The worst part is that l33t isn't new.  We've been using it here and there for decades.

But anyway...

Yes, this I know. However, just because its been used this entire time does not make it something that every person between the ages of 12 and 38 needs to know.

I use it very sparingly, ideally for comic effect.

I use a few terms- like OMG, WTF and LOL. That comes from way too much time in chatrooms. BUT, in my defense, at least what I use is pretty much universally understood. The crap I read on this website just boggles me!

LOL is a massive pet peeve of mine... the ones that really really make me want to kill are "u," "r," and uncapitalized "i."  Oh, and things like "l8er."

When I text or IM, I dont worry so much about punctuation- but I hear you on the other parts- If I can read what you are saying, no big deal. But when I have to sit there and play anagrams for a moment to piece together what the damned word is- I have a major issue with it.

I just hate lazy shortcuts.  The only time I use shorthand like that is in multiplayer games where you don't have time to type out full sentences, and usually there's different jargon developed for each game for that purpose that is specific to the type of  game it is.  And now, gameplay features and voice chat in the servers makes that sort of obsolete to a degree.

YES! Any linguist or teacher of a language will tell you to learn the language first BEFORE you try to shorthand it. i think the texting in general is stupid to begin with. I had a driver that worked for me once that was texting while driving and almost hit a jaguar while we were all in the van. pissed me off to all hell. talking is bad enough while driving and texting is 1000 times worse. But also isnt it better to have real interaction with someone even if it is only on the phone rather than pushing some buttons on a keypad. it is usually faster and cost less most times. There are some that i use that became habit over the years of chat rooms and such like lol and wtf, but thats it. texting is not a language and better not ever be one. i can see it being offered 10 years down the road in high school right next to German, Spanish and Japanese. so sad.

and i just looked at the site... that is even worse than text speech. it doesn't even make sense.

did you look at the sections of the bible the douchebag translated yet?

On a side note, if the person I'm talking to on AIM says "lolz" one more time, I'm going to go on a postal shooting rampage.

i tried reading it and all i got was a headache

Um... put it to you this way- if kids used the kind of effort it takes to learn this on English in the first place..... we would be the top of the food chain in comprehension worldwide.

I speak good Engrish, Yo!

I got your Engrish! right here! ,,!,,

oh, you made green chili? 

give me time woman! I gotta get the money together for the ingredients!

I saw today, people using "lawl" in text... um... I give up!

*boggle*

Sigh is this another case of dumbing down our society? the only thing about it is at least by being in l33t is that it might well make people concentrate as most people are lost as to what the hell l33t says half the time!

i am not that religious ..but its blasphemous

damn..i always wondered what that hole in the ceiling was there for!  DOH!

LOL