"ur, u, r" - Say what? Speak English boy!

#1 Some wacks think it is cool.

It drived me nuts too, even when they do it on AIM or ICQ.

#2 U R 8 up!

hehheh

;)

Eric

#3 And from the "ol' fuddy duddies" dept:

I think it's pretty lazy when a person can't type those two extra letters for U and R. But, what can you do?

#4 Personally, I agree. Also, there are a lot people that don't use periods in their posts. Now, if you've read a post where the author does that, you'd know what I mean. It takes twice as long to read the post and it also gets real confusing sometimes.

Using "u", "r", and "4" is just plain lazy. Sure it'll save them a couple letters to type, but it makes it more annoying for the readers. Besides, typing in proper English helps you improve your typing (speed).

Just my opinions.

#5 being an old fuddy duddy of 43, i must point out, back in the good ole days when i was a mere teen , we didnt have all the contraptions they have now days ,nor the education, so i dont rally blame or condemn anyone who really cant spell all that good nor do i knock off points for bad grammer and puntuation. What does bug me is the yahoos that cry about the afore mentioned like they have nothing better to do.

I say if they can get there point accross the who cares! And in my book if you cant handle i lil misspelling or abbrevations, then it really your problem and not theres.

#6 The problem is that they CAN'T get their point across because after the first 3 words of l33t ub3r speak most people stop reading.

Yes bastard english is great for IM or certain IRC channels. But when you are talking about game design and programming you need to have a more professional style.

I'm not saying you should have perfect grammer or spelling. But I am saying you shouldn't give someone a 12 paragraph design document in l33t sp34k.

For example, below are two samples of my above text in l33t sp34k.

Sample 1:

Quote:
tEH PRo8le|\/| 15 +h4T T|-|3Y C4|\|'T G3t +|-|Eir PO1|\|t 4crO$5 83C4U$3 After t3H Ph1r5+ 3 w0rD5 0F l33+ UB3r 5P34|< |\/|0$t P30PL3 5T0p R3aDi|\|9.

yEs B45+@Rd 3|\|Gl15|-| 15 9r3a+ PHor i|\/| OR C3R+@1N 1rc c|-|4|\||\|el$. 8uT W|-|3|\| J00 @R3 t4l|
1'|\/| |\|0T 5@y1ng J00 $|-|0UL|) h4VE P3rph3c+ GR4M|\/|3r 0r 5PelL1|\|g. BU+ i a|\/| 54y1|\|G j00 $|-|oUl|)|\|'T gI\/3 5O|\/|eo|\|E @ 12 P4R4Gr4P|-| de51Gn |)oCUME|\|T 1n L33T 5p34|<

Sample 2:

Quote:
+hE Pr0bl3m i5 +H@+ TH3y C4n'T 93t +HEIr pOiNT @cro5S 83c4u5E 4fTeR TEH FIr$+ 3 W0rD$ 0ph l33T Ub3R 5p34K MO5+ p3opl3 $+op rE4dinG.

Ye5 ba$t@RD EN9L15h 15 Gr3@+ PH0R im 0R CerT@1n 1RC cH@Nnel5. but Wh3N J00 @rE T4LK1nG 48ouT G4M3 d35i9N 4Nd pRoGR@MMiN9 j00 n33d +O h4ve 4 m0Re proF35$iON4L 5tyle.

1'm NO+ 5@y1n9 J00 $hOUld H4V3 PerPHEcT 9R@mM3r 0r $PelL1N9. 8uT i aM 54Y1Ng J00 5H0Uldn'T g1vE 50MeOnE A 12 PAR49R@ph DE$i9n DOCUmEn+ 1n L33t SP34k

#7 hehe, well ya, i agree about that, that just tells me they think they are just to cool for there shirts, hehe well its to cool for me too.

But you just have to agree not everyone thinks the same way, and not everyone is going to be your so called "professional" that comes to this forum.

the real professionals can look past all the informalities and just be helpful,,,,as the forums are intended to be.

#8 I used to get annoyed by it too. Mostly because I didn't understand how the hell someone could be so lazy. But I Later realized that there are multiple reasons...

One is laziness. That doesn't need an explaination, some people are just that lazy.

Another is society. Some teens do it because it's a fad, like AOL ;) It's cool to act stupid. Act like the majority and you're accepted, act different and you're an outcast.

I know a girl who uses "ur," "u" and "r" in the context you described. She's not stupid, not by a long shot, and she definitely isn't lazy. She doesn't do it to be cool, she just does it. Out of habit I guess. When you're new to computers and you get your first chat program, you see people chatting with "ur," "u" and "r." Of course you want to fit in, so you learn the slang and start using it, just like with anything else. Eventually it becomes habit, and it just feels weird to do things differently.

When I got my first computer and AOL 2.0 I chatted the same way, because it was the way I thought things were done. You can see that it wasn't because I'm illiterate. It was a hard habit to break, but eventually I did.

The third is illiteracy. In the Sept/Oct '02 issue of "Book Magazine" there's an article titled "Illiteracy In America." It's pretty interesting. It shows a steady downward trend in teens. Although there are probably multiple reasons for it, I think the biggest one is something I call "impersonal parenting." Parents don't build values and spend time with their kids like they did 10-20 years ago. They leave it up to the internet and TV and don't get involved in their kids' lives like they should. I'm 18, and as geeky as it sounds my mom and I debate and discuss different topics regularly. We just have casual conversations and somehow they turn into political discussions or ethical debates (she's highly religious, while I'm not). Now that I think about it, her and I have been doing this for as long as I can remember. I think that's one of the biggest contributing factors in why I am so literate and outspoken, it sure as hell isn't the public education system ;)

Illiteracy doesn't equal stupidity though. I've got another friend who has read only one book in his life. He's one of the smartest people I know. He can learn anything when he sets his mind to it. He's excellent when it comes to math and anything that requires a higher understanding of logic.

There is also the possibility of a disability. I've got yet another friend (yes, I have more than two friends) who is dyslexic. He types "ur," "u" and "r" because they're short and easier for him to read than their longer counterparts. Dyslexia (if you don't already know) is the brain's disability to focus on letters and words like a normal brain can. The text isn't blurry, the brain just can't pick out the individual letters/words. My friend often loses his place while reading. He skips letters and words, sometimes he even jumps to new lines or paragraphs in mid-sentence. You can imagine how frustrating that would be. That's probably the best way I can explain it, if you're interested then read up on it. I'm sure you can find better resources than me out there on the web. It's hard to understand, and even harder to put into words.


So, before getting pissed off at someone for how they type, try to understand their motives. I learned a long time ago that it accomplishes nothing to get all butt-hurt over something as trivial as that. Put yourself in their shoes and try to see things through their eyes before you judge them.

#9 Online, good typing and spelling is like good hygiene.

You can live without it, and get along fairly well without it, too. There are varying levels and standards of hygiene.

The point is, that how you present yourself online is important. It's often the only clue people have about how seriously to take you. If you can write well - express yourself clearly - then you're halfway to getting people to take you seriously.

The other half is having worthwhile ideas, but most people have at least a few of those. ;)

You can be understand without being able to spell or punctuate. But that's not the goal. The goal is to make people _want_ to understand you.

#10 0mfg l@b rA+ j00 r t3h l33t mAsT4r!


eh btw it is just as bad when people mis-phrase/not explain a question yet still use normal english. You respond with something useless, thus wasting the time of both parties!


ah yes, and you can't forget that language evolves through misuse, colloquialisms, and made up words. It's like a natural process. Some are inclined to invent, others to hold back, thus causing the evolution to proceed at a reasonable rate!

#11 This is the first post in redneck:

So'ry fo' th' confoozin' topic title, but ah pow'ful c'dn't reckon of ennythin' mo'e relavent? ah jest wanted t'post a grip of mine, git it off mah chess an' see whut other varmints thunk. ah's sho'nuff this hyar topic will offend some varmints, so hyar goes. Whuffo' does varmints hafta reso't t'bastardizin' a language t'th' extent thet they use "r" fo' are, "u" fo' yo', "ur" fo' yer/yer an' refuse t'use enny fo'm of punckuashun? As soon as ah see sumpin thet corntains these "wo'ds" ah refuse t'read t'other wo'd, cuss it all t' tarnation. ah find text like this hyar incredibly difficult t'read an' when ah come acrost it ah allus haf this image of a Beavis/Butthaid wannabee sittin' in front of his/her monito' snickerin' away t'themselves. Yessuh, ah coudl jest igno'e this, but whuffo' does varmints does it? Do they not see th' impo'tance of how yo' present yo'seff on th' internet? Or has th' internet granted us inough anonymity thet we pow'ful doesn't need t'care whether we come acrost as a twelve year old kid? Is our ejoocayshunal systems thet bad thet we is producin' a junerashun of illiterate, igno'ant o' uncarin' kids? Am ah jest bein' an old fuddy duddy an' a snob? Does this hyar annoy ennyone else, o' is it jest me? Rant on over...

#12 First Post in Pig Latin:

Orrysay orfay ethay onfusingcay opictay itletay, utbay Iyay eallyray ouldn'tcay inkthay ofyay anythingyay oremay elaventray? Iyay ustjay antedway otay ostpay ayay ipgray ofyay inemay, etgay ityay offyay ymay estchay andyay eesay atwhay otheryay eoplepay oughtthay. I'myay uresay isthay opictay illway offendyay omesay eoplepay, osay erehay oesgay. Ywhay oday eoplepay avehay otay esortray otay astardizingbay ayay anguagelay otay ethay extentyay atthay eythay useyay "ray" orfay areyay, "uyay" orfay youay, "uryay" orfay youray/you'reay andyay efuseray otay useyay anyyay ormfay ofyay unctuationpay? Asyay oonsay asyay Iyay eesay omethingsay atthay ontainscay esethay "ordsway" Iyay efuseray otay eadray anotheryay ordway. Iyay indfay exttay ikelay isthay incrediblyyay ifficultday otay eadray andyay enwhay Iyay omecay acrossyay ityay Iyay alwaysyay avehay isthay imageyay ofyay ayay Eavisbay/Uttheadbay annabeeway ittingsay inyay ontfray ofyay ishay/erhay onitormay ickeringsnay awayyay otay emselvesthay. Yesay, Iyay oudlcay ustjay ignoreyay isthay, utbay ywhay oday eoplepay oday ityay? Oday eythay otnay eesay ethay importanceyay ofyay owhay youay esentpray yourselfay onyay ethay internetyay? Oryay ashay ethay internetyay antedgray usyay enoughyay anonymityyay atthay eway eallyray on'tday eednay otay arecay etherwhay eway omecay acrossyay asyay ayay elvetway yearay oldyay idkay? Areyay ouryay educationalyay ystemssay atthay adbay atthay e'reway oducingpray ayay enerationgay ofyay illiterateyay, ignorantyay oryay uncaringyay idskay? Amyay Iyay ustjay eingbay anyay oldyay uddyfay uddyday andyay ayay obsnay? Oesday isthay annoyyay anyoneyay elseyay, oryay isyay ityay ustjay emay? Antray overyay...

#13 And Finally, the first post in haX0R:

srory fro hte ocnfusing topic title, buti re4lly c0uldnt thunk of anythung mro3 rel4vent???????? i just wanted to post a grop of mine, get it of my chest and see hat otwhrdewddz thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11~ HtACK YOUUUUUUU cause I \\\\////\\\\////illk haX0r 1'm sure this topic will 0ffend soe LaMeRz, so hare f03s!!!!!!!!!!!!11~~ why do l;Am3rfZ sahve to rresrot tob astardizing alnguage to the extent th4tr tehyu se r" for ar, 'u" for u, 'ur" for your/your eand erfuse to use any form of punctuation!?!?!?!?!??!?!??!? LOLOLOLOLOOLOLOLOLOL~ aS soon as i sEe something that contaiNs tehse 'wrodds i refUs eto read another word!!!!!!1~~~~ i find text l1e kth1s uncredibly difficult to reAd and when i come acorss it i alwsys have this image of a beavois/buttehad wannbaee sittinG in froon tof ihs/her mon1tro sniX0riNg aweay to yhemseLvEs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111~ yes, i coudl just ignroe this, but why Do dewdz do it!?!?!?!???!?!?!??!? o th3yn or see the miprotamncew of how u preasent yourself on the intArnEt?????????????????? or ahs The intasrneT granted us enough 4nonym1ty that we rea7ly don't needf to care whether we com eacross as a twE7ve year 0ld ikd??????????? AREO UR EDYCATIOAN7 SYSTEMZ THAT B4D THAT WErE PORDUCIGN A GENAR4TION 0F ILLITER4TE, IGNOPARNT R0 UNCARINGIKSD?????????????????? OLOLOLOLOL.... am i just bieng 4n old fuddy duddy a|\|d a snobb!?!??!?!?!?!?!??!? does trhias annopy anyoN3 lese, oR is it just me??????????????? RANT OVCER~~~~~~~ ... I\/\/ill AHCK becuz YOu SUCK!!!!!!11~~~~

#14 Bleah. Maybe I'll just have to keep running really bad posts through the Word spellchecker as "translation" until people catch on. :)

#15 All rants aside, if you want someone to take you seriously and help you on your project then write to them like a professional. When I see help wanted ads like the "Massive Online RPG Programmer wanted" one (that probably started this whole a/r/u thread anyway), I automatically do not take them for real (sorry to pick on you, 'Hunter', though u left ur self wide open 4 critque).

He could be offering hourly paid positions and I'd totally miss out. Then again, serious finacers don't write like that, do they?

#16 *post removed*

#17 Yeah I hate it when it comes to the numbers etc... you have to find it over and then try to put it together... U and R isn't to bad... but I can only see it been useful in a game etc... abit faster but all that l33t just slows down everyone down... if I see any numbers I skip usually.

#18 I particularly have fallen in love with those people who spell written words like they pronounce them.
Things like "I must of been asleep" instead of "..must've" really crack me up, especially when it is his or her native language.
Ah well.

//rant

Markus

#19 Well my grammer and spelling leaves a lot to be desired, i dont realy find it offensive when people, shorten words, but once i got to Labrats post in all the "elite" speak, i think i got as far the third so called word before i thought okay thats enough reading of that.
It obviously isnt a question of being lazy, because i imagine it takes a little while to learn all the nuances of peppering your paragraphs/sentences with numbers and other characters.
I do try not to type as i speak, as this would certainly confuse almost everyone here, if you have ever been to Cornwall in England and spoken ta da local yokels yud see bucko, of course the advantage is that we hardly ever have tourists asking us for directions.

#20 7h3r3 15 4 t1m3 f0r l33t 4nd 4 t1m3 f0r pr0p3r 3ngl15h.
(there is a time for l33t and a time for proper english)

usually when i'm chatting with a bunch of geeks like myself (those of us who don't have lives beyond the computer) we'll occasionally throw in a line or two of l33t (or jeffkay) just to keep a relaxed atmosphere and usually to show that we are joking about something.

but anywhere else I feel it would be very confusing to speak/type any way but properly.