OT; Education

[Johnny B Good]

Please keep in mind that such sources will have a very strong selection bias towards a group with lower than normal literacy skills, compounded by the effect of using handheld keyboardless communication devices (Smartphones and Tablets) which will strongly motivate the 'writing style' to one of brevity in the extreme.

I've no doubt that as speech to text features on these 'gadgets' improves, so will the apparent literacy skills likewise improve[1] amongst this group of users.

It might seem amazing to the older non-computer literate generation how the younger generation take to this technology like ducklings to water.

It would seem that only the more mature computer literate section of 'The Older Generation' are truly cognisant of the fact that the 'waters' our 'young ducklings' are taking to are, in reality, not so much a Duck Pond but more a stretch of Alligator infested water that only those possessed of youthful ignorance or of feeble mindedness would feel comfortable in the partaking of its dubious pleasures.

[1] No doubt along with the obligatory, yet sometimes interesting and inventive 'typos' thrown in for our amusement.

[newshound]

I'm inclined to agree about falling standards, except that when I was doing some Milk Round interviews about 20 years ago I was amazed at the quality of undergraduates from Strathclyde as compared to (iirc) Sheffield, Manchester, Bristol, and Cardiff. At the UK universities I was typically picking one in five for second interview, at Strathclyde it was four in five (and the fifth wasn't bad).

[Johnny B Good]

Just a word to the wise (I hope!), Jim.

You *do* realise, don't you, that using the phrase "tee hee" in usenet postings endows upon you the persona of a "Beano" character prone to nervous titterings?

Actually, for me at least, that phrase rather puts me in mind of Billy Bradshaw, a character from an ongoing comedy saga aired by Radio Merseyside in daily five minute episodes.

I'm just suggesting that you might want to pick another way of demonstrating 'amusement'. Even the old and tired "LOL" would be, imo, a much safer way[1] to emphasise the humerous aspect of your usenet postings.

[1] take note of the dangers sort of exemplified here:

:-)

[Tim Streater]

Doing "tee hee" along with his stupid nym makes him look like a spotty

15-year old twerp.

[Jim GM4DHJ in the trailer park]

It's just because I use different computers indicating different locations...tee hee

[Jim GM4DHJ in the trailer park]

sorry I don't have enough data left to view that ....but I will look for a more Scottish expression of mirth ....Yaldi

[The Medway Handyman]

Apparently kids have stopped using FB because so many adults use it and it's not private or cool enough.

[The Medway Handyman]

Obviously I'd guess English, but as I said, I might be wrong.

[Jonno]

The Medway Handyman scribbled

Wrong, he's German.

[Jonno]

Johnny B Good scribbled

It's a giveaway that he's a troll who's been doing the rounds for some years. Look at his recent posts.

[The Medway Handyman]

German and a cyclist?

[Chris French]

Really? given how ubiquitous FB is now, why would the people using it have lower than normal literacy skills?

I think it's wrong to assume that just because someone writes in a particular way on FB, that they don't know who to write in better/standard, whatever you want to call it, way.

Eldest daughter (14) and her friends can write perfectly good English, but on FB they can sometimes write with all sorts of text speak, odd contractions, and the sorts of teen speak that has always happened etc. (and yes, the use of mobiles, smartphones etc. does tend to encourage this a bit)

It's more I think a case of communication appropriate to the medium and the audience. Chatting online, they do it in a form that suits them.

It doesn't mean they can't then go and write a grammatically correct essay.

[Tim Watts]

Indeed - but if you have a local group, then it's not much different to any other forum :)

It makes sense - FB lets anyone setup a group with public/private/semiprivate settings - you can post text, photos and vids.

That's why it's popular and I cannot argue with that.

Afterall, USENET has alt.alt.alt.somebollocks.with.trolls.and.kiddeez

:)

[Tim Watts]

Quite frankly for that sort of group, no one gives a sh*t. Anything posted there is as good as public domain and FB provide a useful product

- I do not begrudge them making money somehow.

For those times you really care, you set up your own forum.

For everything else, there's FB - and without FB, we might not have a local forum, so it's to the good.

[Tim Watts]

;->

[Tim Watts]

I have heard that - but I'm not totally convinced.

[Jim GM4DHJ in the trailer park]

shocking

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

I had a look at the 31 year ape boy and man beast girlfriend who still live with his parents next door. She had put a photo of her family there and it was like a photo from the Munsters. She really should not have done it. I gave her messages a brief look at, but lost interest after:- dude, g8, tonite @ me plce, xxxxxx and loads more crap. The other people I have looked at are just about the same. The old CB Radios had more intelligent people using them.

>

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

"Jim GM4DHJ in the trailer park ..." wrote in message news:mill6l$lrj$ [e-mail]...

Third rate troll.

>

[Tim Watts]

Are the parents normal?

I had a student send me a job request like that once. I sent it back with a request to speak English.

I was going to say it was because a CB require some effort to put together - but somehow some people manage to get a PC going long enough to post broken english. I blame Apple...