Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I notice one common denominator among those who posted here. All but only a few have a very high amount of posts and REPs. Is there a message here? I think so.
While I may be perfect in some things, writing is not one of them. But I'm close enough to pretty damn good to write like a mad dog and keep up with the best of them.
So the saying goes that you learn from your own mistakes. I instead prefer to learn from others mistakes so I don't make them myself. That said I constantly work on getting better and better with my writing. There are a few people who are regular posters that drive me up a wall with so many misspellings that it almost looks intentional. I feel like saying something but that is not proper.
My only defense is that my memory is no where as good as it used to be. I make a lot of typos and yes I have forgotten most of what I learned in school. English was my absolute favorite class, then spelling. I used to be very good. I had at one time hoped I'd be a writer. So I do hope that the errors I make are not something that grate on anyone elses feelings.
The headaches I've had since the mid 1980's have caused me to foget much and be able to concentrate on little. Sometimes I just totally lose a statement or point I was going to make. It is very embarressing and frustraiting, then I shy away from many things.
I have to take issue with your statement on the use of an apostrophe in 1990's, 50's etc. If you are talking about that happened during that period you would be correct. "I went to elementary school in the 50s." If you are talking about something that belongs to that period "I like 50's rock & roll" the 's would be correct, IMHO (not how you really spell "in my humble opinion). I'm glad you're here to get our LOL, IMO, DH, BFF's all correct.
I am an English major. I see so many errors that just irk me, but I have to get a grip and try not to play "teacher" in these forums.
I wholeheartedly agree, and I constantly find myself shaking my head in disbelief at how illiterate Americans really are. Good gosh! But like everyone else, I have to hold my tongue. It's not my place or anyone else's to go correcting other posters. You do have to bite the bullet, and I know it's not easy. I'm with you, and while I'm not an English major or teacher, I do have a great appreciation for this great, but complex, language.
I am constantly picked up for spelling our words such as behaviour with the u, but to me this is the correct spelling and the American spelling looks wrong. I speak and write English English, not American English. There are a few other nuances that are different that I'm sure an American would see as wrong but actually aren't. The only time that obvious grammar and spelling mistakes annoy me is during a supposedly scientific or intellectual debate. When you see a post where the grammar looks as though the writer never went to school then it makes it difficult to take their argument seriously.
In most cases though, if someone is just using a shorthand or there are obvious typos it doesn't bother me one bit. I think people need to relax just a little bit and be more concerned with what the person is trying to say rather than if they are saying it correctly.
I wonder how many people double checked their spelling and grammar before posting on this thread.
When in doubt I usually check my spelling...and when I don't I am usually wrong.
I really haven't picked up the vibe that this thread is about jumping on people who make an error....I think many or most of the posts are by people who enjoy language and who try to use it correctly. I have seen occasions on other threads when someone tries to dismiss a valid point and to ridicule a person because of a typo or a misspelling....that is a non productive and non helpful distraction....but to focus attention on how we use our language.....I think that is worthwhile and fun; at least that is what I am getting out of it.
Behaviour or behavior or theatre or theater.....that really doesn't matter to me.
Last edited by elston; 03-17-2009 at 04:35 PM..
Reason: behaviour/behavior and a spelling error on my part
FYI a bit of knowledge I do have.... Theater is a movie motion picture theater. A Theatre is a stage production with actors etal. My drama teacher was a stickler for that one. the stupid things we recall.
No need to feel like an idiot. People with Dyslexia have spell check on their computer just like everyone else.
A computer does not have spellcheck. Different software has spellcheck such as Microsoft Office. But not all forums have spellcheck (and those that do such as this one, require you install third party software which I'm not prepared to do). Not to mention, not all spellcheck will correct grammar, only spelling.
But thanks for joining in on the patronizing!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
But like everyone else, I have to hold my tongue. It's not my place or anyone else's to go correcting other posters. You do have to bite the bullet, and I know it's not easy. I'm with you, and while I'm not an English major or teacher, I do have a great appreciation for this great, but complex, language.
the stupid things we recall.
