Grammar Nazis

[MistressTwisted]

I just have a quick question for everyone……….why are so many of you obsessed with correct spelling and grammar? Do you not think that as long as someone is able to get their point across, the occasional spelling mistake or grammatical error is irrelevant?

As far as I can see the constant bickering over this is a form of discrimination. If you want discuss grammar and spelling , start your own thread instead of turning others questions into an English class.

[Jacara]

I haven't really noticed anyone here be obsessed with spelling & grammar. I appreciate good grammar myself (I won't read a Voting suggestion that's full of misspellings or lacks all punctuation), but I don't criticize people for it, and I haven't seen anyone else do it either.

[willingsub]

the only time I can remember people saying something about the quality of writing, was when someone said he/she wasn't sure about the spelling of 'fiancé', and then other people helping him/her out.

[Lissar]

I prefer the term "grammar nut," since members of my extended family were killed because of the Nazis during the Holocaust. I don't like being associated with Nazis simply because I like to type with the best grammar and spelling possible, or because I find it hard and a little frustrating to read posts, notes, or papers that have glaring errors.

It's not all, "Zomg, if you don't type with flawless grammar at all times, you will be punished!" Nor is it, "You made a typo, and therefore you are stupid." But there shouldn't be any kids on this website, and if there are underaged people, they are probably in their late teens. At this point in time, everyone should know how to write in the English language, unless English isn't your first language. I went to public school, and I think I turned out all right.

I have plenty of friends that I talk to online who never capitalize anything, make typos all the time, and forget about proper sentence structure for a while. When I type or speak colloquially, I give myself a break (since it's colloquial). I just cringe, though, when I see awful mistakes that aren't typos, or that aren't colloquial exceptions.

What I don't understand is why people get so incredibly touchy when they are corrected. If you are making a mistake repeatedly, and it's clear that you are not aware of the spelling of a word or of a grammatical rule, it's nothing personal if someone corrects you. I notice mistakes in other people's writing pretty easily, and when I correct people, it has nothing to do with my opinion of them. I am forever correcting my friends who type "definately" instead of "definitely."

It's easier to spot mistakes in other peoples' writing because when you correct your own writing, you tend to skim. That's what happens when you know what's coming next.

Look, a typo is just that: a typo. It's a mistake, and it's unintentional. It's when you hit the wrong key. And when people don't capitalize stuff, it's annoying, but it's laziness. But when people are spelling a zillion words incorrectly, and their "grammatical" structures are impossible to comprehend, it's just ridiculous. It sends the message that you don't mind what people think about you, you know. And then you yell at anyone who points out that you made several mistakes. If you don't care, then you shouldn't care when you are corrected.

I am not speaking to anyone specifically.

[whatthe75]

i just think it is not to much to ask peepall to be able to speak propah inglish like wat i does.

[trancebaby]

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[ShadowSabre]

Although I don't care about the occasional typo or misspelled word, the only things you can use to judge another person on a forum or over IM is their writing style and the content of their posts. If someone is writing with a complete lack of grammar and horrible spelling and I don't know of a reason-- for example, I have a friend (out there in Real Life land) who has a reading disorder and can't spell to save her life-- I'll probably have a low opinion of that person until I get to know them better.

[boomsmee]

Many browsers now have built in spellcheckers (such as firefox), or you can spellcheck with an add-on (Internet explorer and opera). Something many Internet Explorer users should look into getting. Its great consitering I cant spell to save my life.

[hexagon77]

Well you should also keep in mind, that many who are posting here, are international members, and that english is a foreign language for them. This is also true for me. I usually try my best, but sometimes a wrong word or spelling slips through.
Imho this should be understandable and tolerated, otherwise i should start forcing you to write in MY language, and laugh about all the little errors you may make there......

So spelling and grammar errors are not always a product of stupidy or carelessness, but from using a foreign language you are not very used to or comfortable with. Not everyone learns fast and good, not everyone knows all those rules. Also keep in mind those often have to do a "internal translation", and i also know people who need to do a double translation. As they first learned a new language, and then another new language based on the first one they learned. So i want to see you all doing this and then still be able to post in the "good" way, most posts are written here. As long as i am able to understand the meaning, i won't complain. But maybe my view to this is different, as it is also a foreign language for me, and i knew what it took to get pretty good. I don't want to call myself perfect, cause i think i am very far from this, but i claim that i am doing pretty well there.

Edit: Typo ;)

[Lissar]

[ctlgb]

My only comment on this thread would be - if you do contribute a file, please do make sure it has good grammar. It's easy to overlook chatspeak or sloppy typing on a forum, but I would imagine it's highly distracting to hear language mangled in hypnosis.

[whatthe75]

Lissar,

If you go looking for problems you will find them.

I work in a place that is full of people who are volunteers.And most of them come in because they have nothing to do so they go searching for things to talk about.The first and most thing they find to talk about is other people's mistakes.

These peoples actions to find themselves something to do result in negative feelings in the other people around them because they know no matter what they end up doing someone will find fault with it. No matter how good something is or has been done the first thing they comment on a negative.

To get to my point.

Being negative creates negative feelings and can only go downhill.

Looking at things positively creates happiness ( especially in yourself ).

These people that are typing differently to you, only show you how good your communications skills are by being able to understand them.

[whatthe75]

ctlgb

I guess that you yourself are not a hypnotist.

Hypnosis works with language.The way you manipulate language to guide people into trance and follow suggestions is to use every tool language can offer you.This includes bending the rules. If hypnotists spoke only using correct grammar i imagine it would be very hard if not almost impossible to get the results required.

If you want more detailed examples or descriptions i will gladly answer them.

[goldragon_70]

[Josh_artist]

[goldragon_70]

[Josh_artist]

[susandirs]

I think sometimes, people just point out bad grammar as a means of insulting someone. You know, like saying "You're stupid, therefore my argument is better"

Like if someone wanted to disagree with me, they could say "Hey, you spelled Grammar in the subject line "grammer" just to disqualify my argument.

[goldragon_70]

Agreed.

[mokillo]

[mindlover]

You all know they had the guy who invented LEET speak publicly shot.








Well, they didnt really........ but it would be a great night for television.

[SamiBoy]

[dynamite]

[TeishaTV]

My pet hates are words that aren't even words. Words like consultate for consult, or inventated for invented, or nakidity for nudity. It really throws me when I hear gobbledygook in a sentence because all I think of is,"that's not a word", and completely miss what the speaker is talking about.

I think the same thing applies with truly awful grammar and spelling, and I'm not talking about incorrect use of the possessive pronoun (i.e apostrophes) or anything as esoteric as that. I just find myself drawn to the muddle and not the message, sometimes to the extent that I don't understand the meaning at all.

As for LEET, it is indeed a code, is there a LEET translator online somewhere?

[stephiebaby]

"I just have a quick question for everyone……….why are so many of you obsessed with correct spelling and grammar?"

Tiny, little people playing petty power games, nothing to contribute but to nitpick at others.
You are correct, if the message is understandable, then grammar and spelling do not matter, especially in an informal, international setting such as the internet.

"I won't read a Voting suggestion that's full of misspellings or lacks all punctuation"

"A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read." Mark Twain


"I prefer the term "grammar nut," since members of my extended family were killed because of the Nazis during the Holocaust. I don't like being associated with Nazis simply because I like to type with the best grammar and spelling possible, or because I find it hard and a little frustrating to read posts, notes, or papers that have glaring errors. "

That is the whole point of the term "grammar (or spelling) Nazi", to make the obsessed nut uncomfortable with their inappropriate behaviour. The internet is, for the most part, an informal, international setting. This means correct grammar and spelling are not important, and english as a second (or third, or forth) language is also to be expected, making spelling and grammar even less important. Save your perfection and frustration for where it matters, for everywhere else if you don't like the label, change the behaviour. Expecting others to change the terminology just to make you more comfortable now makes you a word nazi.

"What I don't understand is why people get so incredibly touchy when they are corrected."

Because unless it is a formal setting, there are no corrections to make. Also it's very small minded to zoom in on the presentation and not the message. You should be far more concerned with factual errors than piddly little things like spelling and grammar. The only thing that matters is, can you understand the message?


"If someone is writing with a complete lack of grammar and horrible spelling and I don't know of a reason-- for example, I have a friend (out there in Real Life land) who has a reading disorder and can't spell to save her life-- I'll probably have a low opinion of that person until I get to know them better."

This is your problem, it has nothing to do with the person making the spelling and grammatical errors. Don't worry though, it is human nature, not a personal fault of yours. When someone else, especially a stranger, makes an error of any kind, we think poorly of them. We make up reasons in our mind which portray that person in a negative way. We don't think about reading disorders, emotional distress, lack of education, or even just low IQ, all of which can explain poor spelling and grammar without generating negative feelings towards the person.

"I can completely understand why people who speak English as a second language would make errors, and I have no problem with that. But if English is your first language, and you type like a five-year-old, it's just ridiculous.[/"

How kind and considerate to consider all the possible reasons for people not being up to your standard, or caring as much as you about informal writing. You may want to spend a little more time considering the human condition beyond your own existence, instead of worrying about things which do not matter. I have read work from students and lecturers at universities, which were well written, but made no sense because the author didn't have a clue beyond presentation. I have talked to people who can't read or write, but who are intelligent and can follow, and participate in, just about any conversation. The meaning of the message is what counts, not how it is delivered.