The Death of the Question Mark ? ? ? ? ?

General Discussion FSM Ready Room
1

Guys, bear with me…

OK, first things first: no, I am NOT on medication.

But… BUT!! – I have long lamented and despaired at the continuing degradation and corruption of our English language by the younger generation hastened along by “text speak”, which shows its most odious form in online communication. As a boy who grw up reading Jack London and Edgar Allen Poe literally with the proverbial dictionary by his side (I couldn’t stand not knowing what words like “primordial” and “aghast” (!) meant!) I have come to appreciate the eloquence of a well-muscled vocabulary and the ability to pinpoint the intent of a phrase or meaning in rapier-sharp fasion by the choice of a keenly-specific word or term–something sadly lacking in the younger generations’ “communicative skills” (yes, I use that term very loosely!).

Like you, I have suffered seeing the singular “u” (not even capitalized!) as a substitute for a proper, respectful “You”. I have gnashed my teeth (as have YOU) at the use of “2” as a cheap stand-in for “to”. Alas, I had perhaps naively believed that my generation and that of those who came before me have been the stalwart guardians of the gift of Vernacular, and the defenders of all the peripherals which gird this Art like the mighty towers flanking a castle keep; namely, proper punctuation and capital letters. Yet to my horror, I have started to notice that the acceptance and even (shudder) usage of this form of stunted communication has started to appear in my fellow “Boomers’” online communications.

Proper punctuation is the online, literary equivalent of the lilting of the voice that accomplanies the lifting-pitch of the question; the strong, declarative downward-pitch of the statement, confident and bold, indicated by the exclamation point. Without these visual literary cues, the world of online communication is as colorless, as banal and uninteresting and indecipherable as a piece of modern art on the commons, where anyone is free to interpret the words on the page as whatever they choose. “do you want to eat grandma”. Well does she? Or DO YOU? It pained me just typing it.

To those of you who have abandoned our precious question mark; I ask you–what is it about this lady which causes to displease? Look at her erotic curves. Lose yourself in the power of her allure…are you not enthralled?

Even if you cannot appreciate her beauty, how can you leave her out in the cold? Consider, if you will, the fire of the Question Mark’s vibrant shape and color…

Are you not inspired??? Do you not feel the purple rain?

Who is brave enough to declare your support for this timelessand ancient symbol? Who will champion our right and intent to ask questions and to let others know that we do indeed possess intellectual curiosity?–or perhaps that we’re just hungry for say, pizza? You can make it your fashion! Wear your heart on your sleeve–or your face if you go that way…?

Fellow Modelers! Friends! Countrymen and Brothers! I ask you now–stand with me, and declare your fealty and loyalty to our question mark! We must stand together, united and strong, and declare that we will not accept a world where online inquiry is sacrificed on the altar of convenience and the saving of .003 microseconds out of one’s day! We must resist the imposition of a world where no questions can be found, where the tyranny of only statements and incomplete phrases run roughshod over those of us with curioisity and the boldness to present that in correct punctuation! We must declare our love for the question mark! Mustn’t we??

Do it for love! Do it for the future! Do it FOR THE CHILDREN! I ASK YOU, WILL YOU JOIN ME?

2

First they came for the semi-colon, but I said nothing because its usage was only covered in style manuals. Then they came for the Oxford commas, but I said nothing because it was goverened by arbitrary rules. Then they came for small words and I said nothing because it was faster to text the numeral two than writing out “to.” And then they came for the rest of the punctuation - but here, we resist. Here, we look the youth of our nation in the eye and tell them once and for all in words they understand, “Respect your language or cash me ousside how bow dat?”

3

…And the ability to read and/or write in cursive.

4

This is the best thing I’ve read in a long time. As a high school teacher, I deal with it on a daily basis, especially with the introduction of Chromebooks into my classroom. So far I’ve been able to get them to stop with text speak, and to start using some punctuation…even if they aren’t using it correctly. It makes me glad I’m not an English teacher.

5

Sad state of affairs of our future generations. Heck, even schools nowadays don’t even teach cursive writing, let alone do homework in cursive writing. I blame our government sticking their noses in how teachers should teach. As you all know, I am a stauch hater of Common CORE. This is the biggest waste of time the government has implimented. I firmly believe our government has NO business to dictate how teachers should teach our kids. Let the teachers teach the way they know best without big government watching - the old-fashioned way.

6

Guilty as charged. [:$]

7

[dto:]

Yeap, I didn’t even notice my comment about your T54 turret was a question instead of a statement till you added question marks to your quote of my post.

Frankly these days I’m lucky to get my pants on with the zipper in the front and my shoes on the right feet when I get up much less proper grammer, punctuation, and sentence structure. [:(DD]

8

Seems like we are both in the naughty corner [:D]

9

As long as we’re not stuffed in the ‘cooler’ with a certain grumpy German Field Marshal. [;)]

10

Hmmm, what brought this on? [*-)] Very concise and accurate writing Doog.

By the way, I haven’t written in cursive since I attended two years of drafting classes… before CAD.

11

Modelcrazy ;

I am ashamed of you ! To not use cursive ? What the heck is the matter with you ? I keep telling folks this . You may print well . BUT , printing can be copied a whole lot easier than Cursive . Besides if you have six retired draftsmen/women , And one commits a crime regarding a ransom note , whom or who , do you arrest ?

Now that said , I always get complements on my cursive signature . Why ? Well , it sets me apart . Plus , it’s a definite marker of who I am . The letters flow with a certain mix of surety and self confidence . Who , Me ? That’s what they say . Plus this . When you use cursive it marks you as you , not some jamoke down the road .

This is the final form of self identification . It’s like this , which do you want ? A blood drop on a contract to prove it’s you ? Or a nice flowing group of letters that says , Hey look , this is me ! Posted by , who else ? ? ? Tanker-Builder !

12

I’m in the same boat as MC with writing since drafting classes over 45 years ago.

Whatever happened to readin’, 'ritting, and 'rithmatic like we had when we went through the old schoolhouse? Guess that is a long bygone era, to our detriment.

13

Haha–good paraphrasing of the famous quotes! [:)]

“Squire! An extra leg of lamb for KnightsTemplar5150!” [:D]

14

Keep fighting the good fight! You have my permission to read this to them in class. [:)]

15

Ha TB, I’d have to reteach myself cursive at this point. We had to practice block letters to perfection, and I guess it just stuck.

16

I don’t want to turn this light-hearted thread political, but I strongly support Common Core. It’s exactly what America needs–and it doesn’t even go far enough to institute a national, universal, Science-based curriculum like all other Westernized nations have–and many of those are kicking our butts in IT and Science-based graduates who will help their nations lead this new technological age. And that’s all I’ll say. If you wanna argue it, you can PM me. [:)]

I blame it on laziness, period. Our too-fast-paced society, where people can’t take the time to slllooooowwww down and respect the language. I value language and vocabulary because it is such a powerful tool in so many situations. It’s too bad that kids today are not taught it more rigorously.

17

Haha!! Yes, you ARE! [:D] Glad that you guys have a sense of humor about it. [;)] It’s just a huge pet peeve of mine, and it’s because I honestly have a love affair with language and vocabulary. I respect someone who can motivate a crowd or mend a heart or bring me to tears with words that rip right into the heart and find that magic button that triggers the desired response. I just see so much of today’s conversation as banal blather.

I’m glad–relieved, really–that this has gotten a positive and understanding response among friends here. [:)]

18

I still write in cursive. :slight_smile:

19

Some of us even curse in writive[:$]

20

I’m english old boy, a sense of humour is compulsory.

Didn’t you know that [:D]