Do you ever get depressed at today's youth's grammatically-challenged-ness?

Question

I've just joined Yahoo!Answers today, and I can tell a lot of young people use it. I'm appalled at how many of these kids spell horribly! Skool? (school) Frend? (friend) Even simpler words such as "what" (wat), "said" (sed). Argh!!! And the need to shorten every other word! 4 instead of four. U instead of you. Ur instead of your. B4 instead of before. Or not using your quotation mark in words such as they're, aren't, you'll, I'm, isn't.

It drives me up the wall. =)

Answer 1

I, myself, am a grammar nerd. I find that as America goes deeper and deeper into a period of decadence, the children feel the repercussion. The increase in technology: cell phones, AIM, and myspace.com also encourage the unfortunate circumstance. It is my strong belief that, in schools and in homework, children should write, write, write, and write. There is only one way to get better. A combination of good teaching and a lot of practice. I am here with you 100%.

Go grammar.

Answer 2

I'm another who hates to see the symptoms of apparent illiteracy. They make me cringe.

However, I think there's more complexity here than meets the eye at first glance. Some of these kids are perfectly capable of using acceptable spelling, syntax and grammar when they want to. They just don't want to in this venue. They think that the abbreviations and the deliberate sloppiness make them look cool. They don't want to be taken for nerds.

In my view, the tragedy is that there's another group, primarily the younger and less educated, who aren't comfortable in both worlds and don't see what the fuss is about. They take the illiterate versions to be just as good as the literate ones in all contexts, and they resent anyone who tries to tell them that their view is flawed. I can't imagine what they'll do when they get to senior high, college, and the corporate world.

Answer 3

:) Yes, not only in grammer but words as well. I had stated that there are people who are ignorant of certain subjects. I don't know whether that person associated ignorance for the word stupid but she called me ignorant because I used that word. I think the worse part is not just the grammer, but that there is spell check. But one person does have a point. This is yahoo answers. At the same time it makes me wonder how my child is going to be when he starts going to school. Though I have about 11 years before I have to worry about this, it makes you wonder how well your children are going to be able to write or spell.

Answer 4

I am also into grammar.... but you come to Yahoo Answers and you are going to find a younger generation that has embraced or has incorporated the Internet as part of their culture.... it's part of who they are.... and just like in everyday language they use slang, they are going to incorporate it in their written language online as well.
I am not really old. I am in my late 20's. But, I remember a time where I had to physically go to the Dictionary and look up the definition or spelling of a word. This generation is completely different.
I don't think it's wrong or right.

Answer 5

Yes. It is terrible spelling and grammatical errors. Our world will end soon if these kids are our future. I'll meet you at the top of the wall.

Answer 6

You think this website is bad? I taught a few years at a college level - try reading 75 essay tests with half written in this manner! (at least here, you don't have to decipher handwriting!)