Disappearing words

stickywicket

I think texting set the ball in motion. Spelling went first. Full stops and capital letters followed close behind and then sentences became a thing of the past as we all went hurtling towards the lowest common denominator of grammar. Meaning and clarity became optional extras and, if someone misunderstood, that was their problem and nothing to do with the incoherence of the sender.

Call me a curmudgeonly old so and so (and you wouldn't be the first) but I really do miss 'please' and 'thank you' and 'I'm sorry'. These are small words / phrases that smooth out the big creases of communication. They are facilitators. And they are disappearing. And I really do believe we are all impoverished by their absence.

frogmorton

Thank you Stickywicket for this thread.

I too am sorry to see the demise of small courteous words such as these.

I would be pleased if they came back into use.

Seriously, I remember when texting came in and you had very very few 'letter' spaces to play with so it was necessary to leave out as many vowels as possible.

Phone technology has moved so far forward now that there really is no need to neglect good manners.


Ah well......mutter, mutter......

slomo

Can I join your gang please? I totally agree with you both. ( I probably am turning into/have turned into a grumpy old woman!!)
I know that language changes over the years but as you say, clarity and courtesy appear to be vanishing. I recall watching a TV comedy many years ago where son of the TV family announced "I'm going to be a stuntman". The mother said "Don't you need a qualification for that dear?" Son, "OK then, I'm going to be a really great stuntman" Not sure how many laughs that would get these days.
My other current annoyance is when people near you suddenly start saying "Sorry, sorry" and eventually you realise that what they are actually meaning is "Excuse me"
OK rant over and it's nice to know it's not just me!

theresak

Count me in the gang too - I echo all these sentiments, which causes great amusement to both my sons. On the subject of texting, I hate ' text speak, ' and can't bring myself to use it, though both the boys will use it just to wind me up.

On a separate topic - apologies, SW - does anyone else find that they can't remember phone numbers now that we are in the age of the ' push button?' I have difficulty in remembering my own mobile number if I'm asked for it - which I was by my GP so he could text me a MSU result.

frogmorton

theresak wrote:

On a separate topic - apologies, SW - does anyone else find that they can't remember phone numbers now that we are in the age of the ' push button?' I have difficulty in remembering my own mobile number if I'm asked for it - which I was by my GP so he could text me a MSU result.

YES!! I can only remember numbers in my head from 'before' mobiles.

I think it's quite common though. When asked for my mobile number most people wait for me to look it up!

I do remember my own mobile though because I've had the same one for about 19 years :?

stickywicket

No good with phone numbers but I can still remember my brother's National Service number :roll: And my Mum's Co-op 'divi' number

theresak

I can remember my mam's divi number too!

barbara12

its such a shame that these words are disappearing..we drummed them into out sons..and they still use them..and 2 out of three of our GC do...we have to remind one...

Slosh

I'm pleased and proud to be able to say that my daughter ensures that hervthree children are taught manners and that despite being an inner London school the behaviour and courtesy of our pupils, with only a very few exceptions is excellent. In fact when out on school trips staff are very often complemented on this.

Manners are important. I still remember my junior school headmistress saying that "Not everyone can be clever but everyone can be courteous "

daffy2

The sad thing about such courtesies falling out of favour is that we are edging closer to the situation where to use such terms is seen as being sarcastic and/or critical. I have had this happen a couple of times at work and found it upsetting and sad, especially when it left a small boy confused and upset. He had put his crisp packet into the waste bin on his own initiative but when I thanked him his mother snarled at me 'well there's no need for you to be so surprised'. Bearing in mind that her behaviour had already caused problems, I would have been perfectly justified in being surprised, but that's not the point. Her son needed to know that his good behaviour had been noticed and appreciated.

tkachev

Plz, TY and Soz. I still see them but its not quite the same. I'm pleased to say that my two oldest children wouldn't dream of using text speak.


I'm another who has to look my mobile number up when filling out forms but can remember our car registration from 1970.

Elizabeth x

Slosh

My daughter has never used it and due to smart phones it does seem to be much less used now and is something that can give away the age of someone using it.

It's not even used much on Twitter these days.

Yesterday was our weekly reward assembly at school and I was on duty. One of our weekly awards is the "School Ambassador " award, given to 4 pupils a week who have displayed not just good behaviour but other positive qualities such as helpfulness, caring, and who are basically good role models. They get a badge and their photo put on display for the rest of the school year.
Yesterday the award for year 4 was given to a boy who was a major headache last year, he comes from a very difficult home and there is no support for the school from home. When I read out his name there was a spontaneous round of applause from his year group.

No doubt there will be problems with him in the future but it was a really special moment and I felt proud to witness it.

Numptydumpty

My girls laugh at me because I text longhand with punctuation, never mind, my shoulders are broad and I don't intend to change.
Oh, and Sticky, my mum's co-op divi number was 8641, forever embedded in my memory, why?!
Numpty

Slosh

If it makes you feel better I text in full with punctuation and so does my 24 year old daughter.

stickywicket

Why, Numpty? Because you were young. Everything had to be remembered ancd was remembered. Though I do remember the curious look I once got as a child when I went into the greengrocer's and asked for "Two stone of cabbages and a potato, please". So nearly remembered.

Turbogran

I so agree Sticky where have those words gone i'm very pleased that my own girls still say please and thank you and my grandchildren and great granddaughter also use please and thank you.