- IMO it should be banned, and I've never said that about any book, ever. Ok, maybe not banned, but good god, it sounds like an assault on the English language.
I can't help but think of how much flak Mark Twain got over writing Huckleberry Finn in the dialect that people spoke instead of "proper English". It's one thing to put this kind of writing in a formal work, but using this in a creative work isn't anti-language, it's a recognition of reality. Mistaking this as acceptable for an essay on Shakespeare isn't a gaffe from ttyl's author, it's an issue of someone else's stupidity.
Also, following proper English grammar says nothing about literacy. Maybe we should all stop criticizing the text and pick up the book and read it first. I'm pretty sure Mark Twain's novels are a pretty apt analogy in this situation. (Not the quality of the content, but in the sense that the dialect/writing format it is written in should not directly affect what we think of the work.)
- I think it's quite different to have a novel include realistic dialogue from colorful characters. It's another thing entirely to attempt to tell a story entirely in the 'dialect' of a half-literate youth.
I'm wholly unconvinced that the two cases here are different, especially with the specific examples given.
Judging by many of the reviews from actual young people TTYL is hardly comparable. I stand by b_b's declaration of it as an insulting assault on the English language.
I don't know if Ms. Myracle was trying to shed light on illiteracy among today's youth, but using text/IM speak would be a good way, I suppose.
Knowing the rules, as in knowing English grammar, is a petty task. It's especially arbitrary to need to show it through fame. And as you should know, the merits of artistic works don't ride on their author's fame or history. You're conflating your own concerns over the sanctity of language with the mission of an artistic work. Ignoring unsavory aspects of reality is absolutely not the mission of art, so attacking the work on those grounds is pretty futile.
I did a quick academic literature search for how IM affects literature. Interesting results. It appears that lots of IM and texting give kids more confidence in writing, increases their vocabulary and (surprisingly) spelling skills, but that it decreases reading comprehension and the ability to distinguish non-standard from standard English. Mixed results, it seems.
- I don't know if Ms. Myracle was trying to shed light on illiteracy among today's youth, but using text/IM speak would be a good way, I suppose.