From memory our bizarre and varied spelling came about as a result of Dutch printers coming over to print the Bible and often phonetically spelling the words they heard, but in a 'Dutch way' if that makes sense? The words then stuck in that form as the 'errors' were simply copied.

Over to Aart then.
Cheers - Phil

Don't get me started on text speak, it drives me up the wall.  We're raising a generation who can barely write their own name without sticking 'lol' on the end of it.   

The only thing I like about 'shorties' like LOL....Is that you can let the person at the other end of the message, that you're not having a hissy fit, and what you've written is to be taken with a' pinch of salt'.....and is meant in a lighthearted way.
Apart from that....Don't get ME started either.

Cheers - Phil.

i seem to use FFS an awful lot at work........

Quote from: Steve J on 11 July 2012, 11:59:01 AM
From memory our bizarre and varied spelling came about as a result of Dutch printers coming over to print the Bible and often phonetically spelling the words they heard, but in a 'Dutch way' if that makes sense? The words then stuck in that form as the 'errors' were simply copied.

AND French vocabulary imposed on German grammar, with an attempt to tart it up with Latin odds and ends, and a printing trade that paid by the letter...God, what a language, lol.

Quote from: FierceKitty on 11 July 2012, 02:40:49 PM
AND French vocabulary imposed on German grammar, with an attempt to tart it up with Latin odds and ends, and a printing trade that paid by the letter...God, what a language, lol.

Hear. hear ! FK ! 
Cheers - Phil (But it IS interesting to think how the 'English' language has evolved through time !.....How on earth do you try and teach your students this bizarre tongue ?)

Quote from: goat major on 11 July 2012, 02:29:15 PM
i seem to use FFS an awful lot at work........

I'm hoping you don't walk around saying the abbreviated letters "F.F.S." though?!   

I've just Wiki'd 'FFS' and the first result is a gem: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FFS



The other one which bugs me is 'PMSL'.  Are you really?  Your house must stink, and you should really go see a doctor about that.

Another abbreviation that I wasn't aware of. ....
Buy why put the 'S' in ?
Cheers - Phil.

Illiteracy...

English grammar is actually relatively simple. At least we're not burdened with feminine houses and masculine windows. And as for vocabulary - we'll use anyone's. 

And we use intellegble letters - no ll's for instance, although suferners do mangle phonetics.

IanS

Quote from: Hertsblue on 12 July 2012, 10:11:11 AM
English grammar is actually relatively simple. At least we're not burdened with feminine houses and masculine windows. And as for vocabulary - we'll use anyone's. 

Relativity can be oh so relative!

Well, at least we don't have to decide whether to address our neighbour as "you" or "thou" every day. 

Not any more.