Pet peeve: "I 'text-ed' Burrel and Stella."
That invented word--you know the one--is awkward to the ear, uncomfortable to say. Haven't you stumbled over it? It just doesn't sound right to me. I have no problem with the evolution of language, no problem with nouns b/cing verbs and so forth, and I know we needed fill the void and find a term for texting in the past, but I just disagree with this particular word. (Listen, I have even gone so far as to defend "y'all" in light of the need for a second person plural. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the purpose of "vosotros" in Spanish? I think we need "y'all." It fills a vacancy. I'm open-minded about language, see? (Meanwhile, I explain my own mistakes as my "vernacular." Sometimes we purposely make mistakes in order to make someone comfortable. Ex. May I offer you a scone? vs. Can I get you a biscuit? Yes, I threw in the scone/biscuit complication, but the point stands. I'm digressing from my tangent.)What I'm saying is they're not mistakes if I can rationalize them. I used to tell my students if you know the rules and chose to break them with purpose, it makes you a poet. If you're just breaking them b/c you don't know better, then you just sound ignorant. I'm still digressing.) Back to texting... Those sounds aren't meant to be next to each other. Text-ed. It's ugly. It's not right! It's just not right! (Carter, there's an allusion to your childhood just for you.) I just believe in the least amount of ugly possible in general. Sometimes it can't be helped (my indomitable eyebrows, hello?)... but sometimes it can.
My suggestion: I sent Burrel and Stella a text.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
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1 comment:
Another submission for your awkward and ugly file: "textversation," as in:
1. "Well if you've started having textversations, then your golden; you should ask her out!"
2. "Yo, Kellee and Britnee were having a textversation whiles they was sitting N watchin teh latest hella tiiiiiite Johnny Depp movie, yo."
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