Grammar Nazi's: How do you feel about them?

elainecrowlee

fricatus wrote: »

Where I work, I've seen CVs handed in that haven't even been spell-checked, and I've seen proposals for work that contain all sorts of basic punctuation and grammar errors. If you can't get such details right, then what does it say about your attention to other important details that we're paying you for? Typically we just bin those, because the impression is one of laziness and carelessness.

On average how many CVs do you get per day that have mistakes?

shopaholic01

KeithM89 wrote: »

Leeg bet me to it

He beat you to me too, Keith:(.

Scruffles

dr.bollocko wrote: »

Put up a sticky on it a while back and bumped it a few times. Seems to benefit the general level of communication when this kind of stuff is removed.

However having said that if people are using txtspk etc., that's not allowed either.

We're really just trying to prevent people from being dicks and attempting to appear superior over trifling bollox.

QFT that man.:pac:

it says a lot about people if they think having stronger language,spelling etc ability over someone else makes them better,fact is-it doesnt; it just means they have weaknesses in other aspects.

alot of people in this thread have mentioned dyslexia as needing understanding in terms of genuine problems with posting-there are a lot more posting issues and difficulties than dyslexia,am not dyslexic but have global learning disability,classic autism,built up mild/mod brain injury & epilepsy which all greatly affect spelling,grammar,how communicate language across,and if have just had a seizure even less words are available to self plus may mix up spelling?/grammar? more....night medications make it worser to.
am not able to use a spelling checker because there are to many steps to using it,woud need support staff or family there to go through each step.

lots of disabilities and difficulties can affect someones posting,used to know someone who had non epileptic seizures and if she was going to have one whilst she was using the computer,her words woud be completely unreadable...even being dehydrated can affected a persons posting.
though at the opposite end of this,some internet users are often drunk and use a disability they do not have as a mask to not have to use effort.

taking out personal weaknesses on other people says more about the mentality of the person doing it than the target.

Biggins

Dudess wrote: »

Textspeak isn't the same as incorrect grammar/spelling/punctuation.

I would have said that txtspeak is the same as bad spelling.
Both are not to be found in a decent dictionary.

I wouldn't give out to anyone about it unless it was REALLY bad - and then I would politely mention it to them privately by PM.

FishBowel

OP there's no apostrophe in 'Nazis'.

Gyalist

Correcting other posters' spelling makes you a spelling Nazi and not a grammar Nazi. Spelling and grammar are two entirely different constructs.

/pedant

humbert

I don't agree that everyone should suffer poor English because a few people have handicaps.

Also, I think there should be a distinction between people who would regard a flaw in another poster's English as a point in favour of their argument or an indication that the argument is somehow invalid as a result and people who simply think it's reasonable to expect a certain standard of English on a discussion forum.

I'm surprised and heartened by the results of the poll.

applehunter

Best course I did as part of my degree was in Grammer/English/Public speaking.

Anytime I am pulled up on something I make a note of it.

applehunter

I noticed a poster the other day from Cork City Council aimed at Polish and Eastern Europeans.

"Do you want to improve ur English?"

The guy behind me in the queue didn't even think it was that bad. Claimed it was a "happy medium".

Looked pretty basic to me.

The King of Moo

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Does anyone else go back over a post, maybe a few hours later, and realise they've left out entire words!? Not just small words like 'and' or 'it' but a big one that renders the sentence nonsensical?

I've often done it and thought to myself 'how in the name of muppetry did you manage that ya gob****e'? I reckon that it's something to do with my brain racing ahead with thoughts and the fingers trying to keep up typing them out.

Anyway, we're not writing academic essays here FFS we're yapping on an internet forum for lols. I'd sacrifice good grammar for a bit more creativity and personality in my writing - no contest.

I leave out words all the time. In fact, I'm it right now.
I even do it on the whiteboard when I'm teaching EFL more than I'd care to, though I usually catch it then.

I even did it in my very first teaching practice. Afterwards, the teacher observing me asked how I thought I did, and I said, very annoyed with myself, "It was ok, except that when I finished I noticed I'd written "to take" instead of 'to take off.'"
He turned around to look at the board and said "Did you? I hadn't even noticed that? I wouldn't worry about it, everyone does it."
I still got my distinction :cool:.

So if there's one key thing to remember when it comes to leaving out important words in a post, it's.

Spread

Most of them are insecure control artists - with fuck all else to do. To be understood is the main thing in dialogue - written or oral. Goddit!

hooradiation

Gyalist wrote: »

Correcting other posters' spelling makes you a spelling Nazi and not a grammar Nazi. Spelling and grammar are two entirely different constructs.

/pedant

Unsurprisingly, not a lot of thought went into the naming of this rule. For consistency's sake.

Medusa22

I'm constipated at the moment, this prevents me from constructing a grammatically correct sentence without spelling mistakes.

Biggins

Medusa22 wrote: »

I'm constipated at the moment, this prevents me from constructing a grammatically correct sentence without spelling mistakes.

He's actually drunk then, folks!

Been there - done tha!

RaRaRasputin

Medusa22 wrote: »

I'm constipated at the moment, this prevents me from constructing a grammatically correct sentence without spelling mistakes.

No, that doesn't count. Only dehydration and brain damages do.

paddyandy

If my grammar or punctuation is all they can fault then they are desperate and have been on a few occasions when they did'nt like my post but could'nt construct an adequate response .

ZombieBride

They are pretty pointless IMO, grammar has changed quite a bit over the centuries, should we all revert to the norms of the 15th century or the 18th century? I am sure in the 22nd century our grammar norms will also be obsolete.

Irishgoatman

Medusa22 wrote: »

I'm constipated at the moment, this prevents me from constructing a grammatically correct sentence without spelling mistakes.

Why don't you do what the constipated mathematician did ?

He sat down and worked it out with a pencil!!!

Biggins

ZombieBride wrote: »

They are pretty pointless IMO, grammar has changed quite a bit over the centuries, should we all revert to the norms of the 15th century or the 18th century? I am sure in the 22nd century our grammar norms will also be obsolete.

A rose by any other name is still a rose?

Is thou in thy contemplations and of prodigious birth, awakening to thine consternations of the mortal man?
They whom seek to right, to divine the winter of our discontent and thus set wrong to right?

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars!

muckisluck

Irishgoatman wrote: »

Why don't you do what the constipated mathematician did ?

He sat down and worked it out with a pencil!!!

In cubes!!

bnt

I was at university with a guy who was diagnosed with dyslexia, yet doing an advanced Engineering degree. I never knew until some time in 4th year, when I found out he was sitting exams separately. His emails were no worse than those from any of his classmates, and he never used his dyslexia as an excuse.

This is an anonymous forum, and so others here don't know or care if you're using spelling and grammar checkers, getting your parents to correct your posts, or whatever. It's all about the results, and my experience tells me that people who genuinely have dyslexia can learn to work with it and get good results. I'm disappointed to see dyslexia used here as an excuse to give up and stop trying - or so it seems. What we do here isn't important writing, but it can be good practice for that time in the future when it will be important and you will need to get it right.

Chuck Stone

Medusa22 wrote: »

I'm constipated at the moment, this prevents me from constructing a grammatically correct sentence without spelling mistakes.

Must be tough being full of shit all the time.




:pac:

Pedant

*Sigh*

All the bad spelling and grammar on this thread makes me want to vomit.

Like minded people on these boards need to rally together and come up with a Final Solution to get rid of this abominable stain on the English language's integrity. I trust we will be victorious.

Hail to Victory!

Pedant.

grindle

Pedant wrote: »

*Sigh*

All the bad spelling and grammar on this thread makes me want to vomit.

Like(WHY U NO PUT HYPHEN?)minded people on these boards need to rally together and come up with a Final Solution to get rid of this abominable stain on the English language's integrity. I trust we will be victorious.

Hail to Victory!

Pedant.

MMMhmmm.

Xavi6

Grammar Nazi and proud, very very proud :cool:

DonQuay1

DarkJager wrote: »

Sad bastards who try to display their intellect by pointing out spelling or grammar mistakes. Patethic *****.

Then have a look at the poll above.
Ordinary posters think grammar is good.

'Grammar Nazis' - as they have been labeled by some lazy 'I don wann lern - so indulg me' 'grammar incompetent' at some time in the past - are just ordinary people that think that we shouldn't all be dumbed down to someones minor level.
Intellect has nothing to do with learning a few simple rules. You can't spell (pathetic) or use grammar properly? - then suck it up and learn. Stop complaining to the mods / and your momma.

Like so many here - you want to be lazy in the basics (but be treated as an equal) - and that just makes me personally believe that you're lazy in your opinions too!

The above poll might go someway to influancing Boards.ie to NOT denounce 'Grammar Nazis' at the start of 'after hours'.

Gyalist

DonQuay1 wrote: »

The above poll might go someway to influancing Boards.ie to NOT denounce 'Grammar Nazis' at the start of 'after hours'.

Pardon me, your slip is showing.

Nothingbetter2d

Medusa22 wrote: »

I'm constipated at the moment, this prevents me from constructing a grammatically correct sentence without spelling mistakes.

i hear pear cider is good for relieving constipation

harney

I can forgive the odd spelling mistake or typo, it's generally not the end of the world and tbh I have to use a dictionary more than I would like to.

Consistent bad spelling, or the whole there/their/your mistakes are a bit annoying.

But really, the whole taught/thought thing is ****ing annoying!

The King of Moo

harney wrote: »

But really, the whole taught/thought thing is ****ing annoying!

It's why I think children should be forced to pronounce their "th's" from an early stage .

The number of times that mistake was made in the "Most incorrect things you were taught" thread nearly drove me demented, and probably pushed me the closest to correcting someone I've ever been.

newmug

Dyslexsia cuts no ice whatsoever for me when it comes to where/were, been/being, and our/are. Thats just low IQ.

Chuck Stone

harney wrote: »

But really, the whole taught/thought thing is ****ing annoying!

It's understandable dough. Most Irish people don't pronounce der "th's" so it's probably difficult to know when to use dem or not.

I've even heard newsreaders say Thigh-land when talking about Thailand (pronounced Tie-land).

stovelid

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Does anyone else go back over a post, maybe a few hours later, and realise they've left out entire words!? Not just small words like 'and' or 'it' but a big one that renders the sentence nonsensical?

I've often done it and thought to myself 'how in the name of muppetry did you manage that ya gob****e'? I reckon that it's something to do with my brain racing ahead with thoughts and the fingers trying to keep up typing them out.

Anyway, we're not writing academic essays here FFS we're yapping on an internet forum for lols. I'd sacrifice good grammar for a bit more creativity and personality in my writing - no contest.

All the time. I blame my phone.

Chuck Stone

newmug wrote: »

Dyslexsia cuts no ice whatsoever for me when it comes to where/were, been/being, and our/are. Thats just low IQ.

I don't know how you can equate poor grammar to low IQ. Shirley there are people with high IQ's and poor grammar and people with great grammar and low IQ's?

What's IQ anyway except some random measurement of how good people are at doing IQ tests?

Stavro Mueller

I wonder how much the likes of internet forums and social networking have to answer for the deterioration in basic spelling and grammar? I mean, the "should of" phenomenon seems to be a relatively recent thing and is spreading like a rash. I can't help but think that people are just reading other people spelling it as "should of" has made them think that that is the way to do it.

As an aside, I've a friend who decorates cakes as a hobby. I happened to be in her house recently and she showed me a cake she had done up. There was a grammar error on the cake and I decided to tell her. She was a little bit embarrassed at first but then thanked me. It wouldn't have looked good to have a cake going out of the house with a glaring error on it.

Owen_S

cymbaline wrote: »

I wonder how much the likes of internet forums and social networking have to answer for the deterioration in basic spelling and grammar? I mean, the "should of" phenomenon seems to be a relatively recent thing and is spreading like a rash. I can't help but think that people are just reading other people spelling it as "should of" has made them think that that is the way to do it.

As an aside, I've a friend who decorates cakes as a hobby. I happened to be in her house recently and she showed me a cake she had done up. There was a grammar error on the cake and I decided to tell her. She was a little bit embarrassed at first but then thanked me. It wouldn't have looked good to have a cake going out of the house with a glaring error on it.

I think Boards is unique as it is geared towards Irish people. I post on other forums where correct grammar and spelling is encouraged as a large amount of the members only have English as their second language.
On a forum like this where people have English as their first language, I would associate txt spk with laziness and wouldn't take their point seriously. People might have difficulty with spelling or grammar, but using text language when you have a full QWERTY keyboard is bad.

Chuck Stone

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Shirley there are people with high IQ's and poor grammar and people with great grammar and low IQ's?

Are those apostrophes okay?

The King of Moo

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Are those apostrophes okay?

Yes, though it would also be fine without them.
With initialisms like IQ or CD, some prefer to add an apostrophe to make it clear that the "s" is to show they're plural, and isn't part of the initialism itself, whereas others choose not to as usually the abbreviation is made up of capital letters so it's clear that the "s" at the end isn't part of it.

Both are accepted, though I prefer to add the apostrophe because it's a little less confusing, as some initialisms have lower case letters as well as capitals.

Chuck Stone

The King of Moo wrote: »

Yes, though it would also be fine without them.
With initialisms like IQ or CD, some prefer to add an apostrophe to make it clear that the "s" is to show they're plural, and isn't part of the initialism itself, whereas others choose not to as usually the abbreviation is made up of capital letters so it's clear that the "s" at the end isn't part of it.

Both are accepted, though I prefer to add the apostrophe because it's a little less confusing, as some initialisms have lower case letters as well as capitals.

Thanks, my apostrophe placement isn't the best. I noticed I was automatically, and erroneously, putting an apostrophe in "it's" a couple of weeks back and it annoyed me a bit.

Actually a 'How's my English' sticky might not be a bad idea for AH.

Bruthal

newmug wrote: »

Just to keep with the road rage example, from a grammar nazi's POV, it's like when someone indicates left, but turns right. Or when someone doesn't dim their lights when coming towards you at night. You just think "FFS, how did that person get a license!"

It has absolutely nothing to do with being condescending. On the contrary, you think the other driver is either stupid, or maybe there's something wrong with their wiring, or that they're the ones being inconsiderate and condecending. Either way, you automatically feel that they should do something about it, and drive properly from now on.

When bad spelling might cause you to drive into the ditch and be killed etc, then your you`re comparisons might be valid.

newmug

Chuck Stone wrote: »

I don't know how you can equate poor grammar to low IQ. Shirley there are people with high IQ's and poor grammar and people with great grammar and low IQ's?

What's IQ anyway except some random measurement of how good people are at doing IQ tests?

Firstly, my name is NOT Shirley. Secondly, if someone doesn't know the difference between "where", as in what location, and "were", as in the plural past tense of "is", then they definitely have more to worry about than either grammar, OR IQ tests.

robbie7730 wrote: »

When bad spelling might cause you to drive into the ditch and be killed etc, then your you`re comparisons might be valid.

*Sigh* Sometimes thats EXACTLY what bad spelling makes me feel like doing:(

Bruthal

newmug wrote: »

robbie7730 wrote: »

When bad spelling might cause you to drive into the ditch and be killed etc, then your you`re comparisons might be valid.

*Sigh* Sometimes thats EXACTLY what bad spelling makes me feel like doing:(

Predictive texting for when you`re driving so...

Shenshen

Chuck Stone wrote: »

I don't know how you can equate poor grammar to low IQ. Shirley there are people with high IQ's and poor grammar and people with great grammar and low IQ's?

What's IQ anyway except some random measurement of how good people are at doing IQ tests?

Who is Shirley, and what would she have to do with dyslexia and IQs?

stupidusername

newmug wrote: »

Secondly, if someone doesn't know the difference between "where", as in what location, and "were", as in the plural past tense of "is", then they definitely have more to worry about than either grammar, OR IQ tests.

What's that then?

Chuck Stone

newmug wrote: »

Firstly, my name is NOT Shirley.

Shenshen wrote: »

Who is Shirley, and what would she have to do with dyslexia and IQs?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A5t5_O8hdA

al28283

I had a science teacher with quite a heavy Dublin accent who pronounced "Iron" as "Arden". It took me years to figure out there Arden was not an element

Einhard

I don't know about Grammar Nazis. On one level, when people give an opinion on something on boards, it's somewhat mean-spirited to undermine that point by highlighting their grammatical errors.

On another level though, proper grammar and punctuation is, in my opinion, a courtesy to the reader. If you want someone to read what you've written, surely it's incumbent on you to make it as legible as possible? Grammar and punctuation aren't just inventions utilised by sticklers and pedants to make life difficult, they play a hugely important role in clarifying texts.

So...yeah grammar nazis can be a pain in the ar*e.

But then, so too can those who expect others to decipher their error-strewn posts.

And it's really not all that difficult to brush up on your grammar.

Where the **** were they when i really needed help in school?

al28283

RVP 11 wrote: »

Wear the **** were they when i really needed help in school?

FYP

al28283

al28283 wrote: »

FYP