Professors Don’t Dig Chatspeak

April 12, 2010 3:00 pm     Posted in Entertainment, HaHa, Reality  Brittany - University of Saint Thomas g+ page

"Dear Prof: I'm totes writing you in my undies."

Texting and chatting online has surely affected the way we communicate. If a friend doesn’t respond to a text within 10 minutes of me sending it, I immediately assume he/she has gone Amish. What did people do when there were no cellphones or AOL chat? Communicating must have been exhausting. You mean you had to wait at home to receive a phone call from your boyfriend in hopes your father wouldn’t answer?


By Brittany

Beyond waiting for the phone call, texting and chatting online has surely affected what we say. The term OMG wasn’t created from sending letters through the Pony Express; it was most likely created in the depths of an AOL chat room BSBLuvr who found it exceedingly difficult to express her love for ‘Shape of My Heart’ over and over again. Since then, abbreviating words (AKA ‘chatspeak’) has made communication easier for all of us. But apparently some people can’t seem to understand when this language is approp (in a drunk text to a friend) and it’s inapprop (in an email to a professor).

Yeah, it may seem totes obvi to you, but it seems that many students are taking their AIM lingo to class and their professors aren’t LOLing. In fact, they’re getting pretty pissed. And who wouldn’t when students are starting their emails off with, “Yo, teach”? (For realz.)

OMG. WTF? Didn’t college learn you better than that?

It’s time for a chatspeak intervention, people. Below is a handy little guide to help you determine what is appropriate and inappropriate when it comes to professional correspondence. Professors, thank us later….with an A.

Inappropriate: Yo, teach
Appropriate: Dear Professor __________

Inappropriate: My comp. crashed and I lost my whole pape. FML.
Appropriate: Due to technological issues, I lost the entire rough draft of my essay. Would it be possible to get an extension?

Inappropriate: OMG my alarm didn’t go off this morning :( Can you fwd me the notes?
Appropriate: I was unable to make it to lecture this morning; is there any way I can get the class notes so I can catch up on what I missed?

Inappropriate: I will BRB from vaca nxt wk.
Appropriate: Although I understand the importance of attending lecture, I will be out of town next week with my family. I don’t want this obstacle to hinder me in this class and I was hoping you might be able to share the lecture slides with me in advance so I can stay on top of everything while I am away.

Inappropriate: Sup homie. Wut was the homework for 2day?
Appropriate: Good Evening. I was distracted at the end of class today and somehow missed the reading assignment for Wednesday. Can you please remind me what it is so I make sure not to fall behind?

Innappropriate: Where’s your office @?
Appropriate: I’d like to set up a time to speak with you during office hours. Please let me know where and when works best for you.


11 Comments on "Professors Don’t Dig Chatspeak"

  1. Fiona says:
    Mon, 12th Apr 201010:47 am 

    Brittany, how stupid do you think CC readers are? Your suggested responses are ridiculous and over-the-top.

  2. Tina says:
    Mon, 12th Apr 201011:26 am 

    well sadly fiona, a lot of kids do shit like this! most of my profs have to give a lecture at the start of the semester about how to appropriately send an email! our generation is doomed.

  3. Emily says:
    Mon, 12th Apr 201011:28 am 

    Fiona,

    There are some people who think it is acceptable to speak to professors like the inappropriate examples. Brittany was just trying to give acceptable alternatives. Her examples were fine and showed respect and dignity, which is something one should always strive for when writing a professor.

  4. Lisa says:
    Mon, 12th Apr 201011:43 am 

    I think it's somewhere between Fiona and Emily's opinions. I do think that Brittany's suggestions are a tad too formal and rigid for the real world. (Though I suppose some schools may be that formal, in my experience, school isn't that formal.) In the example of the vacation one, I'd personally say something more along the lines of "I'm going to be away on vacation with my family for the next week, I was wondering if I could get the slides for those classes so I don't fall behind." That would be more suited to my experiences in school. But hey, all schools are different.

  5. Madison says:
    Mon, 12th Apr 201012:47 pm 

    All schools are different and her suggestions are definitely the best way to go at my school. I don't really know anyone at my own school who would do this, but a friend from HS sent an e-mail to her prof. in all lowercase and substituted u and 2… clearly there are people out there who need this help.

  6. Rachel says:
    Mon, 12th Apr 20103:09 pm 

    haha. Let me know what school e-mails you slides and homework questions in lecture on account that you were sleeping, on vacation or just 'got distracted'?

    I have yet to meet a teacher that would be so forgiving.

  7. criolle johnny says:
    Mon, 12th Apr 20103:25 pm 

    Lisa and Fiona, try it. Professional appearance warrants professional treatment.

    If you dress like a tramp, you get treated like a tramp. I make a point of wearing a dress shirt and slacks whenever I fly. It makes a serious difference in the way I get treated.

    Is it right, no. Is it REALITY? Yes.

    Ms Brittany is trying to point out the same reality in college correspondence. As an added bonus, the practice carries over after graduation when you're sending resumes and cover letters. If you're in the habit, it's easier. My employer literally hands me application letters and has me proof them and SEND THEM BACK to applicants for rewrite!

    Those who rewrite often get interviews. Never has one who refused been interviewed.

    The point is that your professor will be better disposed to grant your request if s/he receives it written in some form that s/he can actually READ!

    You want something from this person, have the courtesy to try to speak this person's language.

    Merry Meet

  8. Liz says:
    Mon, 12th Apr 20105:54 pm 

    I think Fiona meant that the suggested inappropriate responses were ridiculous and insulting. And if that is what she meant, I definitely agree with her. If you don't know how to write a proper email to a professor (which really doesn't have to be formal, just not so offensively informal), I don't think you deserve any help.

  9. Cutiepie says:
    Tue, 13th Apr 20105:12 am 

    While I see Brittany's point, some of these "appropriate responses" aren't that appropriate. I cannot name one professor who would be willing to send you lecture notes or assignments because you "got distracted" or were sleeping in late. Sorry, even if your alarm didn't go off it's still your responsibility. I would never ask a professor directly for an assignment if you were ignorant and didn't get write it down. Ask a TA or a friend. Your professor doesn't have time to deal with your lack of responsibility or inability to focus.

    And it must be nice to be able to get powerpoint slides. My professors never give those out. You have to be in class to write them down or you're out of luck.

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