"Ya know, the way we talk is way different from how we write formally. That must be a huge pain for people trying to learn english."And ya know, it's kinda true. Think about it: when we write letters or essays, everything is grammatically perfect, because it has to be. But when we talk, there's no spell check or little paper clip guy popping up and saying "It looks like you're trying to present an idea." We just kinda ramble on and on, not always using the best grammar, but everyone understands what you mean.
Imagine not knowing english and talking to anyone who uses slang (which is basically everyone)... what a nightmare!!! So this next part of my blog is dedicated to the crazy stuff english- speakers say that really don't really make any sense.
1. Squishing things together.
We tend to turn individual words and individual phrases into big monster words, or things, when written out, that don't even resemble words any more!
- I am going to want to go eat later = I'm gonnawanna go grab a bite.
- What's up? = Wazzap
- What do you want? = Watcha want?
- Going to = Gonna
- Have to = Hafta
- Would you..? = Wouldja...?
There are some seemingly normal phrases in English that make perfect sense to us, but imagine figuring these out when you take them literally.
- Let's leave = let's hit the road! = smacking pavement??
- It's raining really hard! = It's raining cats and dogs! = Animals falling from the sky?
- That's ridiculous = that's whack! = ...?
3. Dialects.
Sometimes it's not our fault if we don't speak "perfect" English, it is usually a regional slang.
- Urban: Ew! You're disgusting! = YO! Ya'll nastay!
- Urban: I'm going to = ima
- Southern: you all = Ya'll
*Ironic note: Both southerners and urbanites use ya'll, huh*
- Pennsyltucky (western PA) the milk is empty = the milk'sall
- Pennsyltucky antsy = rutchy
- Massachusetts/ north east soda = pop
- Boston food = noms
4. Instant messenger
I think there should be a separate dictionary for online speak, because sometimes it's nearly impossible to decipher. But it does make typing faster. (If it wasn't for the judgement of online readers, I would totally use AIM slang right now, but it makes stuff look sloppy.) But here are some "words" we use everyday online that if shown to a foreigner, or an English teacher would make no sense at all.
- Be right back = BRB
- I'm laughing because that's funny, but you can't hear me through this dang computer = LOL (laughing out loud)
- I'm laughing so hard that I just fell off of my chair and am on the floor rolling around = ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing)
- I have to go, sorry = G2G, :/
- Okay, thanks = K thx
- Okay = KK
- I'll be back later = BBL
- What??? = ??????????
- Definitely = Def
- By the way = BTW
- WTF = Whales that fly
- Going to = gonna
- Probably = probs
There are tons more where those came from, but that would be über boring to read, so I'll skip to the crazy part: some of these abbreviations are used so much, that now we SPEAK them!! People say "lol" and I just want to say "I'm right here! I can hear you laugh for real!"
The whole "saying IM slang" really bugs me, because it's actually shorter to say "By the way" than "BTW" (bee- tee- double-you). But I hafta be honest, I am guilty of saying "Bee-tee-dubs" and "BRB" and who isn't? But as a true hypocrite, I do think it's annoying, but hey, I can't control how the world talks. :)
I'm not saying everyone should stop the slang and straighten up, it's just funny to think about and listen to when you're with people from different areas.
One last note on grammar:
there: describes a place/ "there are"
they're: they are
their: possessive (belonging to them)
your: possessive
you're: you are
ur: you're an idiot
:D
