Respond to one, or all... it's your call.
What are your initial reactions to Truss’s text? Do you find her argument plausible, or is she just a stickler who is wasting her time and energy? How much does "proper" punctuation matter to you?
What about "internet speak"? That being, the "modified" writing of system (sometimes) employed when composing electronically. Should it be allowed? Should there be "rules" when it's acceptable to be used and when not?
Did you ever receive grammar/punctuation instruction formally, informally, or via self-study? Narrate your experience and how it has influenced your writing skills.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I really enjoyed the beginning pages of Truss's text! Her argument was really fascinating and I had never really thought about it before. To me, I always thought about "internet speak" and proper grammatical writing as two separate languages. "Internet speak" is fast and careless but gets the point across like when you text your friend "Im n da park where r u" instead of "I'm in the park. Where are you?" Truss's argument doesn't seem so radical to me because its more about resorting back to proper grammar, spelling and punctuation then creating anything new. She wants to hold people accountable for their language. I think this argument is justified even though she is calling for vandalism and graffitti when folks see in proper punctuation on public and private property like a street sign or business poster.
ReplyDeleteI received some grammar and punctuation instruction in elementary school in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade. Mostly it was punctuation, for instance the purpose and appropriate uses of punctuation marks, exclemation points and colons but not semi-colons or dashes.
My initial reaction to Truss's text was probably not as serious as she would want it to be. Punctuation matters to me only in formal pieces of writing. As for store signs and movie posters I could care less but it would just be funny to see. When she describes the extreme emotion she feels when she sees such mistakes, I just take it as a joke and nothing more and I don't believe she is actually that serious.
ReplyDeleteAs for Internet speak, I believe it should be allowed but the only rule that should come with it is obviously to save it for the internet/text messaging. When someone is typing something informally online or in a text it is just an easier way of getting the message across without wasting time. When composing a text message, I usually pay attention to my spelling and certain things that might not make sense to another person reading it, but as for punctuation I pretty much skip that because I would have to open a whole new menu on my phone to add commas and semi-colons.
From the Beginning of the book I feel that Lynne Truss has a very comedic approach to ignorance of punctuation in today society. For example she has a little metaphor which was a humorous and made me chuckle, “we are like the little boy in The Sixth Sense who can see dead people, except that we can see dead punctuation. Whisper it in petrified little-boy tones: dead punctuation is invisible to everyone else - yet we see it all the time”( Truss 4). While I find the approach to be less serious, I believe that it gets the point across well and it keeps the reader interested in what Truss has to say. I would have to say I follow Truss’ views on punctuation, there are times when I notice mistakes on ads on streets that hundreds of people read a day. But I am by no means an expert and make generic punctuation mistakes myself, but when I see mistakes as simple as adding apostrophes or other mistakes that should have been noticed I feel it is due to the growing ignorance of punctuation in today’s world.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Alen when it comes to “internet speak” because people are moving faster with the new technology and sometimes when chatting online or texting people want to make up for the time it takes to type something with substitutes. I believe this has happened because people call each other less, and to get messages across faster cutting words short could reduce seconds on sending of messages.
My initial reaction to Truss’s text was sympathy. I too experience neurotic insane impulses when I notice certain lackluster things that bother me (ex: when one shoelace is tighter than the other, people who think it’s ok to end sentences with a conjunction, Dan Brown books, and oh so much more). The only difference is I know I’m nuts so I repress these psychotic impulses. I do appreciate her argument; grammar has been allowed to fall in to disuse. However languages change as time goes on, words gain different meaning, usage changes, and the rules of grammar change as well. I believe she is fighting natural change and all her best efforts will be insufficient in holding it back. Personally I believe grammar is important only when what you are writing something that isn’t meant to be read quickly and only once. If you are going to make a sign and leave it up, get it right. Sending a text message, do whatever you want.
ReplyDeleteI find Truss' text to be quite enjoyable. Not that I would actually pick it up and read it for fun but I don't mind reading it for class. I applaud Truss for showing such strong feelings for the situation and trying to spread the word but it's hard to take her seriously. The book is simple entertaining. I think that her argument against "internet speak" is a total waste of time. It's just a new way of cutting things short. Who cares about private messages? All that matters is that it's understandable.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to formal writing, I feel the same way she does. Sometimes I get upset with myself when I make simple mistakes. There are somethings that are just common sense, and when people seriously don't understand, then it becomes a bit sad.
My initial reaction to Lynne Truss' text was that she was another person who was obsessive compulsive over something so insignificant. However, after reading more of the text I came to be in agreement with Truss. I even realized that I am a bit of a stickler myself. I often correct my friends when they say something that is incorrect and they just laugh because they think I'm paying attention to details that don't matter.
ReplyDeleteI think that "internet speak" should be allowed. I know when I send a text message I'm only allowed to use up to 160 characters so I sometimes have to find a way to shorten or abbreviate what I have to say so I use phrases such as "ttyl" or "txt u later". If I didn't use abbreviations such as these, I probably would be sending about three times the amount of text messages I send now. I try not to use it that much though because I don't want to get into the habit of it and then forget how to use proper grammar.
I have received formal grammar/punctuation instruction many times throughout grade school. We were received lessons on punctuation, sentence structure and syntax, and etc.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen I started reading the book, I had some mix reactions about it. (1) At first I thought it was just another book pointing out current changes in our society. (2) Truss added her own personal mix to expressing her thoughts in a comical form while still getting her point across. Sadly I do believe she is wasting her time because language and grammar changes over time to adapt with a changing society. Personally punctuation really doesn’t matter that much to me, as long as we are both on the same page to meaning of point that is getting across. (“Proper” punctuation, who gets to decide what that is?)
ReplyDeleteIf you think about internet speak, its just another language that we all learn from countless hours on the internet (B ha-p u know how 2 spk n write in 2 diff languages). Internet speak was created only for the internet, where people try to get information as quickly as possible, where as long as both parties understand the message everything is fine. Internet speak should not be accepted when it comes to a more professional field of work.
Due to our wonderful New York state public education the only grammar/punctuation instruction I receive was the 2nd grade. All my fancy words (yes to me, basic words are fancy) basically learn it on my own while reading countless article, from sports to business.
I can sympathize with Truss when she talks about being seperated and isolated in her fight for proper punctuation and grammar. At times I too am appalled by the degeneration of the english language, especially with texting and online communication. But doing anything to combat it would be pointless simply because there aren't enough of people like Truss who care deeply enough about the issue and are brave enough to stand up to the ignorance of the masses; also, few who do possess these qualities have little or no influence on the people like Truss does. So while her struggle for grammatical correctness is honorable, I highly doubt it will result in any significant change in this age of technology.
ReplyDeleteI see the issue with "internet speak" not as a problem with ignorance, but as a sign of social evolution (or devolution). All the abbreviations and acronyms and misuse of punctuation that are used in texting and instant messaging are all signs of how communication is becoming more impersonal. I predict that this constant trend of convenience and practicality over formality will eventually lead to the destruction of the English language. Truss is right to fight back, her cause is noble but difficult to accomplish at best. As for any rules that should apply to this, I doubt that there is any form of authority to keep people from using internet speak in their daily lives, but there should be.
My initial reaction to Truss was exhaustion over another reading directed towards punctuation. But as I read more I came to sympathize with her views, but not to the extent that she does. Personally, punctuation isn't very important unless it is distracting and interferes with my ability to understand whats trying to be conveyed.
ReplyDeleteAlhtough I'm not a "stickler" myself, I find myself annoyed by internet speak very often. I'll recieve a text from a friend that I won't understand and will have to ask what they were trying to say. I think internet speak has gone too far and that some people, mostly young, have abused it. I don't know if rules are necessary, but some sort of personal discipline and common courtesy for others.
My initial reaction to Truss's text was that she was more than a stickler, that she was crazy. But as I continued to read I began to understand her point more, that slowly punctuation is dying. At the end of the Introduction, she makes an interesting point about how certain people are sticklers for certain aspects of grammar, and that people make a concious effort to always correct whatever they are a stickler for. For example, when I entered high school, I had a friend who hated when people would say "mines" instead of "mine" and would always correct us. As a result, I do the same, and it is a huge pet pieve of mine. whenever I hear someone add the "s" I stop them in their sentence to correct them.
ReplyDeleteTo me "internet speak" is seperate from formal writing. I believe that there should be no rules because it is an escape from the countless rules of formal writing. Sadly, I do know many people who write formal papers the way they write texts to their friends. I must admit that sometimes I find myself abbreviating a word the way I would in a text, while typing a formal paper. Luckily, I catch this mistake quickly, and change it ASAP.
As for formal grammar/punctuation instruction, I believe I have had it almost every year of my public school career. I can not tell how many times I have been required to review a book similar to A Writer's Reference by Diana Hacker. From the constant use of these books many things have stuck, however I have given up on how to use the semi-colon and colon, and just leave them out of my writing.
Initially, I reacted to Truss's book with laughter. Her devotion to punctuation was humorous, and I enjoyed it. Punctuation is important because it is very helpful when trying to understand literary works. However, I dont find punctuation necessary in "internet talk". When people communicate with their friends, they shouldnt have to add the correct punctuation as long as your message can be understood by the reader. When people use improper english, it is not because they dont know the right way, it is simply becauase they dont want to waste time writing formally for no reason. However, the problem with using internet language often, is that people become too used to it and the correct grammer fades away. I, myself often have to correct myself when I accidently replace words with improper words, like because with "cuz".Truss's book reminds me of how significant proper punctuation is in writing. I think her book is going to enhane my writing skills immensely.
ReplyDeleteI find Truss’s text remarkable. Eats, Shoots & Leaves is the best technical book I have read… or started to read that is. It is funny, interesting, and I can relate to a number of her examples of misuse. I mean, it goes without saying that she is way too anal about stuff as trivial as punctuation. Boy would Truss kill me if she saw this post Of course, I understand the need for punctuation, but I would not go as far as her.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, reading is virtually impossible without punctuation. I feel somewhat retarded when I have to read something aloud in a class because, unlike most, I read a bit slow. If I try to read fast, I stumble over words. It’s weird, but it’s even worse when there is a lack of punctuation because then I read sentences badly.
In terms of Truss’s views on “internet speak”, she sounds like my father! Just because he cannot understand some of the things I write in a text message, he gets angry. The author needs to get with the program! Obviously we know when to write in complete sentences and when not to so stop complaining! Many inventers today are making loads of money because they are creating machines that make our lives easier. Abbreviations such as “lol” and “brb” do the exact same thing. It is called EVOLUTION Truss!
I know this journal is late, but I still wanted to post something… I love the blogs and felt like a total loser when I realized that I had forgotten to post my comment.