Any other grammar/spelling ***?

xD Is just a smiley I use...a lot.  It's actually become a bit of a compulsion.
 

What REALLY does bug me is the internet shorthand.  b4 u go 2 c

I agree!  Bloody well drives me nuts! U is a letter, NOT A WORD!
 

Isn't there a smiley that can convey the same emotional content message?

Sometimes there is, sometimes there isn't.  Depends on the speech patterns of the person.  I myself don't alter my speech patterns for others.
 
If I concerned myself with what offends others all the time, I'd never speak...and that totally isn't me xD

I'm sure that I make the occasional mistake, too, but I do appreciate good grammar and spelling.  I do a lot of copywriting and editing, so it makes my job harder when people goof. []

ORIGINAL: Xeph

xD Is just a smiley I use...a lot.  It's actually become a bit of a compulsion.

I've wondered about that symbol before too. It doesn't look like a smiley...

ORIGINAL: Xeph

If I concerned myself with what offends others all the time, I'd never speak...and that totally isn't me xD

 
Cussing is offensive to others.  When you talk to a policeman or a judge or any authority, I can't imagine anyone cussing at them and not learning a lesson for not concerning themself with the way they talk.

I don't cuss a whole lot (I spend 50+ hours a week with a 4 year old, and she would be quite the potty mouth if I did). That's where "double you tee eff" comes in.  Gets my point across without hurting virgin ears.

I am not offended at all by WTF. Just for the record. I'd hate it if the admins started censoring even acronyms. If you don't like what it officially stands for, be creative and think of what else it could mean....

Whoo Tooodly Foo!

What Total Fopism!

White Tater Frogs!



When my son was little we used to make up ALL kinds of "curses" so that all the "bad" words seemed boring. They ended up being pretty funny and we'd tease each other calling each other silly things. It took the heavy right out of cursing and made it hilarious instead.

As for the forum, I'm not a grammar Nazi. If I correct someone I try to do it with humor. I'm also a writer and editor, so it does stand out immediately for me. I let 98% of it go by. I also make my share of typos!

xD is meant to look like a smiley in an anime style.  Like when they freak out on screen and have the big giant teardrop and their expressions are all odd.

I use o.o x.x o.O >.< as emoticons too  I can't even look at xD and NOT see a smiley anymore o.o  It just doesn't look like a plain ol x and D to me.  Heck, the word and is in between that x and d and I still see a smiley!
 

Cussing is offensive to others.

Lots of things are offensive to others, and an acronym is generally whatever you make of it.  Of course OMG and LOL and all that have a universal meaning, but you can really turn it into anythin'.
 
White Toady Frogs!
Weird Toasty Fries
Wonderous Twist Feet!
 
See? Oh em gee! *insert laugh here*

Actually, shhhhh!  Its in violation of rule #2 but I won't say anything.

I am not offended at all by WTF. Just for the record. I'd hate it if the admins started censoring even acronyms. If you don't like what it officially stands for, be creative and think of what else it could mean....

Whoo Tooodly Foo!

What Total Fopism!

White Tater Frogs!

I completely agree Jeano!

... and while technically you are correct DPU, that is does violate forum rules... I think it is pretty darn innocent compared to a lot of other things that take place on this forum is really kinda petty to get annoyed with. I would rather see every poster use WTF or anything else similar they want to use than see people personally attack and insult others. I think there comes a point where the moderation could get overboard and way too nitpicky and I appreciate that the mods don't do that.   

[]

ORIGINAL: DPU

What I noticed from Badrap's post is that when 'CAPS' are not used I zoom through the post, that is I read it really fast and in one breath.  Although the punctuation 'period' ends a sentence, the capital letter starts a sentence. 

*this is an interesting observation to me, because it is purely BY DESIGN that i don't use caps.*

when i was in high school, i got really into e.e. cummings, who doesn't use caps, and i mimicked that style.  as time passed, i decided that caps bother me aesthetically speaking; i feel they make sentences look "unbalanced".  i know that's weird, but i'm a little OCD like that.  in addition, when i capitalize something, it's because i really want to say it emphatically.  example:  i don't believe that "i" am the most important part of a sentence, and therefore never capitalize "i" unless i mean to emphasize it. plus, i can type a WHOLE lot faster that way[sm=rofl.gif]

nonetheless, observation and comment noted.......[]
 
ETA sorry about the "WTF" thing... i was trying to express extreme frustration that at my age there are some words that i can't wrap my mind around.  i cuss like a pirate in daily life, but surely you must know that i know the "line" and edit my conversation appropriately when addressing authority figures or my mom[].  and DPU you're right; there is certainly a smiley to express it:[:@] or[sm=banghead002.gif] or [sm=censored.gif] HAHAH... actually, that last one is new to me.  i just found it!  i shall use that henceforth instead of the "WTF", which indeed walks the line of crossing rule #2.

Did you also notice that whenever I am referenced in a post, every poster uses CAPS to write my Loginid, just as it appears above my avatar.  Not sure if you have ever noticed, whenever I reference LoginId, I CAP the first letter.  Such as badrap is Badrap.  I do this out of respect.

i usually try to write people's logins the way that they appear on my screen, such as yours, DPU, because i feel that people chose to write them a certain way for a reason...
 
in not using caps, i mean no disrespect.  it's just my style of writing, and i do it when i write longhand, too.  i do it when i blog.  i do it when i text.  i just really don't like caps at all... anyway[sm=backtotopic.gif]

Did you also notice that whenever I am referenced in a post, every poster uses CAPS to write my Loginid, just as it appears above my avatar. Not sure if you have ever noticed, whenever I reference LoginId, I CAP the first letter. Such as badrap is Badrap. I do this out of respect.

And why do you think we do it DPU? Perhaps many of us know that your quite particular about the whole login/ name deal here on idog... we really don't want to hash this out again. I often start to write your real name and then have to edit so that you do not feel I am disrespecting you...[]

I will admit that sometimes I do intentionally abbreviate words, but only when I am instant messaging with my brother.  I do it to see if he actually can understand what I mean.  I
LMAO (yes, I know...)  to confuse him. 

I will also admit that I pretend to be my husband when he has been IM'ng back and forth  with my bro...I like to see how long it takes him to figure out it is me.[sm=rofl.gif] Since they're usually talking computers I get found out real quick[]! 

*Gasp* But Polly do you know what the A stands for in LMAO!?  xD
 
Good times, good times.