A friend told me there is an application for Ipod or Iphone that allows you to record your voice and then have the resulting sound entered as text on your computer. Anyone have any idea what this is or how it works? Seems like this would be a great writer’s tool.

“Wnt 2 mt @ SB ltr?” “U’ll bbs, rt?” “LoL w/e u wnt 2 do.” I find these all perfectly acceptable, when *talking to friends* via txt or IM.

It’s disconcertingly unprofessional, though, to use all but the more emotive shorthand in conversations with clients. It drives me batty when someone, who is supposedly highly professional, sends me instructions riddled with acronyms and shorthands. Not only does it make the conversation much more casual than it should be, it adds a whole new level of vagueness that makes completing the project [correctly] next to impossible.

The thought of it makes me twitch.

I admit to using LOL a fair amount, but in general I find it takes me much less time to just write the word properly than it would to figure out how to shorten it. I use proper English out of laziness…how ironic Even texting on my phone, I use predictive text so there’s no excuse.

I admit to using some textspeak when I am actually, you know, texting. But when I Skype or email, I always spell everything out.

Once in a while, there are some situations that merit the use of these types of abbreviations but for the most part, just learn to write with brevity and you’ll be fine.

And I do think it has created a lazy society that can’t spell, write or speak properly if they’re life depended on it.

But, that’s just my .02¢.

My kids have missed out on some gatherings with friends because they rely too much on texting and not enough on the phone. Can’t tell you how many times when they complain “xxx didn’t text me back” that they should pick up the phone and make a call. Leave messages in multiple communications channels, not just one.

If it was several years ago and people hadn’t returned calls (prior to texting and the Internet), I’d say send a letter.

In fact, I’m going to be sending a certified letter soon to a client who isn’t returning calls/e-mails about a payment. If the certified letter isn’t answered I will pursue some stronger measures.

Sadly, though, I don’t think text chatting has made us (meaning society) lazy and rude. It’s just a manifestation of people in general *being* lazy and rude! Today’s technology just gives us whole new ways to do so.

We were talking about this at the paintball field last weekend actually. A bunch of us decided to begin a crusade against text speak. Friends of mine correct their teenage nieces, nephews and cousins whenever they type in text speak and never use it themselves.

That “2ings” is just bad. I’d read it as “tourings” and ask where they were taking me.

I do find value in “LOL” and “ROFLMAO” though. You can’t convey a laugh in text and it shows an emotion. In real life you wouldn’t say, “I’m laughing,” you’d just laugh. So perhaps, ::laughs:: or “hahaha” is better? My husband always uses a long string of “hahahaha.” ::shrugs::

And “Brb” has become valuable for me because, when I have a squirming baby with a full diaper in my lap it’s either those 3 little letters, which I can type with two fingers, or I just vanish wordlessly from the conversation. That, to me, would be more rude.

But abbreviating for the sake of using text speak? No point to it in most cases.

Thanks for my Monday morning laugh!

A “2ing” doesn’t even come close to being a “pairing” it looks like “twoing” which makes absolutely no sense.

My thoughts exactly. I wouldn’t know what “2ing” means if you hadn’t explained it.

I avoid text speak as much as possible, although I admit I use it from time to time on Twitter. I agree it looks awful. Then again, I understand that some people prefer writing this way because they feel it saves them some time.

Oh, and text speak equates to a headache.