IM-speak in essays, term papers

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/02/09/chat.lingo.ap/index.html

Students use IM-lingo in essays
POSTED: 11:33 p.m. EST, February 10, 2007

Some excerpts from the story..

I can't begin to say how much I disagree with Mr. Warlick. He's commending students for not being able to write in plain English and making short-hand acceptable.

 

u r f-tard 4 sure...

 

I can totally see how writing "da" instead of "the" is a time-saving method. I mean, typing that THIRD LETTER is killer!

I weep for the future.

 

DING DING DING! It's a great idea, teachers. And I have three books to illustrate how to better accomplish this!

 

I'm not defending kids who do this in essays, but have you ever sent a text message on a cell phone?

You want to save ever character you can.

 

On a cellphone (or IM'ing on the computer) it's one thing, but to do it in an essay for school is just wrong and any educator that thinks otherwise isn't much of an educator.

 

Try this on: I'm 31, don't own a cell phone. Never have. I carry quarters. I'm not that important. If work thinks I am, they can pay for the cell phone.

Cell phones, camera phones, text messaging et al are TOYS and LUXURIES (and inconveniences) I don't want or need.

 

Nope. And I've never seen a reason to.

 

I somehow have the image of an old man shaking his fist ... I don't know why

 

I send text messages and I spell out every word. It's a pain, but I think all the shorthand is more annoying than the "trouble" it is to spell out words.

 

Damn you technology! Damn you to hell!

 

I'm not saying anyone has to use a cell phone or text on one.

Just saying, once you have, you understand why those meddling kids use the abbreviations they do.