Not always comprehensible
Posted by One example of text-speak and slang being seen as a completely separate language:
Library | California, USA
(We have an older patron who comes into the library to use the Internet. She’s around 65 and not computer literate, so we help her out whenever she needs us.)
Patron: “Miss, could you help me? I don’t understand what is happening.”
Me: “What’s the problem?”
Patron: “I think I had a stroke or something!”
Me: “Oh my God, what do you feel?”
Patron: “Well, I can’t understand the words on the computer. It doesn’t make any sense! I’m so confused!”
(She seems fine, just aggravated, but I call over my co-worker who is in a nursing program.)
Me: “Can you check her out real quick?”
Coworker: “You’re fine. What did you feel?”
Patron: “Well, nothing. But, all of a sudden, I lost my ability to understand writing. I opened an email from my granddaughter and I didn’t understand a word of it!”
(My coworker and I read the email:)
Hey grandma! I’ve been having a gr8 time in Ny with mom and dad. we’ll b back in ca on the 4th. I miss u! c u l8r!”
Coworker: “Um, I think she just wrote in a hurry and didn’t realize that you didn’t understand her shorthand. It’s teenspeak, so it’s a little hard to understand.”
Patron: “Oh, thank God…such a stupid girl! I’m going to tell my son to throw her TV and computer away and make her read some books!”
Me: “Ma’am, you’re preaching to the choir.”