[John Schembri – He forgot something important ; it was a Short Message Service].

SMS and social networks are eroding language. I am certain that most people who misspell in SMS or social networks, misspell anywhere else.

I refuse to intentionally misspell words, even in SMS. If one is too lazy to text a whole word, one should dial and phone.

For a funny demonstration of this, watch Fez in “That 70s Show”.

“Good day”. “But Fez…” “I said good day”.

For me, JPO’s ” :) good day” looks fine in the ‘informal’ Face Book context , just look at how Ms Camilleri wrote “min jorqod ma jaqbadx hut, jghidu hux?”.(min jorqodx ma jaqbadx hut jghjdu ux).

[Daphne – The point is, John, that idiomatic English does not know ‘good day’ as a friendly way of signing-off or parting, and the use of a smiley does not change this. If certain Maltese people wish to create their own patois, then fine. But if they wish to speak and write the language properly, then they should seek – and take – advice. Or just listen.]

The devil lies in the detail, that smiley wipes away all the sarcasm there could be in the greeting.

[Daphne – No, John, it doesn’t. Smiley symbols are used by people when they realise that their words might be misinterpreted. My own take on the matter is that if you communicate properly in the first place, there is no need for smileys. A smiley symbol does not change the incorrect use of ‘good day’. It just makes it more embarrassingly wrong. Also, it is not up to you to agree with me or not. What I described up in the post above are facts about English usage, and not my opinion. So agreement doesn’t come into it. A fact simply is.]

Some years ego Enzo Guzman started correcting the SMS text messages he received on his radio show, “taghna tinkiteb te , a , ghajn , enne, a ,mhux te, a, enne , a !” He forgot something important ; it was a Short Message Service.

[Daphne – I rarely abbreviate my words in text messages, and I have absolutely no time for grown-ups who do. When I receive a text message from an adult, including ridiculous abbreviations like ‘u’, I immediately mark the person down mentally and intellectually. When sending a text message, you do not pay per symbol as we used to do with cables, or by time as with telex. Nor is there any restriction any longer on the length of a message since the improvement in phone technology. So there is no justification for abbreviating. It just screams ‘lazy and sub-literate corner-cutter’.]

Buon lavoro . Now how would one say that in English? {;-)

[Daphne – You don’t. British and North American culture takes the work ethic for granted. So there is no equivalent to the Italian compulsion to wish others ‘good work’ or ‘work well’. I suppose it’s only a matter of time before somebody Maltese feels the need to translate it literally and pepper Facebook walls with ‘good work’ followed by a smiley symbol.]

Only a backward elve would say ‘good day’ at the end of an amicable conversation, whether in the US, Canada or Australia.

As Daphne explained well, ‘good day’ at the end of a conversation/comment is a dismissive phrase akin to ‘good riddance’.

[Daphne – Thank you, Angus. Might I point out, for David’s benefit, that you live in Canada?]

[Daphne – David, if you were brighter, you would suspect that I might know – for reasons that have to do not only with language – rather more about this subject than you do. The mistake you make – repeatedly, and I hear that you do it on other people’s blogs, too – is to Wiki or Google things and put up challenges for the sake of it. Learn how to pick your battles. Yes, read my post again and you will see that this is precisely what I said: that it is used at the end of a conversation, precisely to mark that the conversation is over – but it is a DISMISSAL. If somebody from any of the countries – and Britain – that you mention tells you ‘good day’ at the end of a conversation, you can take it as read that he wants you out of his sight and that of the two of you, he is the one with the ‘power’. He is either more senior than you are, or you are on his turf.]

In Maltese we can say il-gurnata t-tajba, or in other languages buona giornata or bonne journee, ie I wish that you have a good day.

[Daphne – Yes, David, exactly: Maltese people who Facebook ‘good day’ to each other are making the mistake you make here. It’s called literal translation.]

Or maybe a diagram pointing to them in case he has difficulty finding the place.

No, elves – I’m not being sarcastic this time. He really does need to know (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Who cares if you are facing a long day at the clinic, except possibly your patients?

Ahjar kieku Miriam Camilleri qaltlu ” Mohhok hemm” when dealing with those molars.