Use of SMS-speak by Indians

Rasika

I am always amazed how even quite serious Indians end up using SMS argot in their emails. I've got quite formal emails - job applications, requests for information on postgraduate study, etc, all using U for you. Sometimes I've replied only to point out that this lingo is not the right way to make a good impression in the West.

I wonder if it is because Indian languages are phonetic? I wonder if others find this as irritating? I wonder what we can do about this?

Mickey S

That's one of my pet hates, too.

I don't think Indians really appreciate just how uneducated it appears to read words like "u", "ur", "wud", "cud" in a post. They see teenagers doing it in their text messages and maybe think it's "cool" or "trendy" to do so.

I can't take seriously the contents of any message with SMS-speak in it, and my mental image of the writer takes a knock every time I have to struggle through a mass of mis-spelt words.

But I don't think there's anything we can do about it. That's just the way that they write.

stungan

It has got nothing to do with phonetics. Those who do this [Indians or non-Indians] are stupid dumbf***s! That's all. When you receive stuff like that you may try what I do: throw/move the stuff to the trash bin/folder.

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karuna

Mickey are you ok? Recently you seem to be spitting bile- about Indian spelling, Indian traffic, Indian tourist pricing...

Is there something about India you like?!

machadinha

I don't suppose there is much one can do, except kindly point out to them that it's not welcome with you, if you can be bothered. In my former profession it was not uncommon for perfectly established (non-Indian) clients whom I'd never spoken to before to drop me an email going "Hi first name! Here's an assignment for you to be finished last week for half an apple, let us know when you have it done asap." This would usually not result in a closed deal, and with any luck in some office manager wondering at your curt reply. Oh well. Modern idiocy and all that. I guess just plain ignoring is another good response. If pointed out on this board as sometimes happen, chances are that poster will likewise throw a fit, so it seems kind of counterproductive.

But this notion that to get an answer it helps to make yourself understood first seems to be somewhat lacking in some quarters yes, not just in India.

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indiaddict

@ Karuna - where is the bile in Mickey's posting? Cannot detect any. In fact looks very sound and reasonable to me...

capt_mahajan

I guess many youngsters use sms speak in emails. And smileys. I wouldn't really know, I dont get too many emails from those.

But it is irritating, yes. And so are folks (of all ages) who are busy reading and sending sms messages everywhere. (The other day mobile phones were lighting up all over the place with this in the middle of a movie in a theatre, disturbing me and probably others, and prompting me to tell my wife that these guys sms every time they f**t, thank god they can't sms smells yet )

It is almost a nervous habit now, for many.

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brownboy66

grrrrr......this bugs me as well. I looked forward to being able to purchase one of those small handheld jamming devices soon...

http://www.phonejammer.com/cell-phon...er/p2jbz-r.asp

and then go to the movies, have breakfast in a cafe, etc - in complete peace!

capt_mahajan

Can't I just chop off their thumbs instead?

brownboy66

hmmmm....tempting - but most likely would be messy! Beside, imagine the fun you would have watching the frustrated looks on their face as they struggle to understand why their phone no longer works. You could even follow them around as they look for a signal! Hours of entertainment

Nick-H

Yes it annoys me too, and people might notice that, as far as moderation goes, I am quite strict on telling people that it is not welcome in posts here.

But lemme tell u that if I jump on every post that contains u instead of you, even though I may wanna do, we'd have few members left!

Whether you bin the mails or not rather depends on what they offer!

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Nick-H

Indian English these days also has its major influence from America, especially the IT sector, and from the GWB school of "English".

Old-fashioned Indian English is full of slightly obscure usage of English words like 'bifurcation' for, eg, a split of responsibility between two persons or offices.

New-fashioned Indian English contains such horrors as upgradation --- surely a word of the Bush school?

Rasika

Sorry, I don't quite agree - some of the posters who use this dialect here in IM have been very helpful and have sent long, informative messages, from what I noticed. I just feel they are shooting themselves in the foot by making at least some readers wince.

When I have tried to explain the problem to Indian correspondents I have said it is similar to the difference between 'aap' and 'tum' - while 'tum' is expected amongst close family and friends, one wouldn't say 'tum' to a bank manager one is asking a loan from! Not sure I convinced them.

capt_mahajan

Yes, irritating it may be, but sms-speak has no connection with a person's intelligence.

Much as I would like to think so

Prashant.M

True. Lately Mickey's posts have been unnecessarily harsh.

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