Words or phrases that annoy you (even if you can't explain why) . . .

[KaiFiMacFan]

That's how I feel about texts as well. For the most part my texts are grammatically correct, but if I'm typing quickly I might type "ur" for "you're" or "your" and I don't consider that to be such a blunder. My friends aren't going to be like "you spelled that wrong!".

Now an apostrophe incorrectly used for a plural on an official sticker advertising a company is another thing...

 

[mollyc]

That's how I feel about texts as well. For the most part my texts are grammatically correct, but if I'm typing quickly I might type "ur" for "you're" or "your" and I don't consider that to be such a blunder. My friends aren't going to be like "you spelled that wrong!".

Now an apostrophe incorrectly used for a plural on an official sticker advertising a company is another thing...

On the other hand, my teenagers make fun of me when I use paragraphs in texts. "Mom - just hit enter and make a new text."

To be honest, when possible, I text from my MBP just to make grammar easier.

 

[KaiFiMacFan]

Same here--much easier to type a response on my laptop.

Just be glad you don't sign every text with your name.

 

[adrianlondon]

On the other hand, my teenagers make fun of me when I use paragraphs in texts. "Mom - just hit enter and make a new text."

I have friends who whatsapp me a few words in each message. I wish there were a setting which could disable multiple alerts from the same person when the come only a few seconds apart.

 

[usagora]

Sure, but I don't generally consider texts to friends as "important."

Which is why I try not to judge people who misspell in texts. Texts are casual, around the fireside conversations, not business diatribes. Context matters.

Texting happens in other contexts as well that are not so casual, so that's why I said "if" (context) 😉

 

[Mousse]

That's how I feel about texts as well. For the most part my texts are grammatically correct, but if I'm typing quickly I might type "ur" for "you're" or "your" and I don't consider that to be such a blunder. My friends aren't going to be like "you spelled that wrong!".

If the message they're trying to convey is clear, I overlook spelling and grammatical errors. I get a lot of text/emails where they use the wrong homonym, eg affect/effect or duel/dual. If I can decipher their intent, it's all good.

It's when they don't use puncutations, proper capitalization or spacing that I get worked up.

Helping Uncle Jack off the donkey means one thing. Helping uncle jack off the donkey means something else.

Write it right, y'all.

 

[Tagbert]

On the other hand, my teenagers make fun of me when I use paragraphs in texts. "Mom - just hit enter and make a new text."

To be honest, when possible, I text from my MBP just to make grammar easier.

Your kids must be frustrating to text with if they send each sentence as a separate text. That’s really annoying.

 

[mollyc]

Your kids must be frustrating to text with if they send each sentence as a separate text. That’s really annoying.

No, they don't always send after every sentence, but they will use a new text as a new paragraph. I know plenty of adults who often use a different text for each sentence though.

I'm lucky that they text me as much as they do; they are good kids and I love that they communicate with me in any form.

 

[usagora]

On the other hand, my teenagers make fun of me when I use paragraphs in texts. "Mom - just hit enter and make a new text."

I have to wonder what difference they think it makes. Strange.

 

[mollyc]

I have to wonder what difference they think it makes. Strange.

Well mostly it's done in good fun, not in seriousness. But most kids also see text as very casual, and if you need to have a longer discussion they think it should be done in conversation or email.

 

[usagora]

Well mostly it's done in good fun, not in seriousness. But most kids also see text as very casual, and if you need to have a longer discussion they think it should be done in conversation or email.

But they didn't say, "send an email." They said send a separate text . . . which is no different in length than one text with two paragraphs. I just think it's a distinction without a difference.

 

[mollyc]

But they didn't say, "send an email." They said send a separate text . . . which is no different in length than one text with two paragraphs. I just think it's a distinction without a difference.

It's more efficient to send separate texts because you just hit the send button, rather than the return button twice to start a new paragraph, then still hitting the send button at the end. I would imagine that has something to do with the thought process. Also, if you send from a computer, it's more cumbersome to use paragraph returns because you have to know a keyboard shortcut since the return button sends the message.

 

[KaiFiMacFan]

Separate texts also works well with Apple's new feature that allows you to respond to specific texts. At least it can be pretty helpful in group chats.

 

[usagora]

It's more efficient to send separate texts because you just hit the send button, rather than the return button twice to start a new paragraph, then still hitting the send button at the end. I would imagine that has something to do with the thought process. Also, if you send from a computer, it's more cumbersome to use paragraph returns because you have to know a keyboard shortcut since the return button sends the message.

I don't want them replying to my first paragraph before I can finish my next one. It complicates things. Much better so send all at once imo. It takes, what, a fraction of a second more to hit the return button twice instead of hitting send?

 

[dotnet]

I have to wonder what difference they think it makes. Strange.

I wonder whether text messages are still the right medium when you need multiple paragraphs. What’s next, footnotes?

 

[usagora]

I wonder whether text messages are still the right medium when you need multiple paragraphs. What’s next, footnotes?

A paragraph doesn't have to be really long. And her kids were suggesting multiple texts as a replacement, which wouldn't change the length anyway.

 

[dotnet]

And her kids were suggesting multiple texts as a replacement

The kids are smart. No need to bring page layout tools to texting.

 

[usagora]

The kids are smart. No need to bring page layout tools to texting.

I didn't realize a simple line break required page layout tools 🙄

 

[Expos of 1969]

My son-in-law is 37, university graduate and he does the one line and then send the text approach in WhatsApp. I find it a pain in the ass as often I have started to respond to his first text and then one or more single line texts arrive. What he says in these following texts may make my initial response thoughts to be off base due to the info in his texts. Just send me one text with three or four or five sentences as a start or as the whole idea. I have no idea what compels him to use his approach. Possibly the shorter attention spans of the younger generations?

 

[KaiFiMacFan]

What’s that? I zoned out after the first sentence.

 

[mollyc]

My husband will be 56 next week and is a CFO of a publicly traded company. When he texts me he often sends them to me line at a time. Not every time, but regularly.

Texting is just not meant to be formal. A lot of texting/messaging apps still have character limits per message, and while that has grown over the years, you still get capped, even in iMessage.

 

[usagora]

I don't think this has been mentioned yet, but it annoys me when people use "dude," "bro," etc. without any articles, demonstrative adjectives, or other modifiers. Here's an example I literally just read in a YouTube comment section. It was a video of a pickup truck driver who got out of his truck to confront a biker (the first 'dude" referred to here is the pickup driver):

Dude is cringe, but dude popping pathetic wheelies on public street is just as cringe.

I would prefer they write, "That dude is cringe, but the dude popping pathetic wheelies . . ."

 

[usagora]

Another is when people say "a minute" (or, worse, "a hot minute") instead of "a while."

e.g. "Good to see you, man! It's been a minute!" (vs. "It's been a while!").

 

[nnoble]

'Have a good rest of your day', delivered with the same monotonous sincerity as 'Have a nice day'. Both only ever delivered by employees under duress.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

'Have a good rest of your day', delivered with the same monotonous sincerity as 'Have a nice day'. Both only ever delivered by employees under duress.

Oh, yes.

A passionate and profound amen to this.