LENNY LIBRARY - We all know what it's like, trying to decipher chatspeak.
It's sometimes hard and always annoying unless you type it fluently. I admit,
I've done it my self but now I've changed my evil ways. This article's main
purpose is to help you decipher the annoying script of the boards, or as you
may know it, chatspeak.
Chatspeak Dictionary:
The Chatspeak Dictionary is to help you figure out what all those abbreviations
mean.
Chtspk - What this article is about, chatspeak.
LOL - A commonly used abbreviation meaning Laugh Out Loud.
P/B - Many people use this term. When I used it I had someone ask me
if I meant public bathroom, no, it means Paint Brush.
NP - Most of us are guilty of using this abbreviation. It means Neopoints.
*Fill in a verb here* - I admit I among many others use this almost
daily. All it does is indicate an unspoken verb.
R: are
U: you
w/: with
dun: Either done or don't, it depends on the sentence.
4: for
ne: any
ne1: any one
dunno: don't know
G2G: Got to go.
The above mentioned are only a few "words" used on the boards. People can
fill up whole sentences with them. Example: R u dun w/ diz. Translated: Are
you done with this. There are also creative spellings, words with asterisks
instead of letters and words with dollar signs in the strangest places. So,
why would anyone use these "words" if it causes so much trouble for others to
figure out? For this answer I asked members of the guild I'm in. NTAG, as the
guild is called, strongly discourages chatspeak although the occasional "LOL"
is not frowned upon.
Padmapriya: People use chatspeak, or at least I do, because it is so
much easier than writing the whole thing. It takes a lot less time too. All
in all, all us chatspeakers are just lazy!
Lost_desert_fan: People use Chatspeak because they either a) are really
stupid b) don't have enough time to actually spell it correctly, or c) Other.
Tdyans: If I use chatspeak, it's because I'm having a fast-moving conversation
with my best friend over aim. In any other case, I don't need to use it, so
I don't, and even then, it's limited. Some people probably do it for convenience
and speed (although in my case, it almost takes more effort to not type out
the entire word), but I think added to that for a lot of people is that it's
trendy and considered "cool".
Those, among other reasons are why people use chatspeak. As Tdyans said, most
people use it for speed and convenience. What about the people reading the chatspeak?
It must get on their nerves. I once again asked the members of "NTAG" if reading
chatspeak got on their nerves.
Tdyans: Yes. Part of me understands when it's necessary, but especially when
it's not necessary, it's painful to read. I'm a writer-- I like the English
language, so it bothers me to see it butchered... and it really makes me worry
when some people say that they can't write in anything but chatspeak about what
the effects of this little trend are outside of the Internet.
I might add that the way that you talk/type on the Internet is all that people
really know about you. Unfortunately, you could be a very intelligent person,
but if you rely completely on chatspeak, people may assume that you're not.
If you can write properly, why not do so and make a better impression when you
can?
I also share this opinion. No matter how fast you need to type, unless your
life depended on it though I highly doubt that it would, you can type in English.
So, are people who type chatspeak spelling-challenged? I believe not. I think
that they are just lazy most of the time or trying to be "cool", whatever that
is.
By now I know a lot of people that type only chatspeak, or as they would type,
chtspk, are about to send me hate mail with, you guessed it, chatspeak in it!
But please, if you must try to contradict what I've said, write an article.
I think I speak for Mr. Shankly, the readers, and myself when I say, if you
are going to argue with me in The Neopian Times, use English, please.
Thanks to everyone in The Neopian
Times Appreciation Guild who helped me with quotes and what to add to
the dictionary. :) | 
