Efficient Typing Quirks:
1. Typing with abbreviations and never capitalizing: brb; gtg; omg; lol; etc.
2. Replacing words or feelings with letters, symbols or numbers: c u l8r; i <3 u.
3. Taking out as many vowels and consonants as possible: wht hw do w hve 2nite?
This Efficiency Typing Quirks, although quick to type, may show a level of un-intelligience. Although it can be considered quirky, and punny at times, in an online community there is elitism in the way you type. Efficient Typing Quirk users are usually considered beginners of the online messaging world.
The next most commonly used informal typing quirk are ones that show personal emotion. When talking face to face in Standard English, there is facial and body language people pick up on to understand a wide range of emotions. When speaking Standard English on the phone, the tone of your voice can indicate a smaller range of emotions. Although, in typing messages, all emotion is lost. If everyone were to speak in Standard English to their friends, they'd need to explicitly state that "I feel angry" to indicate emotion. This is way too formal and lackluster. Since your friends can’t see you, making emoticons, using many punctuation points, or using all caps becomes a key indicator of how you are feeling.
Personal Emotion Typing Quirks:
1.I AM SO EXCITED FOR TOMORROW!!!; I'M SO CONFUSED???
2. I am so excited for tomorrow :D; I'm so confused O_o.
3. People may also show emotion through announcing various actions: *Dances with excitement for tomorrow*; *Tips head in confusion*
This typing quirk is more respected in online communities for it requires a broader vocabulary, and use of imagery. It is also very useful in using sarcasm. With Standard English, sarcasm is represented by using quotes around what you want to be sarcasm. This system of showing sarcasm is very inefficient because many could confuse your statement with an actual quote. With Personal Emotion Typing Quirks, it is easier to explicit point out sarcasm. Using some form of Emotional Typing Quirks in typed messaging is a very integral part of communication.
Using typing quirks have become very widespread. Typing quirks are a lot like spoken dialects because they are understandable by all of that language, even if one doesn't speak the dialect themselves. The main difference is that typing quirks are not region based, but interest based. Because everyone is formerly taught to type and write in standard English, no matter what ethnicity or gender one may be, they are recognized as any person the internet. Therefore, many typing quirks are based off what internet communities and forums one may belong to. If someone were to talk to you which goes on the forum "4chan", and someone were to talk to you who goes on "Reddit", the one from "4chan" would probably have a more vulgar typing style. Likewise, if you were to speak with someone from "Hellokitty Online", and someone from "Call of Duty", the one from "Call of Duty" will probably have a more efficient typing quirk, while the one from "Hellokitty Online" will probably have a more emotional typing quirk due to the playing style of the games. There are obviously exceptions, but generally stereotyping these quirks is based on interests.
Having these typing quirks are very important to the internet. Other than just the utility of being able to show your emotions or write something quickly, typing quirks provide individualism on the internet. Since the internet is a haven for informality and expression, typing quirks provide all users of the internet to have freedom of speech (or in this case typing). Writing in Standard English may help with explicitly stating one's ideas in a more systematic, respected way. However, writing with a typing quirk makes the internet more personal. I agree with the use and expansion of typing quirks because the internet symbolizes creativity and freedom.
Taking into account the vast amount of typing quirks, there is code switching on the internet. The reason I wrote this blog primarily in Standard English is because I see Standard English as a way to organize my thoughts. On forums I usually write in Standard English because it's most comfortable and logical for my thinking. However when I talk to friends, I usually speak in an emotional typing quirk because I have a closer connection with them. Anyone may speak however they like on the internet, though the mainstream Standard English is what most people will understand. In other words, there is code switching on the internet depending on the medium one speaks.
Speak what you see as most comfortable while you're on the internet, and show off your personality however you like!
