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How does the group feel about words being changed to end in 'x' and 'z' when they normally end in an 's' if it's something being pluralized ?
Ex. Girlz. Topix.
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Just looking at those words spelled that way almost makes me sick.
But here is a real word ending in "x": Phoenix.
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I've started doing that a lot when I chat online with my son Jamez.
}- Mark -{ ASPARAGUS Asparagus in a lean in a lean to hot. This makes it art and it is wet wet weather wet weather wet. —Gertrude Stein, Tender Buttons
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If it's an abbreviation--like "pix" for "pictures"--I can see how it makes sense. But I don't see why you'd change a perfectly good word just to be spelled differently.
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krmiller wrote:If it's an abbreviation--like "pix" for "pictures"--I can see how it makes sense. But I don't see why you'd change a perfectly good word just to be spelled differently. If you want your comment to stand out, it helps. If you want a word or words to stand out it helps. If you want to look like an idiot, it helps too. lol. 
In order to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep, one must above all be a sheep oneself. -- Albert Einstein
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I read through an issue of the New York Post for the first time recently and was shocked at how often these corrupted word forms appeared in headlines. When you write words in that way, I suppose that choice depends largely on who the audience of your writing is. In my mind, a source often instantly loses credibility when I see words like that.
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IDK but maybe it all started with "Comix", which were so appreciated for being different and for fighting against stereotypes. I'm not sure that people who abusively use these forms know what Comix are, though. Sometimes one has to be really creative to spell a word in a totally different way but make sure the pronunciation remains the same and I do appreciate this; but it's definitely not the case with girlz&co.
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grammargeek wrote:Just looking at those words spelled that way almost makes me sick.
But here is a real word ending in "x": Phoenix. Here is another one Helix
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onyx
ibex
}- Mark -{ ASPARAGUS Asparagus in a lean in a lean to hot. This makes it art and it is wet wet weather wet weather wet. —Gertrude Stein, Tender Buttons
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Well, here are some words I know that ends with the letter 'x'
- box
- shieldtox
- jinx
- influx
- mix
And those that ends with the letter 'z'
- whiz
- buzz
Suppose those are the only words that I can think of as for now, after a lot of thinking actually.
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prolixitysquared wrote:How does the group feel about words being changed to end in 'x' and 'z' when they normally end in an 's' if it's something being pluralized ?
Ex. Girlz. Topix. It looks like a marketing mechanism.
"Supposin' I was to go to work and learn how to... to read writin'. Well, how'd I know that the feller that... that wrote the writin' was a writin' the writin' right? See it could be that he wrote the writin' all wrong. Here I'd be just a readin' wrong writin', don't ya see? You probably been doin' it your whole life, just a readin' wrong writin' and not even knowin‘ it." Festus
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I think it speaks to the whole Internet-ization (not a word, I know) of print media and English in general. There are proper uses for words ending in "x" and "z," but if the motivation for "girlz" or something similar is either laziness or an attempt to be modern, I don't think that's one of them.
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kaliedel wrote:I think it speaks to the whole Internet-ization (not a word, I know) of print media and English in general. There are proper uses for words ending in "x" and "z," but if the motivation for "girlz" or something similar is either laziness or an attempt to be modern, I don't think that's one of them. I think itz a combination of an in-group marker and some sort of inchoate groping towardz funetic spelling.
}- Mark -{ ASPARAGUS Asparagus in a lean in a lean to hot. This makes it art and it is wet wet weather wet weather wet. —Gertrude Stein, Tender Buttons
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fred wrote:prolixitysquared wrote:How does the group feel about words being changed to end in 'x' and 'z' when they normally end in an 's' if it's something being pluralized ?
Ex. Girlz. Topix. It looks like a marketing mechanism. Yes, and it irritates the tar out of me. Arbitrary misspelling does not make one (or one's product) cool.
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arthbard wrote:fred wrote:prolixitysquared wrote:How does the group feel about words being changed to end in 'x' and 'z' when they normally end in an 's' if it's something being pluralized ?
Ex. Girlz. Topix. It looks like a marketing mechanism. Yes, and it irritates the tar out of me. Arbitrary misspelling does not make one (or one's product) cool. It looks like: I'm the same but different. Different and better in a way you will never achieve. Buy my GIRLZ pants and you may trick people into thinking you have "IT". Now, give me your money or you will forever be completely different and separate.
"Supposin' I was to go to work and learn how to... to read writin'. Well, how'd I know that the feller that... that wrote the writin' was a writin' the writin' right? See it could be that he wrote the writin' all wrong. Here I'd be just a readin' wrong writin', don't ya see? You probably been doin' it your whole life, just a readin' wrong writin' and not even knowin‘ it." Festus
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This is a twist on the topic but there used to be an old quiz. Name the sports teams (four major sports)whose mascot names/moniker didn't end in s. The answer was two teams whose names ended in x and one that ended in z. They're still around. There are now six newer ones for nine total. Can you name the 3 original x and z teams and the 6 new ones.
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arthbard wrote:fred wrote:prolixitysquared wrote:How does the group feel about words being changed to end in 'x' and 'z' when they normally end in an 's' if it's something being pluralized ?
Ex. Girlz. Topix. It looks like a marketing mechanism. Yes, and it irritates the tar out of me. Arbitrary misspelling does not make one (or one's product) cool. I agree about the marketing mechanism concept. But I think it's creatively uncreative. I have heard that it's supposed to 'grab' your attention and be eye-catching because the spelling is different. But all it does is make me cringe. My old landlords used to have a cleaning business called 'Krystal Kleen.' I was not a fan of ever seeing those words in print. I'd rather see them spelled properly and then complemented by an aesthetic and appropriate logo, or something along those lines. That to me is successful marketing.
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prolixitysquared wrote:arthbard wrote:fred wrote:prolixitysquared wrote:How does the group feel about words being changed to end in 'x' and 'z' when they normally end in an 's' if it's something being pluralized ?
Ex. Girlz. Topix. It looks like a marketing mechanism. Yes, and it irritates the tar out of me. Arbitrary misspelling does not make one (or one's product) cool. I agree about the marketing mechanism concept. But I think it's creatively uncreative. I have heard that it's supposed to 'grab' your attention and be eye-catching because the spelling is different. But all it does is make me cringe. My old landlords used to have a cleaning business called 'Krystal Kleen.' I was not a fan of ever seeing those words in print. I'd rather see them spelled properly and then complemented by an aesthetic and appropriate logo, or something along those lines. That to me is successful marketing. This spelling change for attention must have started in the 60's with rise of youth pop culture and the Hippies after thier conversion to capitalism. It wears juvenile after awhile.
"Supposin' I was to go to work and learn how to... to read writin'. Well, how'd I know that the feller that... that wrote the writin' was a writin' the writin' right? See it could be that he wrote the writin' all wrong. Here I'd be just a readin' wrong writin', don't ya see? You probably been doin' it your whole life, just a readin' wrong writin' and not even knowin‘ it." Festus
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fred wrote:This spelling change for attention must have started in the 60's with rise of youth pop culture and the Hippies after their conversion to capitalism. Do you think so? I'm not aware of any spelling changes for "coolness" that date back so far, but I'd be interested to hear about them. I do sometimes see spelling changes for alliteration and I'm okay with that. For example, there's a store near where my uncle lives called "Kopper Kettle." I do like alliteration so maybe that's why! Another word that ends in "x": parallax.
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Luftmarque wrote:I think itz a combination of an in-group marker and some sort of inchoate groping towardz funetic spelling. Well played, sir. 
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Drew wrote:I read through an issue of the New York Post for the first time recently and was shocked at how often these corrupted word forms appeared in headlines. When you write words in that way, I suppose that choice depends largely on who the audience of your writing is. In my mind, a source often instantly loses credibility when I see words like that. I've noticed this, as well. The conclusion that I've come to, though, is that they shorten the words using phonetic spellings for the sake of saving space in the headlines. And I agree with krmiller, in cases such as "pix" I can understand and accept the "x." In most other cases, though, I find it rather obnoxious.
It's like a book elegantly bound, but in a language that you can't read just yet. "I Will Possess Your Heart," Death Cab for Cutie
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fred wrote:prolixitysquared wrote:How does the group feel about words being changed to end in 'x' and 'z' when they normally end in an 's' if it's something being pluralized ?
Ex. Girlz. Topix. It looks like a marketing mechanism. Is the "ex" mentioned the newfangled spelling of "eks"? I'm not familiar with that word.
Brain-washing starts in the cradle. - Arthur Koestler
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