Page 958 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing
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posts, and chat rooms. Textspeak uses acronyms, words formed from
the first letter of each word in an expression. Thus, laughing out loud
becomes LOL. Single letters can stand in for words: See becomes c,
and you becomes u. Sometimes, numbers are used as part of a word,
and later becomes l8r, or anyone becomes ne1. Vowels are also
omitted from words to shorten them; the word vowels, for instance,
might be shortened to vwls.
Group Exercise 25-1 Discussing
Slang Terms and Textspeak
Form small groups. Try to include both sexes and as many different
ages and ethnic groups as possible. Each group member should write
down five slang terms and five textspeak terms and then share the list
with other group members. Are some of the terms different? (The
more diverse the group, the more likely that it will generate a variety of
slang and texting terms.) Are there any expressions that not all group
members are familiar with? What conclusions can the group draw
about the use of slang and textspeak? Choose one spokesperson to
report the group’s findings, along with a few of the most interesting
terms, to the class.
Practice 25-1 Avoiding Slang
