Talk to you soon/later

[MW]

Excuse me - I really appreciate this site - BUT - these new computer shortcuts (err) shorthand is really starting to bug me.

My students use it in their emails to me and I mark their work down for it.

TDOL - shouldn't this site promote English and discourage these new shortcuts to proper English?

I fear that this new computer slang will have the same effect on English that calculators have had on math learning. Take away the calculator and a math student is unable to compute simple multiplication and division.

Will the new computer slang distract from learning proper English?

This is definately not a rant nor a troll. As a teacher I am concerned!

[Francois]

Defin8tely not!

:D

FRC

[blacknomi]

It doesn't have '8' there!

[Francois]

hint: look at the post above.

[blacknomi]

It's definitely not '8'. 8)

[Francois]

I have to turn away when jokes are dissected ;)

FRC

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Francois

I have to turn away when jokes are dissected ;)

FRC

Don't turn away.
Definotely 8. :wink:
Def[i]n[i]tely :D

[Tdol]

Originally Posted by MW

Excuse me - I really appreciate this site - BUT - these new computer shortcuts (err) shorthand is really starting to bug me.

My students use it in their emails to me and I mark their work down for it.

TDOL - shouldn't this site promote English and discourage these new shortcuts to proper English?

I fear that this new computer slang will have the same effect on English that calculators have had on math learning. Take away the calculator and a math student is unable to compute simple multiplication and division.

Will the new computer slang distract from learning proper English?

This is definately not a rant nor a troll. As a teacher I am concerned!

I used 'l8rs' in the context of a discussion about the phrase. The second, I was asking about because I had no idea, and still don't, what it meant. I don't use them in the forum as a rule.

[Francois]

Could it have something to do with "cute" ?

FRC

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by MW

Excuse me - I really appreciate this site - BUT - these new computer shortcuts (err) shorthand is really starting to bug me.

Oh, I agree with you there, but as tdol has already mentioned, the usage in question was directly related to a student's question on computerese.

Originally Posted by MW

My students use it in their emails to me and I mark their work down for it.

Computerese is a part of English. I understand your point, though.

Originally Posted by MW

Shouldn't this site promote English and discourage these new shortcuts to proper English?

This site does promote English. As for discouraging 'these new shortcuts to proper English', we are in fact trying to do that.

Originally Posted by MW

I fear that this new computer slang will have the same effect on English that calculators have had on math learning. Take away the calculator and a math student is unable to compute simple multiplication and division.

Digital watches come to mind. :wink:

Originally Posted by MW

Will the new computer slang distract from learning proper English?

Well, now there's the rub. Students use the computer to learn English. Chat sites use specific "shortcuts" (i.e. computerese) as a language for communication. Those sites not only "teach" it, they breed it.

Originally Posted by MW

This is definitely not a rant nor a troll. As a teacher I am concerned!

I agree with you all the way. Again, the specific usage in question was in response to a student's question on computerese.

All the best, :D