Understanding tweenspeak

Is "tween" supposed to be a bastardization of "teen"? I have been trying to catch up with the perverted English kids in Singapore are using nowadays. They have weird acronyms that you have no chance of guessing if you do not already know. I know even know how these things started. :P For the examples you brought up, I don't know KIA, I don't know OP. I could guess the meaning of funtabulous though. Look them in the eye next time and ask nicely but firmly, "EXCUSE ME? Can you speak ENGLISH PLEASE?". There, it should do the trick. ;-)

that would drive me insane! i can understand it if it is an actual "teen" but to have an adult speak like that is ridiculous and childish. tell her to speak to you in english..proper english, you're not a kid and are not going to attempt to understand one.

No I have not lol that is really strange I have never heard anyone talk like that lol

Funtabulous..lol..I like that word. Your friend seems to be into a lot of slang and no, I haven't come across such people. I can imagine your confusion because I too wouldn't have understood any of what you mentioned..it sure would have made you feel OP wouldn't it? ;o)

i probably have but with living in the US all my life i am probably use to hearing it and i either know what they are taking about or just ignore it LOL. The thing i dont like and my boyfriends neice does this. The white teenagers talking like they are in a gang or black. I HATE this with a passion. Your white, good grief act white when your white. Heck with talking like a idoit that noone understands.

Yes , I have seen many people acting like idiots by speaking slangs. I don't encourage slangs as they spoil langauge and are not worth talking .

hi,May be not the same situation you faced,but i too faced the same situation with new persons from remote forest area.I finally understood from signals only.

I know what you mean... It's slangish and not really proper English, so if you're from another country (like us), we won't understand it at all even if we know English. What did I do? I simply ask again if I cannot understand :D. It's ok if they think I'm not smart, as long as we "get" each other :)

that seems extreme. I have not yet run into that kind of language. That would leave me speachless too. Where is she from originally? I find that so interesting. Like having an oobe, lol, out of body experience. geez, I wonder where she learned that, or is it just her own language.

It happens to me a lot, especially when I started frequenting places like pogo and so on: gg - great game or good game; wtg - way to go gl - good luck yw - your welcome oic - oh I see (I thought it was a pig oinking lol) And many more, sure to someone that is used to it it's fine and darn right simple, but my only typing English experience is through the Internet and I don't frequent chat's that often so in the beginning it was really weird to me, but now I know most of them, and when I don't know it I simply say something like "I'm sorry but could you tell me what " ... " is?" If you don't ask you'll never know! I still get something here or there I don't understand but when I can I ask and I tend to pass on the trend. (;

I think they like it because it's very "hIp", in the "now" - and it gives them idividuality, which adolesence crave. I think every generation had had it's slang "cool" words when in the teen years, as they grow up I think they will grow out of using such terms and speak properly like an adult. For now they are having their fun. Why not let them.

how are you guys old friends if you can't even understand what the heck she's saying? seems like a rocky basis for a friendship

I think this tweenspeak language is more easier understood than a 2 year old's jabber, right? I am used to listening to even more fantastic language. I am not sure if it is slang but it defintely caught me on. I just reply "What?". Make him repeat a few times and then, the proper English will come out, if not at once and proper. If there is someone around, I will just grab an interpreter. If not, make him write out what he is talking :P

I'm sorry. This is funny. How old is she? Where is she living. I don't think it's a language barrier. I believe she just got caught up in the technology lanuage. A lot of students are speaking and writing like that now. I work for a university and I had a student to right me several emails using technology short hand. Does she text or send instant messages?

I'm not near teens or preteens so I don't hear that mumble jumble talk. It's like the 60s hippy era words too I guess. Crazy, Far Out, Groovy, Hip, Outta Sight etc etc. Those I know. HAHAHA. HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!

The new slang seems to be coming straight from the computer. We all know the basic abbreviations. It just really bothers me that the English language seems to be getting lost. Everything seems to be shortened and spellings tweaked. I have a friend who does this. She is 25 and it really makes her look stupid. I just ignore when she does this. After awhile she gets the hint and starts speaking normally again. Hopefully your friend gets over the text speak in her live conversations.

I'm laughing! If you wish to conquer the barrier...listen closely and often. Listen to the top 40 music program. Watch MTV. I am 40, and I think this is one thing that helps keep me "in" with them. I never want them to hide me from their friends.

Now was she actually speaking or was this like a chat or an Instant message? I could see her saying KIA in chat, but normally when you talk to someone in person (at least me) I use words. But in chat I sometimes use the shorter versions like LOL for laugh out loud. Yes i do understand most of it but I am from the US :)

If i were in your situation, i would say--I'm sorry but i don't understand those words. I have friends who says made up words sometimes words backwards as in sdrow sdrawckab. It's just like how doctors talk to a patient with those medical terms that you cannot pronounce but you just nod and nod what he has to say. Let's talk in layman's term.

ye I have an exchange student from Germany and when he speaks English, it's sometimes very hard to understand what he's saying because Germans say many letters like r, v totally different....