Re: txt msgs & BrSc

On Sun, Jun 17, 2001 at 6:36:24PM +0100, Raymond Brown wrote:
> At 5:28 pm -0500 16/6/01, Eric Christopherson wrote:
> [snip]
> >type out whole words anyway :) ) The same goes for <txt> (IMO), which has
> >been for over two decades a standard filename suffix for text files (In DOS
> >and CP/M at least, since they only allow filenames with up to 8 characters
> >plus a suffix of 0 to 3 characters; did Unix and other OSes without such
> >filename restrictions use .txt as well?)
>
> If all youngsters who indulge in web chats & ICQ messaging were familiar
> with this use of {txt}, I would agree.  But I can assure you, that as a
> lecturer in Computer Science I am painfully aware that now (unlike 10 years
> ago) on this side of the the vast majority of my students have no idea what
> filename suffixes are and are hopelessly lost outside their Windows
> environment
Hmm, I hadn't realized Chairman Bill's sinister plan had achieved that much
success. But anyway, I hardly ever see anyone online type <txt> when they
mean <text>; usually they just type out the whole word (even people who say
"how ru? im fine"). And I don't usually hear such messages called "text
messages," since (presumably) it's assumed they be text.

> - and as for other operating systems, forget them; and as for
> trying to teach them to program, I think I'd have more success if I tried
> teaching them Sanskrit.  As a programmer, I find it depressing so few are
> interested - but I'm getting a bit off topic now.
There, there.

> No, I feel most think the {x} = /Eks/, analogous to the {8} in {gr8}. after
> all they are used to {Xmas} /"Eksm@s/ and {xray} /"Eksrej/.  Indeed, there
> is a distinct tendency here for semi-literate to read initial x- as /Egz/
> in unusual words, e.g.  'xanthic' /Eg"zanTIk/, 'xiphoid' /Eg"zIfQjd/,
> 'Xerxes' /Eg"z@(r)ksiz/, etc.  I've even heard /Eg"zajl@f@un/ !
*suffers horrific convulsions* I hate that.

On Mon, Jun 18, 2001 at 12:02:27AM -0400, John Cowan wrote:
> Raymond Brown scripsit:
>
> > Indeed, there
> > is a distinct tendency here for semi-literate to read initial x- as /Egz/
> > in unusual words, e.g.  'xanthic' /Eg"zanTIk/, 'xiphoid' /Eg"zIfQjd/,
> > 'Xerxes' /Eg"z@(r)ksiz/, etc.  I've even heard /Eg"zajl@f@un/ !
>
> Here too.  I even know some Javiers who think the English version of
> their name is /Eksejvi@r/!
Yep. When I used to see commercials for Cabbage Patch Kids, the voice over
said "Xavier Roberts' Cabbage Patch Kids*," with that pronunciation of
Xavier. I don't know if that's how he actually pronounces/pronounced it
himself, though.

* At least I think the last name was Roberts.

--
Eric Christopherson | Rakko

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