New Zealand To Allow 'Text-Speak' On Exams

ScentCone writes "New Zealand's Qualification Authority (which sets testing standards for the public schools) is confident that those grading papers will understand the meaning of students' responses, even if they use phone/IM-style text-speak. From the article: 'credit will be given if the answer "clearly shows the required understanding," even if it contains text-speak.' Many teachers are not amused, and critics say that the move will devalue NZ's equivalent of a high school diploma." Not to mention that graders will need to be restrained so they don't gouge their own eyes out. While in the medium of text messages, some shorthand might be in order, but I didn't realize that world paper, pencil, and ink shortages were so severe so that text-speak is necessary everywhere.

Comments

The nature of language

[herczy]

The nature of language is that you must maintain it in order to prevent it from devolving. You must be carefull to separate the jargon from the main language. If we say LOL out loud, it would definitely mean some sort of devolvation.