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A case for using punctuation in Slack

blog.mitchjlee.com

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Re: A case for using punctuation in Slack

#121

Post by hobofan »

38932ur98u wrote: post #115
hobofan wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think coldness/warmth of the messaging style is much more dependent on emoji use, at least in Slack. I couldn't imagine writing without at least attempting to use proper grammar. Especially in German where ignoring capitalization makes a difference of night and day. My reasoning has been similar to the one of the author, but more on a "positivity" than a plain productivity level. If it's easy for others to read my…

Actually something I've been wondering, as somebody learning German right now: are there equivalents to this kind of slang in online German? Would you _ever_ leave a noun, for example, uncapitalized, for a more casual feel?

I wouldn't, and among my friends it's rather rare, but yeah there are people that don't capitalize when texting casually (or in any form of written text like my mom, which drives me insane).

Re: A case for using punctuation in Slack

#122

Post by Jcampuzano2 »

libraryatnight wrote: post #84
Jcampuzano2 wrote: post #58

As someone of the younger generation who grew up always using mostly proper punctuation over texts, and avoided abbreviations for common terms this hits home. I'm 28 for reference, and I get VERY different vibes from those younger than me who join slack, and those older (40+ or so). The difference in meaning for different punctuation for these crowds is SO evident, I feel like I'm always playing translator for even t…

I think it's funny you think the ellipsis abuse was something the older folks picked up from your generation.

Sorry I'm not claiming it was something completely new, I'm simply stating that it's usage in informal speak has seemed to pick up the same usage it was originally when the younger generation started using it for informal communication channels like texting. But as it has adapted for the younger crowd it has remained the same (highly anecdotal) among those I interact with who are older.

Re: A case for using punctuation in Slack

#123

Post by Jcampuzano2 »

necovek wrote: post #66
Jcampuzano2 wrote: post #58

As someone of the younger generation who grew up always using mostly proper punctuation over texts, and avoided abbreviations for common terms this hits home. I'm 28 for reference, and I get VERY different vibes from those younger than me who join slack, and those older (40+ or so). The difference in meaning for different punctuation for these crowds is SO evident, I feel like I'm always playing translator for even t…

This sounds highly anecdotal: I am nearing 40 myself and have a bunch of 40+ colleagues, yet I rarely see them use ellipsis! So in order to avoid throwing your anecdata altogether, how many people of each age group did you communicate with using text form?

You are correct in that it is anecdotal, but across the board among those I interact with it has seemed to reign true. And from those my age I talk to they seem to mostly agree.

It could also be a case of when I do see it used regardless of age, it appears to either be overused, or rarely used, and overuse tends to lean older.

Re: A case for using punctuation in Slack

#125

Post by tashoecraft »

Bedon292 wrote: post #116
adjkant wrote: post #41

The message beyond the HN title actually has potential. However, the author focuses in some odd places for me. As far as punctuation, ending periods actually have negative emotion in text vernacular now for younger audiences and should almost never be used in 1-1 messaging. Exclamation points, commas, and question marks, great! For abbreviations, it's simply know your audience. You should use them when everyone in th…

I guess that is how I know I am getting old? I have never even heard of anyone thinking a sentence ending in a period is anything but normal. And I actually detest the use of exclamation points. They are almost always unnecessary. And I probably read too much into them, as opposed to others doing the same on periods. It is interesting though. Looking back at chat history. If I am not writing multiple sentences, and e…

When you're writing small, short sentences, there is something off putting about periods. It's just part of the how text based communication has become.

Emojis are good because words can be interpreted with a tone that was unintended, and can lead to all sorts of communication problems. It's small and simple, but an appropriate emoji helps convey our emotions in a way that is more difficult to in short, text based messages.

I agree about rapid short messages, I hate receiving 8 notifications about 1 short paragraph of text.

Re: A case for using punctuation in Slack

#126

Post by bovermyer »

Another reason for me to use punctuation, proper grammar, and more advanced vocabulary in Slack is purely personal: I enjoy writing, both as a creative endeavor and a social one.

I like to think that sometimes, my chat style gives others a little bit of break-think amidst all the rapid-fire.

Re: A case for using punctuation in Slack

#127

Post by Bedon292 »

musingsole wrote: post #90
iamdbtoo wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find this odd because, to me, attributing malice because of the presence of a period is something you do in your own mind. You don't know the emotional state of the person who sent it, so you think of the worst possible outcome, but both are equally likely in the moment. You're just as free to give them the benefit of the doubt.

It's something people do in their own minds because experience generally proves out most people only use a period in a single statement message if they're emphasizing firmness. Those who do use the period and don't mean firmness are a minority and are generally demonstrating they aren't accustomed to chatting in text (or potentially have always been talking from a position of authority, so no one's mentioned how they…

I have been chatting via text, as a major form of communication, for more than 20 years and at least 2/3s of my life. Before this thread, I have never even contemplated a period having any meaning more than the end of a though. And I certainly had no position of authority, so that didn't affect anything.

I am really curious how this evolved, and how I missed it being something people think. My biases tend to lean towards viewing people who don't use punctuation and capitalization as being less professional. I couldn't care less in something like a random chat in discord. But for Slack, as a work tool, I prefer to stay "professional".

I wonder what other seemingly unspoken biases are out there? Especially in a time where we are spending much more time in text instead of in person.

Re: A case for using punctuation in Slack

#128

Post by nyghtly »

In academic writing, the general rule is that whenever you introduce an acronym, you must first use the full version.

For example: You must always be mindful of privacy laws when handling personal health information (PHI). Remember, that you may only access PHI when necessary to do your job, and never to fulfill personal curiosity about a patient.

Unfortunately, this doesn't work for a chat room because it's not meant to be read from beginning to end. My personal rule is to never use acronyms, unless I can follow the above rule.

I've worked in many different industries, and learning acronyms has been a consistent and pointless barrier to achieving productivity. I don't want to put that onto anyone else. Even worse, you run the risk of your reader ignoring the lesson entirely, simply because they don't know what the acronym means.

In and of itself, "PHI" does not seem any more important than any other acronym. On the other hand, "personal health information," has an obvious connotation of importance.

Re: A case for using punctuation in Slack

#129

Post by musingsole »

Bedon292 wrote: post #127
musingsole wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's something people do in their own minds because experience generally proves out most people only use a period in a single statement message if they're emphasizing firmness. Those who do use the period and don't mean firmness are a minority and are generally demonstrating they aren't accustomed to chatting in text (or potentially have always been talking from a position of authority, so no one's mentioned how they…

I have been chatting via text, as a major form of communication, for more than 20 years and at least 2/3s of my life. Before this thread, I have never even contemplated a period having any meaning more than the end of a though. And I certainly had no position of authority, so that didn't affect anything. I am really curious how this evolved, and how I missed it being something people think. My biases tend to lean tow…

It's not a new or unknown convention/perception (as shown by the article posted here discussing the pissed period in 2013). I can't tell you why you would've been unaware of it, and I certainly wouldn't want to offend by guessing! :P

A lot of it has to be context. If I'm talking to someone new, I'm going to try very hard to read very little into the text they've sent me. If it's a message from my partner -- yeah, every aspect of that message can communicate something to me. And in that latter case, a period on a short statement is a warning sign equivalent to passive-aggressive "I'm fine."

Another thought is it literally changes how I read a sentence. Considering "I'm fine." vs "I'm fine" vs "I'm fine...", the first ends abruptly and is cut off. The second ends more gently and naturally. And the last trails off implying...something depending on the person and context. Consider poetry. No punctuation, a comma, a dash, a semi-colon, or a period each imply a type of pause (or lack of pause) at that moment in the words. And in poetry, that can mean everything.

Re: A case for using punctuation in Slack

#130

Post by Afton »

klmarket wrote: post #31
Rusky wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Text/instant messages have evolved their own norms, as all language does. To many people, periods have a different meaning there. See e.g. https://www.npr.org/2020/09/05/909969004/before-texting-your...

So again, people below 20 dictate what everyone else must do. It's a race to the bottom.

It's just a different convention. I don't see how that makes it a 'race to the bottom'.
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