a purpose clause or a result clause

[diamondcutter]

When we text on our mobile phones, we don’t use all the letters (in words) so we can write more quickly.

(Kid’s Box 6, Caroline Nixon, CUP)

I think the ‘so-clause’ above can be thought of as both a purpose clause and a result clause. What do you say?

 

[Tarheel]

Are you saying it depends on where you put it?

 

[diamondcutter]

Thanks, Tarheel.
Yes, I think it depends on the context.

This is the whole context.

When we text on our mobile phones, we don’t use all the letters so we can write more quickly. In a text we don’t always put the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and we choose letters or numbers that sound the same, for example U(you), R(are), C(see), 2(to, too) and 4(for). There are some short sentences, too. LOL(Laugh out loud) means ‘It’s really funny’. We don’t always use capital letters or punctuation (commas or question marks).

In this context, I think the so-clause is a result one. Do you think so?

 

[Tarheel]

Sorry. I meant is the difference between putting it at the beginning of the sentence or the end of the sentence?

As far as I can tell, you've got it right.

 

[tzfujimino]

I think it's a clause of purpose:

... we don’t use all the letters in order that we can write more quickly ...

… we don’t use all the letters in order to write more quickly ...

 

[Tarheel]

Or:

We "lose" some letters because we are impatient.
;-)

 

[PaulMatthews]

When we text on our mobile phones, we don’t use all the letters (in words) so we can write more quickly.

(Kid’s Box 6, Caroline Nixon, CUP)

I think the ‘so-clause’ above can be thought of as both a purpose clause and a result clause. What do you say?

When we text on our mobile phones, we don’t use all the letters (in words) so we can write more quickly.

It's a purpose adjunct.

Purpose adjuncts consist of in order (+ finite or infinitival clause), so (+ finite clause), so as (+ infinitival clause).