DEVASTATION DESTINY

[trix]

Dear Killjoy,

Regarding your inquiry about learning, I would like to use this opportunity to bestow upon you a brief lesson linguistics and sociology.

To begin, there are two linguistic approaches that I am going to tell you about, namely prescriptive linguistics and descriptive linguistics. The prescriptive method uses idealized forms and strictly adheres to the syntax and grammatical rules as they are understood (an example of this is Standard Written English). The descriptive approach instead looks at a language as it is practiced, even when it is at odds with the standard rules. I tend to favor the descriptive approach myself. Take the sentence "My momma didn't raise no dummies." Strictly speaking, were we to follow the prescriptive rules of the language, we would have to understand the meaning of this sentence to be "my mother did, in fact, raise at least one dummy". However, looking at this from the perspective one familiar with the intent of the phrase, we understand that the use of two negatives is an intensive phrase that keeps the sentence negative, rather than the two negating each other to make the statement an affirmative. I generally take the stance that if it is able to be understood, then there is no reason to correct it.

I am quite familiar with Internet trends in which conventional use of punctuation, capitalization, and other grammatical markers are left to whim. You appear to be of this persuasion, and that is fine (in a sense).

However, now I must go into the sociological aspect of this reply. You see, when one is part of a community, there are certain traditions, conventions, social mores, values, and so on and so forth that one is aware of and thereby subject to.  PD is definitely a community. By ignoring the conventional use of grammar, you are in violation of the expectations and mores. You have gotten the response that one would expect, though you have not been actively dismissed as a possible contributing member just yet. The ridicule and taunting you are undergoing is a kind of defense mechanism utilized by the community in order to ensure that there is a certain level of maturity and seriousness, as well as a distinct intellectual tendency, among the population. If you respond to this treatment by modifying your writing style to accommodate these expectations, then you will likely be welcomed into the community with open arms.

I am anticipating that you will view this as some sort of "conformity", and you would be correct. However, at the same time, the Internet is full of people who disregard grammatical rules, and you are no different from them. By not conforming to the expectations of PD, you are conforming to the unwritten expectations of the Internet. Given the dearth of proper grammar to be found on the Inernet, it would not be impossible to postulate that using proper grammar is, indeed, more non-conformist than not.

I realize that this has been a rather lengthy and somewhat meandering piece, but allow me to summarize in a concise manner in case you were perturbed by the sizable wall of text: Proper punctuation and capitalization or get the ever living fuck out, motherfucker.

Love and kisses,
Doktor D. Jennifer Phox.

That was great!  Though I fear it was wasted, on this one.

[Cain]

I am quite familiar with Internet trends

But Phox, are you aware of all internet traditions?

[Pæs]

Phox is pretty hip to the internets.

[hirley0]

B  rain(Class) 4cast4 7:27:26.25 AM Board Time

Dear K
iss, Doktor D. Jennifer Phox.

OMFG Phox. That was gold. Quoted for Eternity.

Phoxy has a sexy brain (among other things).

U13 3:14:14 i doubt a "PAIR" of 44's 4:14 pdT
F14 ?Luna?
s15 EoT End of Thread : {Probably

[Telarus]

B  rain(Class) 4cast4 7:27:26.25 AM Board Time

Dear K
iss, Doktor D. Jennifer Phox.

OMFG Phox. That was gold. Quoted for Eternity.

Phoxy has a sexy brain (among other things).

U14 i doubt a "PAIR" of 44's 4:14 pdT

Action to language via the mirror neuron system

Not only are the habits of our written speech the only thing we can use to get a handle on the personality [anyone] present(s) while logged into the forum, hirly0 offers a perfect foil to the type of behavior offered by our recent guest. TALKING IN ALL CAPS is not only "shouting", it actually effects how the message is perceived by our internal "body-language" reconstruction of the message (by our mirror neurons in the motor cortex).

IT'S TRYING TO BE THE ALPHA IN THE ROOM BY WEARING STILTS.



Where-as hirley0's mode of communications is much more along the lines of a Zen master's un[intentioned] artistic expressions (koan/poetry/ink-painting). Beautiful in it's cryptographic purity of expression, it invites the seeker down the road to the gateless Gate.

Functional links between motor and language systems
Motor cortex hand area and speech: implications for the development of language

[Luna]

While I don't understand what hirley is saying most (almost all) of the time, I find it very interesting trying to figure it out.  There's meaning there, it's just over my head.

All caps monkey howling?  Not interesting.  I have a friend with a two year old if I want that.

[Phox]

Dear Killjoy,

Regarding your inquiry about learning, I would like to use this opportunity to bestow upon you a brief lesson linguistics and sociology.

To begin, there are two linguistic approaches that I am going to tell you about, namely prescriptive linguistics and descriptive linguistics. The prescriptive method uses idealized forms and strictly adheres to the syntax and grammatical rules as they are understood (an example of this is Standard Written English). The descriptive approach instead looks at a language as it is practiced, even when it is at odds with the standard rules. I tend to favor the descriptive approach myself. Take the sentence "My momma didn't raise no dummies." Strictly speaking, were we to follow the prescriptive rules of the language, we would have to understand the meaning of this sentence to be "my mother did, in fact, raise at least one dummy". However, looking at this from the perspective one familiar with the intent of the phrase, we understand that the use of two negatives is an intensive phrase that keeps the sentence negative, rather than the two negating each other to make the statement an affirmative. I generally take the stance that if it is able to be understood, then there is no reason to correct it.

I am quite familiar with Internet trends in which conventional use of punctuation, capitalization, and other grammatical markers are left to whim. You appear to be of this persuasion, and that is fine (in a sense).

However, now I must go into the sociological aspect of this reply. You see, when one is part of a community, there are certain traditions, conventions, social mores, values, and so on and so forth that one is aware of and thereby subject to.  PD is definitely a community. By ignoring the conventional use of grammar, you are in violation of the expectations and mores. You have gotten the response that one would expect, though you have not been actively dismissed as a possible contributing member just yet. The ridicule and taunting you are undergoing is a kind of defense mechanism utilized by the community in order to ensure that there is a certain level of maturity and seriousness, as well as a distinct intellectual tendency, among the population. If you respond to this treatment by modifying your writing style to accommodate these expectations, then you will likely be welcomed into the community with open arms.

I am anticipating that you will view this as some sort of "conformity", and you would be correct. However, at the same time, the Internet is full of people who disregard grammatical rules, and you are no different from them. By not conforming to the expectations of PD, you are conforming to the unwritten expectations of the Internet. Given the dearth of proper grammar to be found on the Inernet, it would not be impossible to postulate that using proper grammar is, indeed, more non-conformist than not.

I realize that this has been a rather lengthy and somewhat meandering piece, but allow me to summarize in a concise manner in case you were perturbed by the sizable wall of text: Proper punctuation and capitalization or get the ever living fuck out, motherfucker.

Love and kisses,
Doktor D. Jennifer Phox.

That was great!  Though I fear it was wasted, on this one.

Most likely true. Ah well.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Looks like either it got scared off, or it was Poptart. If it was Poptart, though, I would have expected it to triumphantly out itself at the end of the day.

[Freeky]

I think you were right about it being new to trolling, but got scared off or lost interest in us.

[Cramulus]

all his posts yesterday were made within a 2-hour window
so I bet it has something to do with his class schedule

[Cain]

No Computer Science III on Thursdays.

[Freeky]

all his posts yesterday were made within a 2-hour window
so I bet it has something to do with his class schedule

That could be, too.

I didn't see anything particularly vehement, either, just a bunch of joking around and busting the guy's balls.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

all his posts yesterday were made within a 2-hour window
so I bet it has something to do with his class schedule

That could be, too.

I didn't see anything particularly vehement, either, just a bunch of joking around and busting the guy's balls.

It hit so many tropes in such a short span of time that it came off like it was reading them out of a list or handbook, and then disappeared right after we brought up that it was trolling.

Which could totally be coincidence, of course.

[Cramulus]

intentional or not, this thread is funny as hell

I think we were really bored yesterday, it was great timing. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

intentional or not, this thread is funny as hell

I think we were really bored yesterday, it was great timing. 

It was brilliant timing.