<p>The Internet is a useful tool. Hell, I use it everyday. Nevertheless, I have grown to despise it. Why? I'll give you a few examples why: ROFL! WT F?! LOLZ!1!!!!1!! UR FUNNEE!!!</p>
<p>Now, I engage in the occasional use of an LOL or a *** here and there, don't get me wrong. However, in case it hasn't been made apparent, I can still form coherent sentences and spell basic words like "definitely," and "you." I cannot begin to count the number of times I have wanted to remove my eyeballs at the site of "u r" instead of "you are." </p>
<p>No offense everyone, but aren't we supposed to be members of the best-educated class of society? Why do the smartest, savviest students I know type like 2-year-olds with Alzheimer's? Would it kill future Harvard students to learn how to form a complete sentence?</p>
<p>It may be a generation divide. I might be too old to understand you "1337" kids. Maybe I'm just out of touch. I do know, however, that I want to perform self-mutilation thanks to the horrifically bad spelling and grammar I witness on a board that supposedly caters to intelligent human beings. Oh well, maybe the future of the English language is all acronyms...</p>
<p>As a teenager (so you're not too old to understand at least some of us "1337" kids), I completely agree. If CC is home to some of the brightest kids in America, it is pretty sad that they are so lazy that they won't just spell out a few words or search for a more sophisticated phrase than "WT F??" With that said, I too use smiley faces and "lol", but there is definitely a fine line that too many of us are crossing.</p>
<p>I totally disagree. Although proper english is not used on this site, it promotes expression and communication in general. </p>
<p>The most important thing about this site is the exchange of ideas, information, advice, etc. It is not an english site, so don't expect every high-achieving high school student to type properly.</p>
<p>sr6622-I certainly don't expect us to write as we would for a formal essay or even in "proper" english (sorry if I gave that impression). I am really referring to how some Internet expressions can actually carry over into other aspects of life. I have a friend who grades papers for high school classes and frequently sees "ur" and "lol" incorporated into them. I know that the vast majority of CCers would never do this, so I guess my concern really lies with those that would.</p>
<p>I remember the term "Leet" from my computer cracking days, but I always thought it was used like "l33t" or something like that, never have seen this 1337 crap. That reminds me back when pagers we real big, people thought that "17-31707-1" was "I love you"</p>
<p>Yeah I was about to say, those future ive league students worked hard all their life, give them a break. If they can write an essay Harvard's admission committee enjoys, then they can probably type full sentences on here, but they choose not to, maybe to communicate quickly and easily.</p>
<p>im pretty sure everyone is capable of using correct english here. its just easier and faster to abreviate than spell our everything. notice how everyone, besides me, has been using perfect grammar, spelling, and punctuation in this thread. haha.</p>
<p>ah well...as long as we don't converse in person/on the phone like we do on the net, i think it's perfectly fine....ppl just like to save seconds while typin :p</p>
<p>be happy, this board is definitely NOT representative of the typing skills of the general teenage population as i have observed it. most of the teens posting (i don't mean on this thread, i mean just in general) have a decent command of spelling and grammar conventions, so their posts are at least readable. </p>
<p>personally, i go through periods when i'm too lazy to reach for that shift key, producing posts like this.</p>
<p>1337, I believe, has to do with a phenomenon knows as "geek-speak". The object is to replace letters with numbers while keeping the words recognizable.</p>
<p>Oy vey, you people. I was being facetious with that point. Enough with the caring about "1337."</p>
<p>Sarorah and sr6622,</p>
<p>The issue to me isn't that they get somewhat lazy with their usage of the language, but that they basically forego using comprehendible language at all.</p>
<p>The Internet is a tool that shouldn't be used to rape and destroy what little of the English language is left.</p>
<p>It's not the destruction of the English language, it's the evolution.</p>
<p>57(_)ff 3\/0l\/35 [)00[)</p>
<p>Don't be a dinosaur!</p>
<p>
[quote]
1337, I believe, has to do with a phenomenon knows as "geek-speak". The object is to replace letters with numbers while keeping the words recognizable.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Close, but its 1337-speak. (leet-speak) (1337-5[]D34|<)</p>