Crodley wrote:
I used to be a grammar **** myself back in the day. Then I had to ask myself, can I understand what they type when they type like that? Yes? so why did I get upset over it? It's sort of like a written "accent." Yes, it's not something I'd ever do, but I get the meaning in the post. As for motive, I think (usually) younger folks LIKE having a way of standing out from everyone else, and in a textual world this is one way.
It's like seeing kids with spiked hair and posts through their nose. It looks odd, but hey, if they like it fine, it doesn't hurt me.
Well, anyway, that's my attitude now, didn't used to be that way but I pride myself in being able to change my mind sometimes. :)
That is most likely the healthiest attitude to have. But I’m just not there yet.
It doesn’t bother me when someone misspells something or transposes letters. Those are accidental mistakes. What does bother me is when someone comes across as too lazy to post in entire words, such as “ny1.†How difficult is it to type the word “anyone?†If someone can’t take the time to type their question using full words, why should anyone else take the time to answer the question? But you do make a good point. I’ve always taken such text as a sign of laziness and a lack of respect. I’ve never though of it as a style of language.
As for the original poster, I doubt I would have said anything about his spelling choice even if it did feel like the visual version of fingernails on a chalkboard. He came to the right forum to ask a legitimate question. And when he tamed his pet he took the time to come back and post a conformation that that was indeed the right location should any other hunter wish to tame that pet. That’s more than many other people do. And I feel that made up for the time it took me to decipher his posts.
Still, for those who wish to post on a regular basis, it might be a good idea to try to post in an easier to read style. This is especially true for those who make lengthy posts. For myself, I can only take a line or two of such text before I give up and go onto the next thread.