English language dumbdown

[Yurt]

has anyone noticed that our language is dumbing down? i saw crin's sig line and was reminded how beautiful our language once was. when i started lawschool, i was amazed at the cases and the way judges/justices talked back then...but we were drilled that today, we are to not write/talk that way, we are to write simple, so everyone can understand.

i find this troubling. Avi, you write well, what are your thoughts?

anyone...anyone....bueller....bueller

[crin63]

I don't remember where it came from, its been to many years ago. I was told that in all writings and speeches it should be at a 5th grade level so everyone could understand.

[Yurt]

I don't remember where it came from, its been to many years ago. I was told that in all writings and speeches it should be at a 5th grade level so everyone could understand.

i believe that is journalism, most mags have that standard, probably newspapers as well

[avatar4321]

I actually like simplicity in writing. Some people tend to talk just to talk or write just to write. They make it much more difficult to communicate than is really needed.

But then when i think of simplicity, I am thinking more with the sentence structure and grammar. I think complex topics can be discussed with simply language.

[hjmick]

Fuckin' ay bubba.

[5stringJeff]

My biggest pet peeve is people who type "u" for "you" and "ur" for "your."

[avatar4321]

My biggest pet peeve is people who type "u" for "you" and "ur" for "your."

Oh, THAT drives me absolutely crazy. I like language to be precise and that is not precise.

[gabosaurus]

Funny you should make this thread now. We were having dinner Friday night and were seated next to a family of two adult and three kids. The oldest child was talking on a cell phone (who lets their kids have cell phones at the dinner table, much less talk on them?). The kid's language was a bit below intelligible.

To which my daughter asks my husband "daddy, why doesn't he talk English?" :lmao:

[hjmick]

My biggest pet peeve is people who type "u" for "you" and "ur" for "your."

"Your" instead of "you're"

"Than" instead of "then" and "then" instead of "than"

"There" instead of "their" or "they're"

Oh the list goes on...

[Monkeybone]

My biggest pet peeve is people who type "u" for "you" and "ur" for "your."That's instanting messaging for you. *whew* You don't know how hard it is to type out all of these words....or how much longer it is taking me. <=O I almost forgot to capitalize the first letter of each sentence.


"Your" instead of "you're"

"Than" instead of "then" and "then" instead of "than"

"There" instead of "their" or "they're"

Oh the list goes on...that's just lousy and lazy or lack of English skills....

[LiberalNation]

I like it simple, quicker to type. Cuz instead of because cuts down on wuite a few letter. Tho over though any day. Don't mind reading complex stuff in older books but I'd never but out the effort to think and type it on a message board.

[hjmick]

I like it simple, quicker to type. Cuz instead of because cuts down on wuite a few letter. Tho over though any day. Don't mind reading complex stuff in older books but I'd never but out the effort to think and type it on a message board.

Doesn't look as if you but out the effort to check your spelling either. Wuite a surprise... :poke: :lmao:

[Monkeybone]

I like it simple, quicker to type. Cuz instead of because cuts down on wuite a few letter. Tho over though any day. Don't mind reading complex stuff in older books but I'd never but out the effort to think and type it on a message board.

um....were you giving an example LN?:laugh2::poke:

[LiberalNation]

Nope, screw spellcheck too. I'm not writin graded papers her.

[manu1959]

Nope, screw spellcheck too. I'm not writin graded papers her.

how you do anything ..... is how you do everything.......

[LiberalNation]

Not really, when I'm writing for a class it's always though not tho. I do try to get my their, there, they're correct on message boards however. Those don't show up on spellcheck and if you get used to using them wrong.........

[Yurt]

word

[Abbey Marie]

I have long thought that reading poor grammar and misspellings over time
will decimate even strong writing skills.

[manu1959]

Not really, when I'm writing for a class it's always though not tho. I do try to get my their, there, they're correct on message boards however. Those don't show up on spellcheck and if you get used to using them wrong.........

like i said.

[Silver]

Quit bitching....ebonics just might be making a comeback soon....and I be meanin' dat....

[Noir]

I don't get the whole dissing language change, that is the beauty of language, it changes and adapts with the times, and you can learn allot about the times by viewing language, for example the use of 'wer r u? nd du u wnt 2 c me l8r? ' shows how much commnd we have over our language, and ofcourse if language never evolved then we'd have no were near the depth of language and culture we ahve today, so i welcome what some may see as a dumbing down.

[Roomy]

Belt up you ponce.

[midcan5]

Readers make good writers, how many today take the time to read, and when they do, what do they read. Online it is the sense that counts, not the occasional grammatical error.


"Nothing matters but the writing. There has been nothing else worthwhile... a stain upon the silence." Samuel Beckett

[Dilloduck]

I'm far more peeved by those who try to sound brilliant by stringing together a bunch of big words that they don't know how to use. Some have taken creative writing to the point to where it doesn't mean a damn thing. I may have to read it twice even to try to figure out what it the hell they are trying to say and it's still pseudo-intellectual gibberish.

[avatar4321]

Readers make good writers, how many today take the time to read, and when they do, what do they read. Online it is the sense that counts, not the occasional grammatical error.


"Nothing matters but the writing. There has been nothing else worthwhile... a stain upon the silence." Samuel Beckett

I disagree completely. I did nothing, but read growing up and I was a horrible writer until I learned the basic mechanics in college that I should have learned years ago.

It's practice that makes good writing. It's practice that teaches people to spell correctly. It's practice that children are not getting in school.

[avatar4321]

I'm far more peeved by those who try to sound brilliant by stringing together a bunch of big words that they don't know how to use. Some have taken creative writing to the point to where it doesn't mean a damn thing. I may have to read it twice even to try to figure out what it the hell they are trying to say and it's still pseudo-intellectual gibberish.

In my experience, they are usually called "Your Honor."

[Trinity]

I disagree completely. I did nothing, but read growing up and I was a horrible writer until I learned the basic mechanics in college that I should have learned years ago.

It's practice that makes good writing. It's practice that teaches people to spell correctly. It's practice that children are not getting in school.

That's funny that you bring that up. I too grew up reading, I LOVE to read! Only if it is something I am interested in though. If I have to read it, that is a different story.

I was also a horrible writer, till I learned the basic mechanics in my college classes. I was home schooling my 9 year old the last quarter of this past school year. He was learning all of the basic mechanics during this time and he had to write an essay for his final grade. Funny thing is he was learning the same things in third grade, that I learned in my college class :eek:

[gabosaurus]

Belt up you ponce.

You need to log off and go back to watching Euro '08.
Oh wait, I forgot, England didn't qualify... :p

[Roomy]

You need to log off and go back to watching Euro '08.
Oh wait, I forgot, England didn't qualify... :p

I still watch and admire the beautiful game, thanks for your concern though.

[Hagbard Celine]

has anyone noticed that our language is dumbing down? i saw crin's sig line and was reminded how beautiful our language once was. when i started lawschool, i was amazed at the cases and the way judges/justices talked back then...but we were drilled that today, we are to not write/talk that way, we are to write simple, so everyone can understand.

i find this troubling. Avi, you write well, what are your thoughts?

anyone...anyone....bueller....bueller

Change happens, don't be such a stick in the mud.

[avatar4321]

Change happens, don't be such a stick in the mud.

Change isnt necessarily good. I know it's difficult to understand this sometimes. But all change is not created equal.