OT - rant 1 - spelling | Page 2 | The Boneyard

OT - rant 1 - spelling

Status
Not open for further replies.
Why is it that anybody should accept such poor writing. You should get over yourself. Actually there are second graders who write at a college level, which doesn't say much for you.
 
meyers7 said:
Content from the mind of a second grader, written like a college graduate is not worth reading.

Some of you need to get over yourselves.
Expand ...
really
 
chrissaran said:
Why is it that anybody should accept such poor writing.
Expand ...
Why is it anyone should accept stupidity in posts?

chrissaran said:
Actually there are second graders who write at a college level, which doesn't say much for you.
Expand ...
Actually doesn't say anything about me.

Really people, concentrate on the content, much more important than spelling, grammar, punctuation. (Not that I don't find much of the spelling, grammar, punctuation amusing.)
 
If you want to be taken seriously - by most all the people you're trying to reach - why put-off a significant number of your readers by being sloppy with spelling or punctuation?
No poor speller is going to discount your opinion because you spelled correctly: on the other hand.....
 
.-.
English is the most bastardized of the modern western languages because it developed in a country that was constantly being conquered by waves of germanic tribes followed by 400 years of roman occupation, a 600 year period of norse/danish raiding, followed by the Norman conquest. So while it is rooted in germanic forms, it has an overlay of latin and french roots as well. And it like all languages continues to evolve. It wasn't until quite recent history that the creation of printing presses allowed written language anywhere to become generally accessible, and the creation of dictionaries began the codification of spelling and 'correct' usage. And for much of recorded history, the large majority of written and printed language was not in native tongues but in Latin. It isn't until late middle ages that 'English' literature is being published at all. Add in that the British Empire is the most successful, extensive, and long-standing of the western colonizations and is a constant source of new words and variations on usage and you get quite a mess - a language used to adaptation is more willing to be further adapted.

In modern times a change in literature and culture and recording/broadcast capabilities has hastened the change from an elite educated minority defining language to a greater acceptance and dispersal of 'street' forms of language.
 
JimGunther said:
If you want to be taken seriously - by most all the people you're trying to reach - why put-off a significant number of your readers by being sloppy with spelling or punctuation?
Expand ...
Well you shouldn't. However, I find the whiny grammar nazis much more annoying.

grammar-nazi.jpg
 
There's no content when it's so poorly written that a second grader could do better. As for the grammar "Nazis", what a pathetic way to refer to people. Nazis killed between six and eight million Jews. All you're doing is mangling the English language. Why is it that people from other countries are better at understanding and writing our language than the people born here? Apathy and laziness.
 
chrissaran said:
There's no content when it's so poorly written that a second grader could do better.
Expand ...
For grammar nazis, I imagine that's true. For the rest of us intelligent people, content is much more important than a couple misspelled words. Like I said some miss the big picture. I guess we know which camp your in. :cool:

chrissaran said:
As for the grammar "Nazis", what a pathetic way to refer to people. Nazis killed between six and eight million Jews. All you're doing is mangling the English language.
Expand ...
It's a pretty well known saying. Wasn't like I made it up.

http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Grammar-Nazi
 
Typos, misspelling and mispronunciation, malapropisms, poor grammar, and the like are sources of some much needed humor and amusement derived from the barrage of bad news and anger we are subjected to every day.

The UCONN women were "singing" autographs

Police chased a white "Camera" down I84

Every day brings a new faux pas on the local news channels and in the newspapers, why get uptight about a few episodes of "roll playing", "corpsemen", "nucular", "tears strolling down her cheeks", "light as a pancake" , or "between a rock and a hardball" ????

Lighten up and enjoy
 
.-.
hthttp://i.turner.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/images/2015/07/06/womens-attendence.pdftp://i.turner.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/images/2015/07/06/womens-attendence.pdf

But to the original point - in the report on NCAA attendance that was linked in another thread - "neutral" is misspelled in its first usage in the chart.

The word neutral appears multiple times in the chart, including the line below the misspelled one. It wasn't a spelling error, it was a "typing" error that no one fixed. In an "official" report of the NCAA.

That, all in all, was my point and a perfect example.

I'm not so sure that "Tr" is the official abbreviation for tournament either, but here the intent is obvious.
 
Grammar is part of content. Unfortunately we have a bunch of ignorant, uneducated, lazy, entitled people in this country. It's no wonder we are known as Ugly Americans. In many places in the world children don't get a chance to be educated, especially young girls. Students have died to get an education. Ask the school-aged kids in Afghanistan and Pakistan about getting an education. How many times has the Taliban attacked schools and killed everyone inside because they dared to educate girls. We are so complacent in this country, which is why much of the rest of the world can't stand us.
 
chrissaran said:
Grammar is part of content.
Expand ...
Can be, but not necessarily. If the message can be sent and received (and understood), in spite of an grammar issues, then the content instead of the grammar is what matters. If the grammar actually causes a problem, such that the content changes (and the receiver doesn't understand), then yea it matters. But that really doesn't happen very often. Usually we know what they mean, even if there is a misspelled word or a comma in the wrong place.
 
meyers7 said:
Can be, but not necessarily. If the message can be sent and received (and understood), in spite of an grammar issues, then the content instead of the grammar is what matters. If the grammar actually causes a problem, such that the content changes (and the receiver doesn't understand), then yea it matters. But that really doesn't happen very often. Usually we know what they mean, even if there is a misspelled word or a comma in the wrong place.
Expand ...
yes, usllauy we konw waht tehy maen, eevn if trhee is a mpisslleed wrod or a cmmoa in the wnorg pclae.
 
From time to time, there have been movements to standardize written English in phonetic form, but none of them has gotten anywhere. It does seem ridiculous that trough, though, rough, through, bough, bought, etc. should all have the same ough component and yet be pronounced differently. Why not troff, tho, ruff, thru, bow, bot, etc.?
 
.-.
chrissaran said:
Actually it does matter what order the letters are in; otherwise, how would you recognize words if you spelled them any way you wanted to? Make fun all you want; you just don't get it. Isdgue ghtomd vndldj wexmebnt lpoiecvnw weiurcnbe!
Expand ...

I share your frustration and laud your belief in the importance of precision when communicating with others through any medium. But I confess that I am incapable of decoding the closing statement (highlighted in bold, by me).
 
meyers7 said:
As they say, those that can, do. Those that can't, teach. Those that can't teach, administrate. Those that can't administrate, become guidance counselors. :cool:
Expand ...

As the administrators administrate, do the commentators commentate while conversationists conversate?:eek:
 
Kibitzer said:
As the administrators administrate, do the commentators commentate while conversationists conversate?:eek:
Expand ...
Those that can play, do. Those that can't, coach. Those that can't coach, become commentators. Those that can't commentate, become sideline reporters. :cool:
 
Kibitzer said:
As the administrators administrate, do the commentators commentate while conversationists conversate?:eek:
Expand ...

I have to admit that 'conversate' makes me cringe . . . . :rolleyes:

I was surprised to find that 'commentate' is, in fact, an accepted word in the dictionary. It lacks the disclaimer provided in the entry for 'conversate' (which shouldn't be in the dictionary at all, IMO):

"Nonstandard except in some dialects."
 
Last edited:
It's a package deal. Each part adds to the overall effectiveness of the post. A post that is well thought out, with correct spelling and punctuation, will convey the poster's opinion more effectively than a post that is missing one of those qualities.
 
.-.
rvwsleep said:
It's a package deal. Each part adds to the overall effectiveness of the post. A post that is well thought out, with correct spelling and punctuation, will convey the poster's opinion more effectively than a post that is missing one of those qualities.
Expand ...

A few posters come quickly to mind. I won't identify them here. Each brings enthusiasm and thoughtful insights to the board.

One needs a spellcheck or dictionary (and willingness to use either aid.

Second one has a different problem! He insists on punctuating every sentence with an exclamation mark! Honest! Every single one!

Third poster,whose posts are enriching,has not yet discovered the space bar.The one on his keyboard,at the bottom.Ergo,my mind wanders from his enlightening thoughts to my bewilderment about why,why,why,he won't pause occasionally.Or encourage me to do so.

Sorry,but I find these grammer flaws to be distractions!:rolleyes:
 
Zorro, I agree. To someone who said those problems are way beyond just spelling and punctuation, I don't agree. These kids don't take school seriously. If adults don't take school seriously, why should they. That is our fight every day. I can't have an indifferent attitude toward the subject I teach. Also, when I mean it's a fight every day, I mean that literally. This past year was much better, but the previous three years were out of control to the point where the principal was removed. Why it took three years I don't know. I'm not a big person, and at almost 56 years old, it's not easy dealing with kids much, much bigger than me. However, if there's a fight, and I'm where I can help, I jump in. I've gotten punched and kicked by girls, punched by boys, but I cannot stand there and do nothing, which some of our teachers do. I've seen students get seriously hurt in fights, but if I can help it, they won't. I don't feel sorry for myself; I just wish more people understood about education. It's difficult seeing students you've taught wind up in jail. The armed robbery case was a former student. I then had his younger brother, who was a lot worse than him. If we can't reach them through education, it will not end well.
 
Zorro said:
And, as you so correctly point out in your post, an inability to think logically includes the inability to predict or gauge the likely effects of one's own behavior. The older I get the more I am convinced that the ability to think logically is a pretty rare attribute but what, if anything, can or should be done about it is a mystery to me.
Expand ...

While this is not the forum to discuss it, I read a very interesting piece citing the related art of "critical thinking" (or a lack there-of to be specific) as a primary issue in our politics related divisions in this country.

The best example I can think of (that doesn't have a real political "side") is the lawsuit recently filed by a group concerned about Tucson's homeless folks, wanting the city's ban on blocking sidewalks to be declared unconstitutional because it is unfair to the homeless. Thinking "critically" (or with common sense, if you will) - how is it logical or sensible to want folks to be able to block sidewalks and force pedestrians to walk in the street (a dangerous practice that the sidewalks are there to prevent). Thinking critically, I believe the folks correctly concerned about the homeless issue should be looking at alternatives that make more sense than this one.
 
In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread. Anatole France

The fact is that increasingly kids are under the (mostly correct) impression that there is little to be gained for them in acquiring an education, because doing so is not going to get them security or respect. The reasons for this are complex, way complex. I have my own ideas as to the major reasons that this situation has come to pass, but political opinions are (rightly) banned from this board. The result is, however, exactly what could be expected. If long-run prospects are seen as slim to none, then there is no point in going to the trouble of preparing oneself for the long run, and the logical thing to do is to just carpe hell out of the diem, as it were. Having a criminal record is not injurious to one's long run prospects if one has no long-run prospects, or at least perceives that to be the case. And it is going to be a pretty brave kid who is going to be able to stand up to the taunts and persecutions of his peers and actually try to walk the good walk.

Things have changed drastically for the worse in the past half-century or so. In "The Blackboard Jungle" (1955) and "Up the Down Staircase" (1966) the kinds of behavior that you are exposed to constantly were still uncommon enough to be shocking. If you showed them to a group of students today, they would ROFLTAO. Maybe something will turn things around, but I am not hopeful.

But the Hiskies are looking good.
 
Uhh-make that Huskies, ok. Not Hiskies. I can spell but sometimes my fingers can't.
 
.-.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
167,983
Messages
4,548,298
Members
10,431
Latest member
TeganK


Top Bottom