Wow, this is amazing! I only found this now, even though you written this three years ago. I agree with you whole heartedly on leet language. It's extremely annoying to try and decipher. I was reading this online manga which updates twice a week. Some of the pages include leet, and I was throughly confused.

However, my opinions differ on webspeak. I'm fine with using the normal LOL, LMAO and such. Yet, if it reaches the point where it's undecipher, it too is rather troublesome. I applaud you for your conviction with sticking with the way english is meant to be. It's meant to be a way for people to understand and communciate with each other. Leet language and webspeak defeats the purpose.

Congratulation on two wonderful pieces of writing!


~Wisiaden

Wow, I saw a lot of people online using the "word" 1337, and I was so confused! Then...I read this, now I know what 1337 is! Eww. It seems so much more difficult/hard to read, why bother? Hahahha.

01001100 01100101 01100101 010100 010011 010 01100101 01101 01101011 0010 01101001 010011 0010 010 01101 010011 010011 01100101 001010 0010 0010 01010 01101001 011010 01101 010010 01001 0010 01100110 01101 010010 01100101 010110 01100101 010010 00101

Leetspeak is passe. Binary forever!

(Does anyone seriously use leetspeak? I thought it was all sarcastic.)

Thank God somebody out there hates leet as much as I do. I think anybody who uses leet should be violently disembowled with a hockey stick. DOWN WITH LEET!!

1 4|\/| 4 \/3|2`/ 1|\|73|_|_163|\|7 |>3|250|\| \/\/|-|0 |-|45 |\|0 1|\|73|\|710|\| 0|>|-| 3\/3|2 51|\|||-| 50|\/|3 1|)1075 |_|51|\|6 7|-|15 |\|3\/\/ |_4|\|6|_|463 7|-|3`/ C4|_|_ "|_337".

"I am a very intelligent person who has no intention of ever sinking down to the level of some idiots using this new language they call 'Leet'."

Cool. So am I. Maybe we're related.

Don't get me wrong: I translated this sentence before I saw the real version sitting on top of it. Really, I did. Ask anyone.

You make a valid point, I must admit. Especially loved the last line.

Lovely. I really have wanted to strangle many a webspeaker's neck, but that would be hypocritical as I used to wallow amongst the worst of them a few years ago, and am guilty as charged for egging shtarfish on with her old bio. Still, I did write her a lovely new one which she may or may not still have.

Great essay. I agree with you completely, but bear in mind that many webspeakers are little idiots who think that they're being cool. Often, past webspeak comes back to haunt you, as in mine and Shtarfish's case.

Despite the fact that this essay brutally insulted me and the way I talk/type, I found it to be hilarious and highly enjoyable. Could there perhaps be another chapter? Please?

aw. I'm greatly touched that you held up my ex bio as an example of disgraceful grammar :) I don't tend to write as bad as that now, you will be pleased to hear. and retlor...you really have no life. lol.

Nice essay. I really did like it. I think that this is very nice, and you should continue on this. It really is a sad thing that this is where our language has gone. And sadly, this IS where it has gone.

And pathetically enough, I can believe that this girl did have a bio like that. I don't like my friends typing like that when I talk to them, but I suppose I'll live.

And thanks for reviewing my essay!

Well, I think this is actually very well written. But your topic...
For one thing, using shortforms is fun. Especially with your friends. It's not hard to figure out what things like "neway" or "brb" mean. It's just easier, and let's you talk to your friends quicker online. Not to mention making new abbreviations is a blast! So please just try it for awhile with your closest mates, and compare how quickly type these abbreviations with how quickly you type out full, proper sentences, filled with capitals and punctuation.
Tata!
(I'm not trying to sound harsh. I'm just defending those who enjoy life and fooling around with their friends in a childish way).

You rock. *nods* Both webspeak and leet speak are the devil.
...actually, I don't think even Satan knew what he was creating, to be fair.
I mean, will typing "to" instead of "2" really wear your fingers to the bone? It just doesn't make sense.

OMGLOLROTFLMAO! Ha ha. You are a genius. May we all revel in this wise and witty essay.

True, chatspeak is bad. No use arguing with you there.
How ever, these days, when you post 'hahaha' instead of 'lol', people think you are being sarcastic, so it's not so good to complain about that.

At one time, common acronyms like LOL or BTW or IMO actually served a real purpose, back when access to the internet was much slower and a 14.4 modem was considered blazing fast. People paid for interent access by the minute and some still do. So there was an actually reason for them. However, I do agree with your general, and quite humorous...IMO...point. That was a good read.