Is Labeling Internet Users Based on Their Language Justified?

[protonchain]

Do you guys do this?

Whenever I see "Hai, can u sho me hao 2 do this please, thx", I automatically label them as "Nubcakes", and "12 year old".

I then realized that most of the players on World of Warcraft fit this category, until one of "them" spoke on a chat program called ventrilo. He had a bassy voice

So I knew my labeling of him was off in terms of the 12 year old aspect, but the nubcakes part still applied.

I have not yet updated my theory to fit these certain scenarios, I'm having trouble modeling it and running simulations and tests. So I merely continue to label them as such and hope for 1 of the 2 criteria to be correct.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Whenever I see "Hai, can u sho me hao 2 do this please, thx", I automatically label them as "Nubcakes", and "12 year old".

Instead of textspeak or whatever they call it, it should be called baby-talk.

It reminds me of a five year old.

 

[Math Is Hard]

And it's not allowed at PF.

 

[protonchain]

And it's not allowed at PF.

Yep, I still help them no matter what because as I said, I could be wrong - they could just be trying to type in shortcuts. However that thought still doesn't escape my head.

 

[f95toli]

I agree that it is a bit silly to use language like that on a forum.
However, in WoW and other online games there is actually a good reason for it; it is simply a faster way to communicate which is necessary since there is rarely enough time to use "proper" language if you are in the middle of a fight.

I play online games from time to time and most of the people I play with are 25+ (and quite a few are older) but we still use language like that from time to time, even when using voice-chat ( "kite left mob, tank right and heal me, please").

(for the record; I do NOT play WoW, but I play AoC from time to time in a "mature" clan).

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

Differentiating between a teenager and a stupid adult is quite hard. The language gives some clues, i.e. the choice of words, but this is a problem when talking with foreigners. With physics people it's a little different, you can judge quite a bit, depending on the question style, but of course I don't have much proof for my assessments.

 

[Nephyte]

I agree that it is a bit silly to use language like that on a forum.
However, in WoW and other online games there is actually a good reason for it; it is simply a faster way to communicate which is necessary since there is rarely enough time to use "proper" language if you are in the middle of a fight.

I play online games from time to time and most of the people I play with are 25+ (and quite a few are older) but we still use language like that from time to time, even when using voice-chat ( "kite left mob, tank right and heal me, please").

(for the record; I do NOT play WoW, but I play AoC from time to time in a "mature" clan).

I've never played with anyone in any online game that "needed" to type that way to communicate mid fight. Either there has always been incredibly short quick code phrases used to convey necessary infight data - that seemed in my opinion to be more or less universally understood among people in the game (although it might take them a week or two after getting the game to learn them all). The other choice being voice communication (ventrilo, teamspeak whathave you).


I have met tons of people who use "leet speak" for humorous effect rather then necessary communication. The most amusing part, is that generally it's used for jokes which people can laugh at. I've met maybe a handful of people who used it, and upon closer examination of them it was just true that they were failures at the english language in general.

The part to me that always seemed most wrong, is the people who use the phrasing to deride others always seem to feel pretty superior about the fact they're making fun of someone who from my perspective feels functionally retarded. Just doesn't seem very nice.

 

[maze]

I'm not really a fan of txtspeak and l33t and all of that, but then again, who are we to tell people how to communicate with one another? The "rules" of english are nothing more than a Frankenstien-esque amalgamation of hundreds of years worth of random conventions. What's important is that the message is clear to the intended recipient.

 

[Proton Soup]

it's useful for effect, just not as a way of life

 

[rootX]

Do you guys do this?

Whenever I see "Hai, can u sho me hao 2 do this please, thx", I automatically label them as "Nubcakes", and "12 year old".

I then realized that most of the players on World of Warcraft fit this category, until one of "them" spoke on a chat program called ventrilo. He had a bassy voice

So I knew my labeling of him was off in terms of the 12 year old aspect, but the nubcakes part still applied.

I have not yet updated my theory to fit these certain scenarios, I'm having trouble modeling it and running simulations and tests. So I merely continue to label them as such and hope for 1 of the 2 criteria to be correct.

Sometimes. But, I only care about how someone is meeting with the guidlelines if I ever help him/her (i.e. providing their own work. )

But, what are we achieving here or what is the purpose? Should nubcakes be given special treatment?

 

[Math Is Hard]

Whenever I see "Hai, can u sho me hao 2 do this please, thx", I automatically label them as "kitteh". Usually they just want to know how to make a cheeseburger.

 

[Moonbear]

Whenever I see "Hai, can u sho me hao 2 do this please, thx", I automatically label them as "kitteh". Usually they just want to know how to make a cheeseburger.

More cheez please!

 

[DaveC426913]

Do you guys do this?

Whenever I see "Hai, can u sho me hao 2 do this please, thx", I automatically label them as "Nubcakes", and "12 year old".

I then realized that most of the players on World of Warcraft fit this category, until one of "them" spoke on a chat program called ventrilo. He had a bassy voice

So I knew my labeling of him was off in terms of the 12 year old aspect, but the nubcakes part still applied.

I have not yet updated my theory to fit these certain scenarios, I'm having trouble modeling it and running simulations and tests. So I merely continue to label them as such and hope for 1 of the 2 criteria to be correct.

Why do you need to put a face to the person though? The person is the label.

Whether they're 12 or 62, if they communciate like a 12 year old, then that's who they wish to be to the world.

Eventually, if they really do wish to communicate something more substantial than their yen for a cheeseburger, and they figure out that non one is bothering to engage them, they'll change their tune. Or go elsewhere.

 

[DaveC426913]

And it's not allowed at PF.

Is this true?

 

[lisab]

Is this true?

From the Rules:

In the interest of conveying ideas as clearly as possible, posts are required to show reasonable attention to written English communication standards. This includes the use of proper grammatical structure, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. SMS messaging shorthand, such as using "u" for "you", is not acceptable.

Thankfully .

 

[DaveC426913]

From the Rules:



Thankfully .

Cool. I've always discouraged it on my own - usually by asking them if English is not their first language - that usually gets a sheepish change in behaviour - but I didn't know it was part of the rules.

 

[protonchain]

And it's not allowed at PF.

From the Rules:

-Insert mega super rules here-

Thankfully .

Agh I misunderstood. I thought "Math is Hard" was telling me that labeling people for such shorthand usage was not allowed at PF. This is why I was getting slightly defensive on my 2nd post.

That's what I get for focusing on my term paper so much that it fries my brain . I apologize.

 

[DaveC426913]

Agh I misunderstood. I thought "Math is Hard" was telling me that labeling people for such shorthand usage was not allowed at PF. This is why I was getting slightly defensive on my 2nd post.

That's what I get for focusing on my term paper so much that it fries my brain . I apologize.

Nope. Labelling people and treating them with condescension for their sloppy use of the language is AOK here at PF!

 

[Cyrus]

Do you guys do this?

Whenever I see "Hai, can u sho me hao 2 do this please, thx", I automatically label them as "Nubcakes", and "12 year old".

I then realized that most of the players on World of Warcraft fit this category, until one of "them" spoke on a chat program called ventrilo. He had a bassy voice

So I knew my labeling of him was off in terms of the 12 year old aspect, but the nubcakes part still applied.

I have not yet updated my theory to fit these certain scenarios, I'm having trouble modeling it and running simulations and tests. So I merely continue to label them as such and hope for 1 of the 2 criteria to be correct.

I thought the same thing when reading your post with the use of the word 'nubcake'.

 

[Proton Soup]

shouldn't that be n00bcake ?

 

[protonchain]

I thought the same thing when reading your post with the use of the word 'nubcake'.

I get it from my old roommates. It started out as idiot, then newbie, then noob, then nub, then nubsauce and nubcakes. Once it reached this stage we became hungry and went to get pizza.

 

[DaveC426913]

I get it from my old roommates. It started out as idiot, then newbie, then noob, then nub, then nubsauce and nubcakes. Once it reached this stage we became hungry and went to get pizza.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a well-placed language-mangling. In fact, it is a tool in any literate person's arsenal.

If nubcake is the appropropriate word to get his message across, and we all understand the message, then appropriate word it is.

 

[Moonbear]

I get it from my old roommates. It started out as idiot, then newbie, then noob, then nub, then nubsauce and nubcakes. Once it reached this stage we became hungry and went to get pizza.

Well, with the etymology of the word explained, I now realize I was pronouncing it wrong, which really lost much of the impact. I was pronouncing nub with a short u. I thought it was the short version of nubbin.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I am a member of an online community where several of the members have gotten to know each other quite well and we even have 'meets'. Several of the members, including myself, have dated other members and even flown to other states and countries to meet each other. People are definitely rather different in person than you expect them to be.

So the reason why this is relevant to the thread is that one of my friends from that community became quite interested in a guy on the site from Canada. They had some similar interests and she thought he was rather intelligent and interesting. So he came out here to California to see her and as it turns out he apparently was actually a rather macho dimwit who tried very hard when he was online to sound intelligent and cultured.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Agh I misunderstood. I thought "Math is Hard" was telling me that labeling people for such shorthand usage was not allowed at PF. This is why I was getting slightly defensive on my 2nd post.

That's what I get for focusing on my term paper so much that it fries my brain . I apologize.

No, my fault. My statement was ambiguous.