Slang and Chatspeak: Where They Belong

It is good to form good habits of writing by not using slang. There is a proper time to use this and it is when one is trying to characterize one’s subject through level of language. It is when language is used as a tool to convey something about the character. This is mostly done in short stories or novels.

One can use slang to convey something like tone, mood, emotion, but it is not to be used as a norm. We may find it cute using slang - or chatspeak for that matter -but it is always a good writing habit not to be sloppy with language.

There are age-old principles to follow in writing and it is best to respect them for their wisdom. Therefore, we do not defend use of slang or chatspeak – when it comes to learning good writing.

Some writers concur with me. The following transcripts may lend some insights -

Me:
I had recommended a budding writer here - one whom I told to stop using slang and chatspeak and to use formal language as a good habit of writing. I told her she could develop here. I told her there is use for these kinds of communication - in a short story or novel where one is characterizing a subject. But, it is not the norm, I told her.

Instead of saying "yeah," for example, she should use "yes." Instead of using "u," she should spell it out as "you."

Unfortunately, I see slang and chatspeak sometimes in the posts.

A:
I agree that instant messaging abbreviations have no place in writing. However, there are instances where slang can be used in dialogue. In order for dialogue to appear natural, the writer should write, as their character would actually speak were that character an actual person. I don't use chatspeak or messaging abbreviations in my writing. I don't even make a habit of using it in my replies to other people's work, but it is used so commonly that people sometimes forget this is not proper for writing.

I do use yeah in dialogue because it is so common in speech. There are other instances. Street lingo would only be appropriate where a book or a short story is set in that setting.

If you're writing a formal letter for employment or such, slang, neither chatspeak, or street lingo would be appropriate.

B:
I totally agree. I think slang and chatspeak as you call it have to be separated even though they can evolve for similar reasons. In both cases, they are substitutes for normal or proper language, but at least in the case of slang, most people can understand the context more often than not. Slang can also filter into normal everyday conversations. But chatspeak is very limited. I think it's mostly used by teenagers to have a cute way of writing to each other and in that sense, it's immature. When I find a web site or message board that uses chatspeak, I leave immediately! I can't take anyone seriously that writes in chatspeak.

C:
Chatspeak is for the illiterate. At least it seems that way, and unfortunately, people who use it a lot sometimes forget how to spell. Believe it or not, I've come across it in nursing notes - which are technically legal documents. They shouldn't be there. Hate it. Slang speech is ok in writing though as it can help define a character

D:
True enough. Your own character, Shark Johnson, is a great example of using slang to define a person. In the beginning of the series, he uses it quite a bit, as he is still rather rough around the edges. As he matures and educates himself, he uses it less and less.

E:
I personally find chatspeak illiterate, and when people start writing stories using chatspeak, it shows how unseemly the whole thing is. It also shows how if people don't practise writing properly they begin to forget how to spell, and start writing in chatspeak everywhere. I hate seeing people writing or typing chatspeak, it reminds me of how society is slowly slipping away.

As for slang, there's nothing wrong with using it in dialogue, in fact I think it's great to use in dialogue. It gives character to your...well characters. But it's unwise to use it outside of dialogue, but not unheard of.

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