Okay I know people are trying to be hip and cool by doing this but it's getting on my last nerve. I can't stand when people insert numbers in the middle of words so it's this odd bastardization of numbers and letters. For example, the TV show Numb3rs. Yeah I get it, the 3 is a backwards E but it just looks stupid. The literal pronunciation would be "NumbThreeRs". In my local paper that were talking about 5 hot trends for 2007 and they spelled it "5ive". This doesn't even make any sense because a "5" doesn't look like an "F" so this would actually be pronounced "Five-ive". What the hell is up with this and when will we go back to normal spelling.

First, relax. There are worse problems.

As corny trends go, though, I agree. It was somewhat interesting when they did it for the movie Se7en. Made no sense from a linguistic standpoint, but it was a cute mental trick. It's gotten old now.

what, you've never heard of l33t spelling?

j00 4r3 $0 n07 £337.

Lammastide said:

Oh no, I can't relax. I can't sit around and wait for the world to change like John Mayer. I have to make it happen now.

I remembered that about "Se7en" and as an isolated example from a truly skewed filmmaker I was willing to give it a pass. But now it has gotten out of control.

For the record, the movie should actually be pronounced "Se-seven-en" based on that spelling.

So how do you feel about the Prince's "I would die 4 U," " Hate U" and such?

aT lEAST pEOPLE dON'T wRITE aLL rAVE sTYLEY aNYMORE!!!!!

I watched part of the pilot episode of The Nine last night. In the opening credits every name that had the letter ‘E’ was turned into a backward number ‘9’. A bit of a stretch since they couldn’t just include the number but had to turn it around for it to work. I wondered if Tim Daly and other cast members with no Es in their names felt left out of the not-so-clever idea.

And then I went on with my life.

Lammastide said:

Different thing. I have never had a problem with Prince-speak because at least it is what it says. "I would Die 4 U" makes sense when you pronounce it. But notice that he didn't name the song "7" "Se7en".

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Wow! There is actually thought behind this!?!?

Lammastide said:

Yes, I was unaware there was a whole movement going.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

That looks like hard maths..

If that pisses you off check this out:

http://cornell.elliottbac...-on-tests/

According to a CNN article, New Zealand high school students may now use “text speak” on their national exams:

New Zealand’s Qualifications Authority said Friday that it still strongly discourages students from using anything other than full English, but that credit will be given if the answer “clearly shows the required understanding,” even if it contains text-speak.



That means now, for a question like “Describe Pythagoras’ theorem” the answer wouldn’t be “a2 + b2 = c2,” but rather:

CU jus take the shawt sides xx2 + = big side xx2

This is a sad day indeed for the country of New Zealand, which has totally diluted its educational standards. Why do we learn English language, grammar, and syntax? Why do we learn the proper pronunciation and spelling of words? Why are rich etymologies important?

The idea that language is just a “vehicle to facilitate the exchange of information” is a dangerous misconception. In reality, language is a complicated system of expression, the mastery of which recursively allows greater expression. Language itself is the information it tries to convey. When you speak and write well, your ideas are enriched by your vocabulary and style. An impoverished language proficiency is the same as an ill-trained mind.

Sweeny79 said:

Hell in a handbasket I tell you...

GottaLetitgo said:

Yuppers.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

man, i'm having enough trouble learning the iceland people language.

I blame these guys for the whole damn trend.

2the9s said:

No your Org moniker works because it says what it mean. Except for the whole apostrophe thing.

[Interior monologue: With a name as dumb as GottaLetitgo should I really be telling anybody anything about their own Org ID?]

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

That's a cool article. I had no idea it was so involved.

that2 2imply out7ageous!!!

this has been going on for over 10 years now, LOL

Tom said:

Yes but only recently has it gotten to be very annoying.

Anx said:

Oh god, Korn fans used to do that all the time--annoyed me to no end.

sextonseven said:

gahhh, korn...

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Is that where Zelaira got it from?

The first example I can think of is Elvis Costello's "5ive Gears in Reverse" from 1980.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

2the9s said:

Zelaira, LOL, whatever happened to that T-Shirt someone was going to make with this long rant she wrote?? That shit was hilarious...

Mine is sushi.

Please stop with the sushi.