Microsyntax.org

[cross posted from /Message]

A new trend in microsyntax is spreading across the tech-end of the Twitter community. This is the use of so-called 'slashtags' to set off certain syntax elements of natural language for presumed easier understanding.

[...]

Slashtags, at least for the examples where they are generally used, are simply preceding parts of speech, words, or acronyms that are understandable based on natural language and written conventions. For example

This is history. via @barackobama cc @gregarious @themaria #election2008

isn't significantly less understandable than the slashtagged alternative

This is history. /via @barackobama /cc @gregarious @themaria #election2008

In fact, this example also increases the number of characters in the tweet, which isn't horrible, but isn't good either.

I also feel that the use of '/' puts too much stress on these little propositions, and detracts from the other aspects of the tweet.

More importantly, the notion than '/via', '/by', and '/cc' are some sort of microsyntax keywords that hypothetical applications could use to mine interesting information patterns from the twitter stream leads to a basic problem: it's English, folks. These are English words and conventions.

We should certainly lean toward potentially internationalized microsyntax when we can. That's one reason that '@username' is good microsyntax, because we used '@username' and not '/to username'. Likewise, that's why '#foodpron' is good, and '/keyword foodpron' isn't. '@' and "#' meet the test of short and global.

[read the entire piece.]