Interesting trend in comics (OOTS, etc.)

[Piratecat]

...ironically purposeful?

"Iron Porpoise" is, like, an awesome name for a superhero.

And this thread is an awesome candidate for the OT forum.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

"Iron Porpoise" is, like, an awesome name for a superhero.

And this thread is an awesome candidate for the OT forum.

Don't be silly, "Iron Porpoise" is clearly like a magical artifact.

Yes, my use of "like" in the previous sentence was intentional.

 

[Mycanid]

"Iron Porpoise" is, like, an awesome name for a superhero.

And this thread is an awesome candidate for the OT forum.

The Iron Porpoise ... err ... hmm ...

 

[Pielorinho]

I recognize that I'm alone on ["in" is the preferred preposition to describe one's placement in relation to an idea] this [this pronoun has no antecedent; change it to an adjective modifying a word such as "position"] (or at least in the minority), but I don't say the word -- [eliminate the spaces to either side of an m-dash] like -- for emphasis... or as a gap in my... [typed elipses should have a space between each period and between the preceding and following words] like... thinking.

I realize it's a trend about Gen-Y (yadda, yadda) and despite growing up in Southern California where "like" made it's ["it's" with an apostrophe is a contraction for "it is"] earliest appearances, I don't use the word.

Now. [sentence fragment] I also realize this is dangerously close to soapboxing and has little to do with gaming, but I was catching up on OOTS, PVP, and so on... when I came upon something that WAS NOT there before. Characters using LIKE for emphasis... a colloquial pause in speech if you will [sentence fragment].

And this improper English isn't stopping there. It's [correct] made it's [incorrect] way onto TV and soon... very soon, characters in books make start... like... talking that way [run-on sentence: place a comma after "and."].

So [sentence fragment]. My true concern is this: When [do not capitalize the word following a colon, unless some other rule requires the capitalization] are we going to see Dungeons and Dragons like 4.0?
With Attacks of like Opportunity ya know? (AOLOYK)
With Power Word: Like Stun?
Like Mind Flayers?
Spell Like Components?
and Like Turn Undead?

We should be like very concerned about like masterwork items and stuff. And like when a monster like surprises you and like your like armor check penalty is like too high to use your like Jump skill [sentence fragment].

That's what I'm really worried about.

Ya know?

Not really; I try not to worry about ideas like "proper English."

Daniel

 

[megamania]

Talk to the hand.... er foot.

 

[Jesus_marley]

Don't be silly, "Iron Porpoise" is clearly like a magical artifact.

I would think the "Iron Porpoise" would be a really cool reality TV show that pitted various cetaceans against each other in multiple tests of endurance and skill.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I would think the "Iron Porpoise" would be a really cool reality TV show that pitted various cetaceans against each other in multiple tests of endurance and skill.

Preferably on dry land. Wussy cetaceans think they're too good for legs!

 

[Marius Delphus]

I don't think you have anything to worry about.

There's still a difference between colloquial speech and formal and business writing. I believe there will continue to be one for a long time. At the very least, in my real-life job I'm still consulted on formal and business writing issues quite frequently. But in fiction, as noted, *characters* who wouldn't ordinarily speak as though they're writing formally are seldom depicted going ahead and speaking that way (save for comic effect). That a TV character or comic book character speaks "just like you do" makes him more accessible. Ya know?

At any rate, instruction manuals like D&D rulebooks are never written colloquially, and I don't (and can't) believe they will be by the time D&D 4.0 rolls around. (Note that the word "like" is not always verbal detritus.) In fact, the 3.0 and 3.5 books were deliberately pitched at a college reading level (IIRC), and I don't see that trend abating. For one thing, it's pretty hard to, like, figure out what the actual, like, rule is, through all those, like, likes, and the, like, commas, you know? And the publisher would conceptually have a vested business interest in making a flagship product (a new set of D&D core books) as clear as possible (how this is going, currently, is a subject I decline to treat here).

Now, if we were to use porpoise grammar...

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Dude, you're like totally on to something, ya know?

My English prof used to denmand that we, like, use proper English and everything/ But I was always like, "Gag me with a spoon", so, ya know, like, whatever.

 

[Galethorn]

I don't know what you guys are [like] smoking...but Iron Porpoise is [like] totally a band name.

-Iron Porpoise-

(Formerly known as The Harbor Cetacean Experience, Featuring Craig)