(La Tanguera has rightfully corrected my previous version of this post. See also her post here about it)

If you want to use the word, use it correctly. Please. I’ve seen all kinds of crazy variations of it and I don’t understand why. And I’m talking about reading it in teacher’s websites/blogs and other places where it is not really acceptable to have such mistakes. It’s not so hard to write it correctly at all.

Another aspect that has always puzzled me has been how people see it as a novelty. As Igor Polk mentions here, it’s something normally usual between friends. I come from a culture where half of the conversation involves our eyes and facial expressions. Also, more can be said in silence between words and laughs than by blabbing out every single word/idea in our mind. For me it’s very normal to use it. In fact, I’d rather not move at all from where I am standing or sitting to know if I’m welcome to dance with anyone than not. I cannot see why anyone would rather not use it…