New Zealand high-schoolers to use "text-speak" on national exams
While Aussies are still debating whether or not texting should be a recognized subject in school, New Zealanders apparently have no qualms with the so-called "extension of the English language." High school students in New Zealand will be able to use "text-speak" on this year's written national examinations if they so desire, which should send old-fashioned scorers into fits of rage while trying to wade through a myriad of words lacking vowels. New Zealand's Qualifications Authority said that it still strongly discourages students from using anything other than "full English," but that credit will be given if the answer "clearly shows the required understanding," even if the students uses "lol" and "CU" to get there. It was noted that grammar-based sections would require actual words to be spelled out, removing that competitive advantage where it probably matters most. Nevertheless, it's yet another small step for texting, and a giant leap for the English language -- right?[Via Textually]
Filed under: Culture
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kenno @ Nov 9th 2006 11:02PM
Ye Gods, they already speak a lower form of English in NZ, this will drive the place back into the dark ages of literacy. NZ is hell bend on not putting the little darlings under any stress or putting any kind of challenge in front of them where one person might exceed another -- it's becoming Walden II down here and we will suffer for it.
Dustin @ Nov 10th 2006 12:02AM
R U fkn kidn me?
Big John @ Nov 10th 2006 2:48AM
Wow. I actually had a decently high opinion of NZ before this point. Just knocked them a notch under France (don't ask).
James @ Nov 10th 2006 3:10AM
First of all, you guys Use MySpace, We here in NZ mock MySpace.
Well im 5th form in NZ and about to go through my first exams, I am not going to use "txt speak". Txting has become a big part of teenage culture in NZ and dumb people can not tell the difference between formal and non-formal writing, these people should be shot. Seriously if anyone uses txt speak in their exams and they tell me, I shall slap them in the face. Anyways I'm moving out of NZ as soon as Engadget will give me a job :-D, We have to pay $1200 for a Freaking ps3 here, And you guys complain. Don't even bother talking about exchange rates, I still work just as hard for a dollar in my country!
ENGADGET FOREVER.
Love you Sony, but hurry up and release Psp firmware Version 3.00 so I can use the new flash client!
TT @ Nov 10th 2006 7:10AM
LOL go NZQA.. just made NCEA more of a joke, txt speak is fine for non-formal stuffs, but definitely not for qualifications like this. Imagine people writing company reports in txt speak? Luckily I am doing Cambridge at least...
Ankur @ Nov 10th 2006 1:45PM
hey, not all of us use MySpace...some of us use Facebook (linkified below)
Paul @ Nov 11th 2006 3:41PM
My physics teacher actually /wrote/ our tests and exam in text-speak, including the occasional "lol" and smiley face. No one knew what to make of it.
Rod Hagen @ Nov 12th 2006 2:19AM
What a beat up! Absolutely nothing has changed in the way that texting will be treated by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. Here is the authorities public statement on the matter:
"Deputy Chief Executive, Qualifications, Bali Haque said there had been no change in the Authority's policy in regard to use of abbreviations in examinations.
Where an examination requires candidates to demonstrate language use - i.e. sentence structure, grammar, spelling - they would be penalised for using abbreviations, Mr Haque said.
Where an examination requires candidates to demonstrate understanding in an area of study other than language use, they need to clearly show the required understanding.
In these cases, use of abbreviations creates a risk of answers not being understood, Mr Haque said.
"The candidates' priority at all times should be to ensure their answers are clearly understandable to markers. The best way to do this is to use standard English," he said."
There has been no new "decision" on the matter at all. Conservative politicians and some sections of the media have simply picked up on the fact that that there is no formal "ban" on "text speak" per sé and turned this into "Nasty liberals corrupting our language".
The NZQA are simply applying their standard processes used whenever abbreviations or other incomplete forms of expression are used. What would people have them do instead? Fail anyone outright if an abbreviation or a "texting" creeps into someone's examination paper?
chloe @ Dec 14th 2006 6:38PM
if anyone has read anything by george orwell especially 1984 youll see this is doublespeak. basically, the novel encompasses the future world being lead by a totalitarianistic government in which they work to basically delete they necessity of language as a whole to break societys ties with anything human. They use dehumanizing to control and if noone can see where we are heading as a whole through this connection they are almost as sad as the lives of the kids who succumb to using "texting language" on a nagtional test.
Kimmi @ Jan 26th 2007 12:58PM
And parents want to know why kids are becoming dumber and dumber.