Spelling And Grammar

[rimas]

This really annoys me.

There are many people on this site who have a go at people just because their spelling or grammar may not be as good as another person’s.

Sure there are the odd few people that use misspelt words deliberately, but there are others that may genuinely have a problem constructing sentences using properly spelt words

What's even more annoying is that these people who point out the grammar or spelling errors clearly understand what the person is asking and then go on to answer the question.

I mean really, if you understand what someone is trying to ask, who gives a crap about how words are spelt and put together in a sentence.

It's also very amusing to see the 'learn to spell, learn to write' people on this site go on to make spelling and grammatical error of their own.

...

[tu plang]

I mean really, if you understand what someone is trying to ask, who gives a crap about how words are spelt and put together in a sentence.

As a whole the spelling nazi thing is to make farkin.net a better forum. Its the little spelling/grammar vigilantes that can take it way too far at times.

Oh and while we're there "and" shouldnt be capitalised in a title :p .

[rimas]

Many 3 letter words get capitalised in titles...
Oops, and your "shouldnt" should be "shouldn't". :)

Geez, this thread is going to turn into nit picking now. :)

[tu plang]

Many 3 letter words get capitalised in titles...
Oops, and your "shouldnt" should be "shouldn't". :)

Geez, this thread is going to turn into nit picking now. :)


Atleast it will all be in good fun.

As far as capitalisation in titles goes, it isnt determined by the number of letters, rather the type of word. Conjuctive words are generally not capitalised, ie. and, or ... etc.

[Rik]

I mean really, if you understand what someone is trying to ask, who gives a crap about how words are spelt and put together in a sentence.ye i agre, i mite tipe liek dis.. n u can ndastan wat im sayin den it dont matta how i spel n tipe

We've been through this argument many times over... I strongly disagree with your point of view, even though I do understand it. Have you ever had a conversation of technical nature with someone that spoke with really bad English, and struggled to understand them? Do you find it difficult to converse when you're spending more thinking time attempting to comprehend their words than engaging in the topic? That's a peeve of mine, I know it's probably rude to say so, but it definately is frustrating to have to do the above... and unfortuntaly at my workplace, I have to do it all the time.
It's the equivilent online, when someone types in a manner that I did above. Who wants to read, re-read, think, then re-read a post again, just so you can figure out what the poster is trying to say? When you put more effort in to translating their random assembly of letters in to a meaningful sentence than you do actually thinking and helping them out with any issue, you really have to wonder the worth of your reply to their post.
One way to look at it is, if someone can't put any effort in to typing legible sentences, what does that say about what they're typing, and why should you put any effort in to giving them advice? That's my view on the subject... if you actually beleive in what you're saying, you'd want to express it as well as you can... but typing sentences that look like an explosion in an alphabet factory isn't a way of expressing yourself very well.
I can understand we have to give leeway to those with true issues in regards to literacy, but then there's always ways to assist in internet communication (ie, spelling and grammar checks, whilst not the most accurate of things, are definately an asset). Another thing is people do make honest mistakes, be it a typo, a common misspelling (I guess that's intellectual osmosis at it alot of the time), or just even soemthing like typing things phoenetically.
The problem is, the grey area... how far should people go in criticising the typing of others? I think a simple "please put effort in to your spelling and grammar"-type post is fairly polite, concise, and when necessary, is a good thing. But of course there's always those that will jump on every little spelling mistake, misplaced apostrophe, or misuse of capitalisation. That's when things go too far, and of course I can understand you not being impressed with those posts... but at the same time, we shouldn't let consistent gross misuse of language go unchecked. There's a certain standard I'd like to see adhered to, and leading by example is the way to go about setting the standard, but polite reminders here and there are a vital part of keeping the standard of posts at a level deemed acceptable. Unfortunately some people can be overzealous, but that's the downside to trying to keep a decent level of post readability on the forums.

[road warrior]

OGM!!11 teh spel checka iz gon!

[donthucktoflat]

As a rule of thumb, if it takes more effort to read a post than it does to post it, then it probably isn't worth reading.

What the? there is emo country metal on TV. God help us all

[GordonG]

ye i agre, i mite tipe liek dis.. n u can ndastan wat im sayin den it dont matta how i spel n tipe

We've been through this argument many times over... I strongly disagree with your point of view, even though I do understand it. Have you ever had a conversation of technical nature with someone that spoke with really bad English, and struggled to understand them? Do you find it difficult to converse when you're spending more thinking time attempting to comprehend their words than engaging in the topic? That's a peeve of mine, I know it's probably rude to say so, but it definately is frustrating to have to do the above... and unfortuntaly at my workplace, I have to do it all the time.
It's the equivilent online, when someone types in a manner that I did above. Who wants to read, re-read, think, then re-read a post again, just so you can figure out what the poster is trying to say? When you put more effort in to translating their random assembly of letters in to a meaningful sentence than you do actually thinking and helping them out with any issue, you really have to wonder the worth of your reply to their post.
One way to look at it is, if someone can't put any effort in to typing legible sentences, what does that say about what they're typing, and why should you put any effort in to giving them advice? That's my view on the subject... if you actually beleive in what you're saying, you'd want to express it as well as you can... but typing sentences that look like an explosion in an alphabet factory isn't a way of expressing yourself very well.
I can understand we have to give leeway to those with true issues in regards to literacy, but then there's always ways to assist in internet communication (ie, spelling and grammar checks, whilst not the most accurate of things, are definately an asset). Another thing is people do make honest mistakes, be it a typo, a common misspelling (I guess that's intellectual osmosis at it alot of the time), or just even soemthing like typing things phoenetically.
The problem is, the grey area... how far should people go in criticising the typing of others? I think a simple "please put effort in to your spelling and grammar"-type post is fairly polite, concise, and when necessary, is a good thing. But of course there's always those that will jump on every little spelling mistake, misplaced apostrophe, or misuse of capitalisation. That's when things go too far, and of course I can understand you not being impressed with those posts... but at the same time, we shouldn't let consistent gross misuse of language go unchecked. There's a certain standard I'd like to see adhered to, and leading by example is the way to go about setting the standard, but polite reminders here and there are a vital part of keeping the standard of posts at a level deemed acceptable. Unfortunately some people can be overzealous, but that's the downside to trying to keep a decent level of post readability on the forums.

Definitely agree here. There are typos and spelling/grammar mistakes in Rik's post but at least I can read the bloody thing! If people want to use SMS messaging techniques, that's fine by me - on the phone. Not on a message forum.

I read a book by David Eddings ("The Redemption of Althalus") in which a young kid says "...that will be funner." An adult replies "There's no such word as 'funner'!" "Did you understand what I meant?" says the kid. "Yes." "Then it's a word..." says the kid. He just might be right, but the difference is everyone reading the book knew exactly what was meant as soon as they read it.

It has to be understood that language evolves, not always for the better. The older you get, the harder this is to handle, not just for me at 57 but for everyone. All the younger people here will be thinking "What would that whining fat old fart know?" but in thirty or forty years, guys, you'll be saying the same thing. I've just had three weeks of listening to my dear old dad (86) whine about things that I take for granted, so I know what I'm talking about :)

One of my pet hates is "alot" instead of "a lot" and similar contractions, but I don't go nit-picking on the forums about it. I just get over it...

:)

[Carlin]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

I don't care if people make spelling mistakes, but it really gets me when people say "It's only an internet forum therefore I don't need to try and spell properly".

It is more about courtesy than the actual gramatical errors or spelling mistakes.

(For the record my spelling and grammar has always been my weak spot)

[road warrior]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:



say it again, I dare you

[rimas]

Yes, I agree with the:

Originally Posted by Rik
ye i agre, i mite tipe liek dis.. n u can ndastan wat im sayin den it dont matta how i spel n tipe

type of people posting crap, but check out this thread (http://forums.farkin.net/showthread.php?p=330477#post330477)...

It's not just new people doing this kind of stuff either.

[DJ_Robbie]

I think everything worth mentioning has been posted here, i agree with just about all of it. Complete nit-pickers are unhelpful but sms typing has no place in a post that has no word limit. And i hope you werent having a go at my post in that link. i was simply backing up arnott saying how stupid some people look for critisizing others when when their post is no better. I do admit to being higely off topic though.

Oh well, point taken, everyone can learn something from this.

[villy]

I agree,who cares if someone cant spell. Its just stupid bitching About pointless things like that.

[wombat]

I agree,who cares if someone cant spell. Its just stupid bitching About pointless things like that.
As opposed to your ridiculous grave digging, post racing? You've been warned, and if you keep it up you WILL be banned.

[protecon]

As opposed to your ridiculous grave digging, post racing? You've been warned, and if you keep it up you WILL be banned.
BANNINATOR (http://forums.farkin.net/search.php?searchid=16987)!

I'm not sure what "Mr sexy"'s intentions are, perhaps innocent but quite an annoyance nonetheless.

[S.]

I agree,who cares if someone cant spell. Its just stupid bitching About pointless things like that.

It's also pointless bitching about other people bitching about something pointless.

And you'll find that the way you come across via your typing will often reflect how you're treated/respected. Just like in real life, if you speak like a moron, you are likely to be treated like a moron. If you spell "with" as "wif" and "that" as "dat", then people are more likely to think you're an idiot. Not to say that the occasional typo or whatever should result in capital punishment (although road warrior will disagree here), or general slackness with capitalisation and stuff, but for fuck's sake, abbreviating everything as much as possible when you have a full 26-letter/10-digit/full-punctuation-mark keyboard is just dumb.

Also, if you were to have written on your personal website, say something like this:

"WILL IS A RELLY GOOD RIDER
[its true!!!!!]"

then people may once again be slightly less inclined to take you seriously, wouldn't you think?

[danv]

ye i agre, i mite tipe liek dis.. n u can ndastan wat im sayin den it dont matta how i spel n tipe

We've been through this argument many times over... I strongly disagreewith your point of view, even though I do understand it. Have you everhad a conversation of technical nature with someone that spoke withreally bad English, and struggled to understand them? Do you find itdifficult to converse when you're spending more thinking timeattempting to comprehend their words than engaging in the topic? That'sa peeve of mine, I know it's probably rude to say so, but it definatelyis frustrating to have to do the above... and unfortuntaly at myworkplace, I have to do it all the time.
It's the equivilent online, when someone types in a manner that Idid above. Who wants to read, re-read, think, then re-read a postagain, just so you can figure out what the poster is trying to say?When you put more effort in to translating their random assembly ofletters in to a meaningful sentence than you do actually thinking andhelping them out with any issue, you really have to wonder the worth ofyour reply to their post.
One way to look at it is, if someone can't put any effort in to typinglegible sentences, what does that say about what they're typing, andwhy should you put any effort in to giving them advice? That's my viewon the subject... if you actually beleive in what you're saying, you'dwant to express it as well as you can... but typing sentences that looklike an explosion in an alphabet factory isn't a way of expressingyourself very well.
I can understand we have to give leeway to those with true issuesin regards to literacy, but then there's always ways to assist ininternet communication (ie, spelling and grammar checks, whilst not themost accurate of things, are definately an asset). Another thing ispeople do make honest mistakes, be it a typo, a common misspelling (Iguess that's intellectual osmosis at it alot of the time), or just evensoemthing like typing things phoenetically.
The problem is, the grey area... how far should people go incriticising the typing of others? I think a simple "please put effortin to your spelling and grammar"-type post is fairly polite, concise,and when necessary, is a good thing. But of course there's always thosethat will jump on every little spelling mistake, misplaced apostrophe,or misuse of capitalisation. That's when things go too far, and ofcourse I can understand you not being impressed with those posts... butat the same time, we shouldn't let consistent gross misuse of languagego unchecked. There's a certain standard I'd like to see adhered to,and leading by example is the way to go about setting the standard, butpolite reminders here and there are a vital part of keeping thestandard of posts at a level deemed acceptable. Unfortunately somepeople can be overzealous, but that's the downside to trying to keep adecent level of post readability on the forums.
Paragraphs are your friend. :D

But seriously, as long as everyone writes in normal english, includingslang, then I think that's fine. I don't care for spelling at all, interms of nitpicky stuff like 'vivasious' but I hate it when certainsimple grammar mistakes make someone's post incoherent. It's just amistake, like leaving a word out, but it can be annoying. It's not likewe need to blame anyone for that though.

However posts written in shorthand simply take more effort tocomprehend, and this is a problem which should be resolved by theposter simply making half an effort to write properly. Sure, if it's asocial post, like when others are one at the same time, or if you'retired or drunk, then it doesn't matter much, but people who type likdis or like dat all the time are just lazy/ignorant of how to postproperly, and should be made to either post properly or be banned.

[Adrian]

Have you ever had a conversation of technical nature with someone that spoke with really bad English, and struggled to understand them? Do you find it difficult to converse when you're spending more thinking time attempting to comprehend their words than engaging in the topic? That's a peeve of mine, I know it's probably rude to say so, but it definately is frustrating to have to do the above... and unfortuntaly at my workplace, I have to do it all the time.


Ok, wat r u tring 2 sel...

[johnny]

It is actually harder to read abbreviated SMS style text than normal Engamalish. If any one wants to get bashed over the head with psych and neuro-bio, I'd be happy to explain.

Typos are fine as long as the post isn't riddled with them, because that's just laziness. SMS text on a forum is dumb and makes me think you're a 13 year old who thinks he's/she's "rad, kewl Hcore etc" and isn't worth the conversation.