Richard Dawkins Suggests Feminists May Have Caused His Stroke

[Edwardo Piet]

And then there's everything in-between!

#that'sthefunpart

/

#that'stheannoyingpart

[Excited Penguin]

However I've seen the point being made by some people that it's a mere evolution of the written word, if you wish, and that it's not necessarily bad.

There's evolution and devolution. And then there's George Orwell and newspeak.

The Orwell reference is meant to point out that while we don't necessarily always like change, we're not always meant to stifle it, either?

I think you'd be pretty hard-pressed to argue how this is an instance of devolution.

[abaris]

I think you'd be pretty hard-pressed to argue how this is an instance of devolution.

Because, if speech gets more primitive, people follow suit. It's the highway to resort to grunts again, with all the meaning they carry. Now, that's not language, that's an abomination.

[Excited Penguin]

I think you'd be pretty hard-pressed to argue how this is an instance of devolution.

Because, if speech gets more primitive, people follow suit. It's the highway to resort to grunts again, with all the meaning they carry. Now, that's not language, that's an abomination.

But, abaris, you're exagerating. The fact is, these are adjustments made exclusively because of and for web interactions, something we didn't have in the past. As our mediums change, so do our modes of expression. Hash-tags are needed in some environments for efficiency. Emojis help sometimes convey emotions where you couldn't otherwise. An author who includes any emojis and hashtags in his book is not using them properly. They are for conversations taking place in real time between two or more people via the internet.

[Jackalope]

Because, if speech gets more primitive, people follow suit. It's the highway to resort to grunts again, with all the meaning they carry. Now, that's not language, that's an abomination.

But, abaris, you're exagerating. The fact is, these are adjustments made exclusively because of and for web interactions, something we didn't have in the past. As our mediums change, so do our modes of expression. Hash-tags are needed in some environments for efficiency. Emojis help sometimes convey emotions where you couldn't otherwise. An author who includes any emojis and hashtags in his book is not using them properly. They are for conversations taking place in real time between two or more people via the internet.

I tend to agree. Where I really hate to see "textspeak" and emojis is in forms of communication other than text, IM, etc. I personally take the time to spell words out correctly when I text. Every time I see my 74 year old mother text something with 'ur' in it, I want to kick puppies though.

[Excited Penguin]

And besides, hashtags are for twitter because of the character limitations, not for a forum.

Emojis are for quick conveyances of emotions in texting and messaging.

Just because these additional dimensions have been added to our social sphere, doesn't mean we'll get rid of the old ones.