The Importance Of Spelling And Grammar

[Pharoah 0]

I really dont mind when people mis spell words or make little errors, and simple chat speak is okay (like LOL, w8, u, 4), but I think 1337 makes you look like an idiot. It just takes too much time to read, and its almost always garbage. You dont often see much leetspeek anymore, and i think that is a good thing. One Thing I Find Really Annoying Is Those People Who Type Like This, Where Every Word Is A Capital Letter! This is really annoying (both for the reader and your pinkies), and there is absolutely no reason for it. All caps is better than this, because at least it gives the eye an idea of what to expect.On the flipside, I HATE people who are always correcting little mistakes. For instance, in this post I havent been using apostrophes. This is because for some reason FireFox has chosen to open the page search box when I hit them (an intermittent bug). Would I want people to point it out, NO! Forums are about conversation and building a community (and for Astra showing ads), not a seminar on correct grammar and spelling. Thanks if you read this REALLY long post, I finally decided to voice my opinions on this topic.

[ThePhenomenalDream 0]

Oh boy, don't get me started on 1337 speak. It's highly annoying and just imagine when it comes time for the person to ask a serious question, no one is gonna take him seriously. Some chat speak is ok with me (lol for example) but when ppl talk lyke dis it getz on mi nerves. Typin lyke a 6 yr old is gonna bring teh sayme problem wen it cums to askin serious questionz, u will l00k lyke an idiot.I may seem like a big grammar and spelling freak, but there's people worst then me. I'm talking about the people Pharoah talked about. The people who will pick out every little mistake in what you have to say for example, you'll put down something like youre or your instead of you're oh well, pointing it out isn't proving anything, just that the person made a small grammar mistake.

[Pharoah 0]

One time I was on a site (can't remember which) where some wierd guy sent a complaint letter to the webmaster, entirely in 1337 speak!! I thought it had died out, but apparently not. My guess is that it was actually a VERY tiny subculture of people, which has gotten a little more attention than it deserves because of the way that they type. I read that it was designed to look like binary files to "un-initiated" people! What are they hiding? Multiple forum posts of "Jooz noobz"? Cracks of doom 1.0? The idea is just stupid.And with regaurd to the people who point it out, maybe they think it makes their penis larger??(feel free to edit that if it isn't allowed moddies)

[Pharoah 0]

Unrelatedly, studyig grammar and stuff in school didn't really do anything for me. After being a book addict since the tender age of three, correct spulling and grammar vocaublary and come naturally. I could pick any misformed English phrase and intuitively tell you how it needed to be changed, but I couldn't tell you exactly why.

That is exactly how I am. I find it fairly hard to do the grammar stucff in school, and the mistakes in the book I don't get, but I notice everything in the real world that counts. It seems like even my (very good) English teachers may not be using some of the rules (like whom all the time, or he when it should be him), but I can get by and my writing can look intelligent if I want it to.

[mpinsky 0]

As I've said before, spelling and grammar is important, plus I find it takes longer for me to type something in 1337 or any other kind of webspeak. Not only that, but I find it takes longer to read it too. And camel caps take even longer because the human eye is taught to read straight and not up and down, such as when looking at camel caps.The reason for all of this?Human nature: laziness.

[lonebyrd 0]

I must be living in the dark ages. I have only heard of leetspeak in this forum, but have no clue what it is. I've seen it typed 1337, so I'm assuming it has something to do with typing in all numbers. But, I would have no idea why someone would want to do that. And camel caps?!? What is that? If it it is what it sounds like I would assume it would Be LiKe ThIs, BuT WhY? Again, I don't spend alot of time on forums and chat rooms. I just go to where I need to, so I don't run into alot of things like this. And if I see weird things, I just don't pay attention because I just don't understand it.But as for grammer and punctuation mistakes, yeah I make them. Everyone does, though not all will admit to it. We are only human. I try to correct all that I see as I'm typing, because I hate to do things wrong. I will usually reread things before posting here to make sure there are no mistakes (but not always). And I will be the first to point out mistakes that I find... in my head, not to the person that made the mistake. I just find that to be rude. I know I wouldn't like it if someone did that to me. Like "You mis-spelled heard in your first sentence. Try and be more careful" I would find this demeaning.

[zyzzyvette 0]

Yeah, leetspeak is pretty much the art of making your writing illegible, using a lot of numbers and punctuation marks. I think people type in leet and alt-caps because they think its cool, or that it looks good (strange I know). Anyway, I don't think the occasional spelling error would be a huge problem, but maybe people who are chronic misspellers could get a spellcheck toolbar. Someone who picks apart a post because there's a mistake on line 23 is just being a jerk IMO.Then again, I'm new to this board, and most of the ones I'm used to don't have any rule like this at all.

[iGuest 3]

Someone who picks apart a post because there's a mistake on line 23 is just being a jerk IMO.

Well, yeah, I suppose you're right. But then again, I don't believe there are many "typo-hunters" here .

 

 

Most of the posts in this topic revolve around exactly what you said. We're not after the occasional spelling mistake or grammatical error, but rather after the chronic mistakes, as you so adequately put it.

 

 

Mistakes are a human nature. But when we're part of a group, we have to make sure our mistakes don't have a bad effect on others. If 80% of what I write is wrong, then that would be a huge problem in a forum, where the only method of communication is words... (well, aside from the occasional smiley )

 

 

Then again, I'm new to this board, and most of the ones I'm used to don't have any rule like this at all.

 

Well, they're not actually rules, more like guidelines perhaps. This specific topic shows how much members of Xisto cherish it as a community, and would like to keep it accessible to everyone. Many members here are NOT native English speakers. The last thing they need is someone who makes their life here harder .

 

 

 

Cheers.

Edited September 9, 2006 by tamer3kz (see edit history)

[pyost 0]

Many members here are NOT native English speakers.

Now here's a good thing that can be discussed. Even though many people aren't native English speaker (including me), they still manage to maintain a certain level of grammatical correctness (and I'm so sure this sentence is not correct ). Some might find it to be rather difficult, but they continue learning and improving their language skills. And now, why can't everybody try a bit harder and make their posts easy to read? I can stand a few mistakes, but the worse thing that can happen is to see a post written in bad English, by someone from the USA (for example)!

Also, why should anyone be allowed to write "hy, i need hlp lol m mice is not working"? If he/she can't write proper English, he/she should visit forums in his own language. And I'm sure there are always at least a few of those... If you can't help the community, try increasing your knowledge - it doesn't always have to be language knowledge.

[KDEWolf 0]

Many members here are NOT native English speakers. The last thing they need is someone who makes their life here harder .

I completely agree, since, as a non-native speaker I sometimes get confused with some words' meanings or am not sure about some syntax. About typos, Firefox spell checker is helping me a *lot* on avoiding them, mainly on complex (confusing) words. There are always "grammar nazis" everywhere, but up until now I haven't seen any in Xisto (though I'm a newcomer, so...).Correcting up someone who has written something wrong or such is ok, if the guy knows how to do so. Being kind and understanding, pointing out the mistake, might prove very useful to the one who did such mistake. But some prefer to correct others with an air of superiority, what just sucks...
So feel free to tell me if I'm wrong or senseless in my posts. But in a gentle way, please.

[iGuest 3]

Even though many people aren't native English speaker (including me), they still manage to maintain a certain level of grammatical correctness

Yup, I'm inclined to agree with you on this one, pyost

 

 

I, for one, am not a native English speaker, but I believe my posts are easily read and (hopefully) understood by anyone with a background in English. Yes, I admit that I occasionally go overboard with veritably peculiar vocabulary (), but I try not to make a habit out of it.

 

 

What I'm trying to say is that not being a native English speaker is not that much of an excuse. It might be a reason, but still it's a poor excuse.

 

 

Some might find it to be rather difficult, but they continue learning and improving their language skills. And now, why can't everybody try a bit harder and make their posts easy to read?

Primitive human nature at its best, my friend . Most people only care about themselves. They make an effort to make their message as clear as is needed for others to understand and respond to them. The problem is that those people fail to realize that if we don't understand what they mean clearly, we won't be able to help them in the first place!

 

 

I'm not saying that people should learn English. That's their prerogative. I'm only saying, paraphrasing pyost's words, that if they're going to join an English forum, then they should know how to communicate properly. I'm not being condescending here; I'm merely being practical.

 

 

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Correcting up someone who has written something wrong or such is ok, if the guy knows how to do so. Being kind and understanding, pointing out the mistake, might prove very useful to the one who did such mistake. But some prefer to correct others with an air of superiority, what just sucks...

I have nothing to add here. You said it beautifully, KDEWolf .

 

 

 

Sorry for the long post. I feel I might have got a little off-topic, but hopefully I didn't get carried away too much .

 

 

 

Cheers.

Edited September 9, 2006 by tamer3kz (see edit history)

[Arbitrary 0]

Yup, I'm inclined to agree with you on this one, pyost smile.gif

 

 

I, for one, am not a native English speaker, but I believe my posts are easily read and (hopefully) understood by anyone with a background in English. Yes, I admit that I occasionally go overboard with veritably peculiar vocabulary (tongue.gif), but I try not to make a habit out of it.

 

 

What I'm trying to say is that not being a native English speaker is not that much of an excuse. It might be a reason, but still it's a poor excuse.

It really depends on how much education you have had in a foreign language [English]. For instance, if Xisto were a French board, my posts would be littered with grammar and spelling mistakes, and that's not because I don't want to try to better myself in French. I suppose the most important thing is to write in a way that everyone can understand. Now I could come here and post as if I were Shakespeare and have immaculate grammar, but if no one had a clue what I was saying, it still wouldn't be effective communication. That's worse than semi-bad spelling but getting my point across.

 

I'm not saying that people should learn English. That's their prerogative. I'm only saying, paraphrasing pyost's words, that if they're going to join an English forum, then they should know how to communicate properly. I'm not being condescending here; I'm merely being practical.

They should, but it's also likely that whatever topic they want to discuss is not available in their native language. Or that they don't seem to get any replies off of someone who is speaking their mother tongue. If that's the case, then they have no choice but to go on an English forum, which is better than leaving their question unanswered.

 

Nonetheless, I agree entirely with KDEWolf. Condescending posts only eventually lead to flame wars, which is not effective communication.

[iGuest 3]

They should, but it's also likely that whatever topic they want to discuss is not available in their native language. Or that they don't seem to get any replies off of someone who is speaking their mother tongue. If that's the case, then they have no choice but to go on an English forum, which is better than leaving their question unanswered.

 

That's an entirely valid argument, Arbitrary .

 

 

But, assuming I have a question that cannot be answered except on a certain Russian forum, wouldn't be more reasonable that I spend 10-15 minutes to write a decent description of my question in Russian, instead of pouring out the few Russian words I know, and hope that someone will understand?

 

 

I mean, this is MY problem. *I* am the one that needs help after all. I should care enough to write an understandable sentence in Russian, right? It doesn't have to be perfect, but I should put as much effort as I can. At least, that's what I'd do. And I believe that's what YOU would do, as well .

Edited September 10, 2006 by tamer3kz (see edit history)