Lazyspeak and the New Neanderthals
Earlier this month I used an essay by Newt Gingrich-where he argued for putting English first-to springboard into a piece about the decline of the proper use of English among native born citizens here in the United States. I argued that many Americans, especially the young and minorities, have not learned to speak or write properly, and we can hardly expect immigrants to learn English if we fail to require it of our own people. This prompted a very kind response from a reader:
Mr. Birdnow,
I discovered your Web Log today whilst researching the comments of Czech President Vaclav Klaus regarding global warming. Your opinions on so many important topics are refreshing, insightful and frankly, a pleasure to read.
I wonder if you would consider doing a piece on a worldwide epidemic which I call 'Lazy Speak' (lazy writing). It is a moniker I derived from labels such as 'Leet Speak' which is used to describe online gamer's (and similar computer tech types) unique underground shorthand. 'Leet Speak' translates to Elite Speech. Of course there is actually nothing elite about it, nor can this new lazy speech be considered in any way positive or useful.
I'm sure you have encountered lazy writing on many occasions, and from people whom you would consider to be educated and not at all lazy. Have you ever received an email in which there is little or no punctuation, capitalization or sentence structure? -or perhaps such poor spelling and grammar that it is difficult to focus on the topic? Lazy writing (particularly in email) is now making it's way round the globe. Emails which are one long run-on sentence are quickly becoming the norm. Like Ebonics and Urban Slang, many people who write in this manner are advertising their own ignorance -- whether that ignorance is real or only perceived.
In reading your article titled "Taking Back Our Language", I noticed some similarities between these two issues, and it sparked me to drop you a note on the subject. I certainly understand that email (in general) is an informal and quick communication tool, but does that automatically preclude the use of good writing skills? As you say, not everyone should speak like William F. Buckley, nor should they be expected to compose every email as well as Mr. Buckley might. As a good friend is fond of saying "People should [at least] use the writing skills learned in elementary school".
I am neither a writer nor a blogger, so the job is best left up to someone with the skills to do it justice, should you decide to humour me.
If you have already written about this topic and I've just missed it, then kindly disregard my request.
My thanks to you, Sir, for your hard work and dedication!
Actually, our friend here shows superb writing skills and would probably put me to shame were he to challenge me to a writing contest, and I am greatly honored by his request. I responded:
Thank you so much for your kudos and kind words! It`s nice to know that I am being read, and, more importantly, enjoyed; blogging often feels like shouting into Niagra Falls. It`s good to get an occasional attaboy!
Actually, my wife and I have discussed this very issue, because her nieces and nephews all use ``lazyspeak``, and we`ve often theorized that this is making these kids incapable of using proper English. I`m not a stickler for exacting use of the language, but some standards must be observed, for goodness sake! Lazyspeak means lazy thinking.
This sort of thing is really destructive in a number of ways; my brother is a professor of history, and we will get together on occasion to laugh at his student`s exams, because they are often incoherent. These college kids can`t express their thoughts because they have never learned the basics of English, and Lazyspeak has exacerbated the problem. I fear that this isn`t merely a matter of being unable to express themselves, but that they ARE expressing themselves; they simply cannot organize their thoughts. How can a nation remain competitive when university students cannot write or think in simple sentences? I can understand the uneducated being deficient in this regard, but these kids are supposed to be the scholastic class!
Thanks again,
Tim
He then responded:
Tim-
You are quite welcome, and your response was just as I'd imagined. You stated exactly some of the very points I was considering as I wrote you the first time. I too, was thinking of our kids at University and the obvious trouble they have understanding that effort is the cornerstone of success where writing is concerned.
I worked on both of Ronald Reagan's campaigns, and I was much younger then -- only a few years out of University for the first. One of my clearest memories was the amazing intelligence and concise organizational skills of so many of the young volunteers. By the time his second campaign began, I was a Precinct Committeeman and considerably more involved in the National Campaign. It was a great experience.
I wonder how difficult it must be to find qualified young campaign workers today -- especially for the Democrats -- considering it is they who will no doubt continue to approve of phonetic spelling as "correct" and other such nonsense. All, apparently, in a subtle effort to grow their secret dumbed down Workers Party ever larger. That may sound a bit cynical to some, and even extreme to others, but it is nevertheless and unfortunately true. The current Democrat Party is primarily driven by Socialists, whether they believe it or not.
Keep up the good work, my friend!
Once again from me:
You`re right about the attitude of college students these days; they don`t understand the importance of communication, or what used to be called a ``liberal education``. History is absolutely despised, as is English, Geography, Philosophy, and the other basics. It`s sad to see this intellectual decline, because it means these kids will be easy fodder for the Left and their emotion-driven philosophy.
The young conservative movement was dazzling, and they really were top-of-the-mark! I can`t imagine what it must be like to try to organize Howard Dean`s children activists; it must take half-an-hour just to get everyone`s name tags on properly! I don`t think you are extreme or cynical in the least when you speak of the dumbed down worker`s party-just honest. I personally believe that public education has been trying to do precisely that, and that modern liberalism can only survive by keeping everybody poor, rude, and ignorant. Successful, well-mannered, and educated people rarely fall for the sleight of hand of the Left.
Best,
Tim
This gentleman (another anachronism in the modern era) was a pleasure to speak with, and his point is one which is seriously underappreciated; language defines thought, and sloppy language means sloppy thinking. It may seem petty to complain about internet shorthand or children`s slang, but one must ask if the tail isn`t wagging the dog here. Shorthand and slang are fine, provided the person using them is well grounded in the fundamentals, and THAT just isn`t happening in this day and age.
This is part of the non-judgementalism of modern America, part of the therapeutic culture with an emphasis on self-esteem over objective benchmarks. Children shouldn`t be bound by rigid rules of grammar, they should be free to express themselves as they see fit. Spilling is simply some deed wite dude`s oppretiion of the chillun, and dont kneed no tension from us! How dare we force our arbitrary ways on others, insist on proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation!
Self-esteem is far more important than a system of rules, the thinking goes, and a child should be rewarded for a good try rather than for actually getting things right. Of course, this has lead to narcissims among the young college aged adults, but that, too, can be excused, since liberals believe in intentions over results. This was meant to b e beneficial (as if drilling children on proper use of language somehow isn`t) so our liberal friends can toss their unintended consequence off with a ``m`I bad!`` and frolic along their merry way, having left a generation of virtual illiterates in their path.
Of course, that assumes the better intentions of the Left-something I never make the mistake of doing. Some want a generation of ignorant peons, people they can mold and control, and the collapse of language is a tool they are using to accomplish this aim.
Those are the more manipulative of the Left; many of the advocates of Outcome-Based Education, Multiculturalism, and Subjectivism are soft-headed dupes, people who think with their glands. Their soft, squishy hearts force them into intellectually indefensible positions, yet they have been tricked into believing this tripe. They advocate policies which lead to ignorance out of ignorance.
Multiculturalism aggravates this problem of linguistic ignorance, since we dare not force our values on others; we have no right to require the proper use of language from people whose traditions differ from our own. Better to establish some form of pidgin, where everyone can communicate on an even footing. We cannot make others accept our standards, so we have to lower those standards to allow others access to the mainstream of society.
Of course, there is no concrete reality-all is subjective, to the liberal. Language is a human construct, and so, more than many other things, is subjective in nature. Who are we to dictate another`s reality? If a child wants to spell the word cat MOON, by what right do we tell him he (she, it, transgendered, hermaphrodite) is wrong?
All of these forces unite at the crux of Lazyspeak. Children have simply been allowed to sit around in linguistic underwear for far too long, and their ability to communicate and think have been compromised. How can we expect to compete with the Chinese and other disciplined peoples while our children speak and write like Neanderthals? Me want meat! LOL! I don`t recall Neanderthals writing any great works, building any great cities, or being in any way noteworthy except for becoming extinct (I know; they DID become quite adept at funerals!) What are we to expect from a generation which has grown up with LOL, POS, K, EIEIO (sorry!)?
The question must be asked; did the Neanderthals suffer from lack of brains, or lack of language? I suspect their problem was more in the language department and that they couldn`t think because they didn`t have the communication skills, so they couldn`t think.
Lazyspeak may well return the younger generation to Neanderthalism. At the very least it makes them liberals which, frankly, is an insult to Neanderthals everywhere!
Mr. Birdnow,
I discovered your Web Log today whilst researching the comments of Czech President Vaclav Klaus regarding global warming. Your opinions on so many important topics are refreshing, insightful and frankly, a pleasure to read.
I wonder if you would consider doing a piece on a worldwide epidemic which I call 'Lazy Speak' (lazy writing). It is a moniker I derived from labels such as 'Leet Speak' which is used to describe online gamer's (and similar computer tech types) unique underground shorthand. 'Leet Speak' translates to Elite Speech. Of course there is actually nothing elite about it, nor can this new lazy speech be considered in any way positive or useful.
I'm sure you have encountered lazy writing on many occasions, and from people whom you would consider to be educated and not at all lazy. Have you ever received an email in which there is little or no punctuation, capitalization or sentence structure? -or perhaps such poor spelling and grammar that it is difficult to focus on the topic? Lazy writing (particularly in email) is now making it's way round the globe. Emails which are one long run-on sentence are quickly becoming the norm. Like Ebonics and Urban Slang, many people who write in this manner are advertising their own ignorance -- whether that ignorance is real or only perceived.
In reading your article titled "Taking Back Our Language", I noticed some similarities between these two issues, and it sparked me to drop you a note on the subject. I certainly understand that email (in general) is an informal and quick communication tool, but does that automatically preclude the use of good writing skills? As you say, not everyone should speak like William F. Buckley, nor should they be expected to compose every email as well as Mr. Buckley might. As a good friend is fond of saying "People should [at least] use the writing skills learned in elementary school".
I am neither a writer nor a blogger, so the job is best left up to someone with the skills to do it justice, should you decide to humour me.
If you have already written about this topic and I've just missed it, then kindly disregard my request.
My thanks to you, Sir, for your hard work and dedication!
Actually, our friend here shows superb writing skills and would probably put me to shame were he to challenge me to a writing contest, and I am greatly honored by his request. I responded:
Thank you so much for your kudos and kind words! It`s nice to know that I am being read, and, more importantly, enjoyed; blogging often feels like shouting into Niagra Falls. It`s good to get an occasional attaboy!
Actually, my wife and I have discussed this very issue, because her nieces and nephews all use ``lazyspeak``, and we`ve often theorized that this is making these kids incapable of using proper English. I`m not a stickler for exacting use of the language, but some standards must be observed, for goodness sake! Lazyspeak means lazy thinking.
This sort of thing is really destructive in a number of ways; my brother is a professor of history, and we will get together on occasion to laugh at his student`s exams, because they are often incoherent. These college kids can`t express their thoughts because they have never learned the basics of English, and Lazyspeak has exacerbated the problem. I fear that this isn`t merely a matter of being unable to express themselves, but that they ARE expressing themselves; they simply cannot organize their thoughts. How can a nation remain competitive when university students cannot write or think in simple sentences? I can understand the uneducated being deficient in this regard, but these kids are supposed to be the scholastic class!
Thanks again,
Tim
He then responded:
Tim-
You are quite welcome, and your response was just as I'd imagined. You stated exactly some of the very points I was considering as I wrote you the first time. I too, was thinking of our kids at University and the obvious trouble they have understanding that effort is the cornerstone of success where writing is concerned.
I worked on both of Ronald Reagan's campaigns, and I was much younger then -- only a few years out of University for the first. One of my clearest memories was the amazing intelligence and concise organizational skills of so many of the young volunteers. By the time his second campaign began, I was a Precinct Committeeman and considerably more involved in the National Campaign. It was a great experience.
I wonder how difficult it must be to find qualified young campaign workers today -- especially for the Democrats -- considering it is they who will no doubt continue to approve of phonetic spelling as "correct" and other such nonsense. All, apparently, in a subtle effort to grow their secret dumbed down Workers Party ever larger. That may sound a bit cynical to some, and even extreme to others, but it is nevertheless and unfortunately true. The current Democrat Party is primarily driven by Socialists, whether they believe it or not.
Keep up the good work, my friend!
Once again from me:
You`re right about the attitude of college students these days; they don`t understand the importance of communication, or what used to be called a ``liberal education``. History is absolutely despised, as is English, Geography, Philosophy, and the other basics. It`s sad to see this intellectual decline, because it means these kids will be easy fodder for the Left and their emotion-driven philosophy.
The young conservative movement was dazzling, and they really were top-of-the-mark! I can`t imagine what it must be like to try to organize Howard Dean`s children activists; it must take half-an-hour just to get everyone`s name tags on properly! I don`t think you are extreme or cynical in the least when you speak of the dumbed down worker`s party-just honest. I personally believe that public education has been trying to do precisely that, and that modern liberalism can only survive by keeping everybody poor, rude, and ignorant. Successful, well-mannered, and educated people rarely fall for the sleight of hand of the Left.
Best,
Tim
This gentleman (another anachronism in the modern era) was a pleasure to speak with, and his point is one which is seriously underappreciated; language defines thought, and sloppy language means sloppy thinking. It may seem petty to complain about internet shorthand or children`s slang, but one must ask if the tail isn`t wagging the dog here. Shorthand and slang are fine, provided the person using them is well grounded in the fundamentals, and THAT just isn`t happening in this day and age.
This is part of the non-judgementalism of modern America, part of the therapeutic culture with an emphasis on self-esteem over objective benchmarks. Children shouldn`t be bound by rigid rules of grammar, they should be free to express themselves as they see fit. Spilling is simply some deed wite dude`s oppretiion of the chillun, and dont kneed no tension from us! How dare we force our arbitrary ways on others, insist on proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation!
Self-esteem is far more important than a system of rules, the thinking goes, and a child should be rewarded for a good try rather than for actually getting things right. Of course, this has lead to narcissims among the young college aged adults, but that, too, can be excused, since liberals believe in intentions over results. This was meant to b e beneficial (as if drilling children on proper use of language somehow isn`t) so our liberal friends can toss their unintended consequence off with a ``m`I bad!`` and frolic along their merry way, having left a generation of virtual illiterates in their path.
Of course, that assumes the better intentions of the Left-something I never make the mistake of doing. Some want a generation of ignorant peons, people they can mold and control, and the collapse of language is a tool they are using to accomplish this aim.
Those are the more manipulative of the Left; many of the advocates of Outcome-Based Education, Multiculturalism, and Subjectivism are soft-headed dupes, people who think with their glands. Their soft, squishy hearts force them into intellectually indefensible positions, yet they have been tricked into believing this tripe. They advocate policies which lead to ignorance out of ignorance.
Multiculturalism aggravates this problem of linguistic ignorance, since we dare not force our values on others; we have no right to require the proper use of language from people whose traditions differ from our own. Better to establish some form of pidgin, where everyone can communicate on an even footing. We cannot make others accept our standards, so we have to lower those standards to allow others access to the mainstream of society.
Of course, there is no concrete reality-all is subjective, to the liberal. Language is a human construct, and so, more than many other things, is subjective in nature. Who are we to dictate another`s reality? If a child wants to spell the word cat MOON, by what right do we tell him he (she, it, transgendered, hermaphrodite) is wrong?
All of these forces unite at the crux of Lazyspeak. Children have simply been allowed to sit around in linguistic underwear for far too long, and their ability to communicate and think have been compromised. How can we expect to compete with the Chinese and other disciplined peoples while our children speak and write like Neanderthals? Me want meat! LOL! I don`t recall Neanderthals writing any great works, building any great cities, or being in any way noteworthy except for becoming extinct (I know; they DID become quite adept at funerals!) What are we to expect from a generation which has grown up with LOL, POS, K, EIEIO (sorry!)?
The question must be asked; did the Neanderthals suffer from lack of brains, or lack of language? I suspect their problem was more in the language department and that they couldn`t think because they didn`t have the communication skills, so they couldn`t think.
Lazyspeak may well return the younger generation to Neanderthalism. At the very least it makes them liberals which, frankly, is an insult to Neanderthals everywhere!
posted by Timothy Birdnow | 2:29 PM
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