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Is Texting the end of Grammar as we know it?

By
Real Estate Agent with Monument, Black Forest, Falcon, Fountain homes

Are you getting more and more emails that include such verbiage as, "Can U show us house at .......2moro?"  or "ISO 4 bdrm with bsmt.", and "LMAO at pics, cu LOL."  Now I know we've gone away from the formal letter of yesteryear but shouldn't emails have some sort of resemblance to a grammatically correct format? 

 In this fast paced world of ours more and more clients are texting as a means of communication.  It provides instantaneous responses but I think we are losing the art of the written word in the process. 

text messaging

 I Googled text messaging phrases and came up with a site that provided this pop quiz: Text messaging phrases.  I flunked. So I promptly found some other helpful sites that enabled me to decipher some of these terms.  One of the best was a blog written by Marc Saltzman: Top 50 most commonly used text messaging terms.  I found another site that promised to turn text messages into plain English- now we're talking.

 I don't know about you but I sure do appreciate an email that I don't have to Google to interpret and where the sender has expressed themselves adequately enough that I can assist them responding back without a failure to communicate.  I for one will not be caught in a courtroom trying to explain what I meant in an email that was loaded with acronyms. Are we forming a new language that will permeate into every form of communication? 

Do I text?  Of course I do although I use a lot more spelled out words than I probably should.  Several of my current and past clients only communicate by text so I know the value of the process but I'm just concerned that we are heading down the path of Babel and the separation of languages! 

Comments (7)

Karen Feltman
Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, IA KW Legacy Group - Cedar Rapids, IA
Relocation Specialist in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

It is sure funny to think that we will eventually have a text message translator app for our "smart" phones!!  Great post.

Oct 27, 2010 04:50 AM
Renae Bolton
Marketing 4 Realtors - Garfield Heights, OH
I'm your Professional Real Estate Marketing VA!

I also text (a LOT!) but because my phone has a full QWERTY keyboard, I typically spell everything out, especially to my clients or when it is for business purposes.  I agree that I don't want anyone confused about what I'm saying or what I meant by that abbreviation.  Some people do take the text language to a whole new level, don't they, Lorraine?

CUL8TR!

~Renae

Oct 27, 2010 04:52 AM
Lorraine Sayer
Monument, Black Forest, Falcon, Fountain homes - Colorado Springs, CO
Realtor ABR,CDPE,GRI - Colorado Springs,CO RE/MAX

Karen: Now that is an app that I could actually use.

Renae: My younger clients are making shortcuts faster than I can keep up!  BYKT  T@YL

Oct 27, 2010 05:03 AM
Diane McDermott
Realtor®, GRI, Landis e2 Real Estate, LLC - Charlotte, NC
Charlotte NC Real Estate Market

Lorraine, I text a lot too and it's become a common client communication tool though really just for quick messages, I still prefer email or phone for lengthy/critical exchanges! 

Nov 01, 2010 04:15 AM
Lynn Edgin
Keller Williams Clients' Choice - Colorado Springs, CO
GRI, SFR, REO

Lorraine, this new language is catching me off guard. Sometimes I have to contact the sender to see what they mean. LOL  C  U  later

Nov 01, 2010 10:05 AM
Lorraine Sayer
Monument, Black Forest, Falcon, Fountain homes - Colorado Springs, CO
Realtor ABR,CDPE,GRI - Colorado Springs,CO RE/MAX

Diane: I too prefer email and many of my text messages are "read email". 

Lynn: I hear ya on that one!  I've also had some folks that hit so many wrong keys the message is a mess and all I can do is call and ask what the blazes they were trying to say.  Geesh get a bigger keyboard. 

Nov 02, 2010 03:24 AM
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

Lorraine, texting, as you know is about speed. I can be forgiving in this format, but not emails and types of formal writing...

Nov 02, 2010 11:01 PM