviation for sending text messages. SMS - again an abbreviation. Well then, why can the whole dictionary not be abbreviated?

True, but now with smartphones having excellent keyboards, it is so simple to type in full English. Now i understand how it was in the old days, but technology has changed .

I also notice the same style of language being used on Facebook and Whatsapp. I don't think Whatsapp chatting takes up too much of data. I don't understand why this sort of style would be used on Facebook either.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by CaliAtenza

True, but now with smartphones having excellent keyboards, it is so simple to type in full English. Now i understand how it was in the old days, but technology has changed .

Tools such as Swype make it even easier. In fact, only the abbreviation thing is served by, err ...abbreviation.

Originally Posted by CaliAtenza

.. It makes me think that they don't know proper english at all.

The abbreviation might have been acceptable for this limited-length messaging, but the problem is that its culture has fed back into normal life to the extent that "proper" language has been overlaid and we now see it everywhere.

How long would a CV containing SMS language stay in front of my eyes? Zero time. It would be straight in the rubbish bin. But if I had applied for my job using SMS, then, not only would I not see a problem with it, I might even prefer it!

We are all doomed!

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

.....
How long would a CV containing SMS language stay in front of my eyes? Zero time. It would be straight in the rubbish bin. But if I had applied for my job using SMS, then, not only would I not see a problem with it, I might even prefer it!
....

Don't you see this as an age related issue?
The interviewer is an 'uncle' and the applicant a twenty-something 'dude'!

[vb-saan]

What is the meaning of the word bugger? I see it being used very often in the forum

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by vb-san

What is the meaning of the word bugger? ....

You wouldn't really want to know the original meaning.
Have you not looked it up already?

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

You wouldn't really want to know the original meaning.
Have you not looked it up already?

Oh! I did not look-up the meaning. Just that it did not sound right.

Saw the word used in another thread, and the next thread I opened was this. So posted the question

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

You wouldn't really want to know the original meaning.
Have you not looked it up already?

Ahhh, so many expletives have actual meanings. Mostly we don't even think about those meanings when we use the words.

vb-san... Ask Google. Google won't get embarrassed.

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Don't you see this as an age related issue?
The interviewer is an 'uncle' and the applicant a twenty-something 'dude'!

It is age-related in that many of us who care about such things might be older, but I don't see that as wrong. Unless I'm interviewing for unskilled staff, I'd expect a decent knowledge of English and (perhaps even more importantly, recognition of the formal nature of certain documents. I would have no use for a youngster who is not even aware that sms talk is inapropriate for a job application. For starters, that's how they are going to be writing formal reports and, god forbid, communicating with customers.

Hey ho, selecting and interviewing prospective staff is a terrible thing: we might spend more time with them than we do with our wives*... and we have to decide on the basis of some writing and an hour or two! I'm glad I'm unlikely to ever do it again.




*Oh wait... forgot where I am. We might have to decide on wives with even less information!

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

.....
....

*Oh wait... forgot where I am. We might have to decide on wives with even less information!

Ha ha, that's a naughty one!
As for the short form language, again, what you have said is age related.
I dare say that many of the young 'dudes' today will be very pleased to see office documents written in their favourite style! They'd probably consider it 'kewl'!
That such language lacks precision and accuracy, or that it is far from communicating the shades and nuances of meaning that could be germane to the issue, seems not to worry them at all.
LOL, we are doomed, as you said!

[vnabhi]

Good points, guys. I share your aversion to using SMS lingo on FB and Whatsapp. I even found my son and daughter using it, and persuaded them to switch to normal English.

I am not sure how far they have complied, but what I know for sure is that they've both enabled a security code on their phones to escape my prying eyes!


Now coming to the main topic of posting in English, is the following sentence correct:

"As with most Hondas, the seats are on the lower side & you need to bend down to sit on them. It's not a cakewalk for the elderly, like in the SX4."

Should 'unlike' have been a better word in place of 'like' ?

[Thad E Ginathom]

It's a mess of a sentence. First thing that struck me was lower is wrong, it should be low. Lower is a comparative word: than what?

Sorry, two sentences! I don't understand the second one at all, and can't make out what it is meant to say.

[thebfg]

@vnabhi, the sentence should be "As with most Hondas, the seats are on the lower side*, you need to bend down to sit on them. It's not a cakewalk for the elderly, like** it is in the SX4"
*This is correct when you are talking with someone comparing the Honda to the SX4 or use it in this way-"....the seats are on the lower side compared to other cars.... (if you don't want to talk about SX4) or even "....the seats are low...."
**"....like it is...." and "....like in the...." is also correct if you are writing an article or posting. The correct English is "unlike", but wot?
Hope this is helpful if I have made a mistake please correct it.
@Thad, you are partially correct but you should have specified not using side, this confuses the reader.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It's a mess of a sentence. First thing that struck me was lower is wrong, it should be low. Lower is a comparative word: than what?

Sorry, two sentences! I don't understand the second one at all, and can't make out what it is meant to say.

I guess the word 'lower' was used because he was drawing a comparison of the car with others in the segment.

@thebfg has clarified the context in which the post was made. BTW, it is on the official review of the Honda City.

Originally Posted by thebfg

@vnabhi, the sentence should be "As with most Hondas, the seats are on the lower side*, you need to bend down to sit on them. It's not a cakewalk for the elderly, like** it is in the SX4"
*This is correct when you are talking with someone comparing the Honda to the SX4 or use it in this way-"....the seats are on the lower side compared to other cars.... (if you don't want to talk about SX4) or even "....the seats are low...."
**"....like it is...." and "....like in the...." is also correct if you are writing an article or posting. The correct English is "unlike", but wot?
Hope this helpful if I have made a mistake please correct it.
@Thad, you are partially correct but you should have specified not using side, this confuses the reader.

You have read my mind. But in the sentence I've quoted, perhaps 'unlike' would have been a better word, right?

[thebfg]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I guess the word 'lower' was used because he was drawing a comparison of the car with others in the segment.

@thebfg has clarified the context in which the post was made. BTW, it is on the official review of the Honda City.



You have read my mind. But in the sentence I've quoted, perhaps 'unlike' would have been a better word, right?

Yes it would have been easier for the reader to understand