I’m eighteen, soon to be nineteen and I can’t but wonder if my age group continues to be ridiculed by the older (and self-proclaimed mature) people of Flirtbox (and perhaps many other dating sites)

Before you think, oh this isn’t about Dating, it is, just let me get to the point.

Teens, particular internet using ones (obviously) are rapidly declining in literacy. Things such as ‘chat speak’ or ‘n00b’ talk and ‘l33t’ speak make teenagers look bad. People are surprised, and I’ve witnessed this while surfing some of these forums, when an eighteen year old can spell properly! (Gasp, surprise, heart attack)

Although this can be rather annoying as many adults can’t spell worth shite either.

So, to come to a point, I have no doubt that illiterate spelling makes a bad impression on me but what about you? When someone sends you a letter riddled with spelling and grammar areas and are using words that you never thought existed, how likely are you to respond?

Not just for teenagers but ‘adults’ as well, doesn’t it make a bad impression if you can’t read it?

Does it turn you off to date someone and then find one day, as they send you an email, that their typing is a catastrophe and a veritable riddle?

I’ve noticed a link between illiterate chat speak spelling and people on dates sites looking only for love. They aren’t interest in wooing you with words, hell, rip off of those virtual clothes and dance baby!

‘helo beutifully i was loking on the site and saw your profile and you are gorgous want to meet no strings atached?’


Yes, certainly nothing can be more hideous than that?

So, should I feel sorry for my age group? Unlikely, especially if a fifty-two year old man can’t spell better than my ten year old cousin.

But would I date someone who spelt like that? Hell no, but the question is…would you?

to be honest someone with bad grammer and spelling doesnt really bother me, as you can still make out what they say.
and we all make typos..

but people that use test speak annoy me, as theres plenty of room on here to type a message

lol pics plz

All anyone of us has to go on when internet dating is a picture and the words they write.

If those words come across as lazy, illiterate, sarcastic, angry etc then that will be the impression that we get of them, this is not wrong, it is just human nature!

Maybe the people who enjoy text speak will find happiness together but when someone sends me a pm and it is riddled with text speak my immediate reaction is to not reply, to get to know someone on the net requries time mailing and I could not deal with having to mail back and forth and decipher every mail.

Someone also mentioned love letters, a dying art but wonderful to receive - try writing one in text speak!

Hugz - I fekkin luv you!!!!!

Happy Sunday to you too!

Hope you have had a good weekend!

I spent yesterday in the hairdressers lol - I am now officially a red head!

Kevin53846: Hah, how true. ‘Txt Talker Spelling Bee’ would be a show for the masses…


pollyanna37: You are right on the money! Picture + Text is all we have to know someone by.


Again, if someone has a problem grasping the concepts of communication because of a learning disability it is different but people who purposely use text talk as a 'way of life' need to find new lives.

I can see text talk on a text messages because most people get billed by the letter (which is stupid...switch plans then) but if I get a message riddled with text talking and numbers I'm bound to get a bad impression of them.

It's generally fairly easy to pick out the people who have problems spelling for one reason or another as opposed to those too damned lazy to write poperly.

I have little problem with those that cannot spell or whose grammer isn't perfect (gawd you should hear me talking!!) but there's no need for textese on a forum.

Hugz, love the love letter. Can I please join in?