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 you can't have your cake and eat it too. English is perhaps unique among languages in that gratuitous deviations are permissible. The great Argentine writer Borges always writes in English. "You can't do that in Spanish!", he exclaimed to Paul Theroux, when discussing some satisfying turns of phrase in his poetry.
So if we want a language that tolerates poetic license, we have also to tolerate the unintentional manifestations of the same phenomena.
I'm reminded of the cartoon of the angry customer wielding a returned purchase to a shop called "Kal's Kwality Korner". The speech caption read "You call this kwality?"
I agree with you Case! But, I'm just a forty something year old nutty buddy. I remember when "reading was fundamental." The basics were reading, writing, and arithmetic. Does anyone emember practicing their penmenship in cursive? People on here say they don't like to read, it's boring, writing is boring, the writing forum is boring, and on and on. I am thoroughly convinced that when books become obsolete and textspeak replaces writing, society is doomed, and the end is most certainly near.
Apathy is right. If you read through the forum, you'll see many people who actually express that they don't care to check over their writing, not even once, because it's just a bunch of strangers on a forum. I think many people here misspell on purpose too! It's hard for me to take posters like that with any seriousness at all.
Misspellings~Does anyone remember those two hiker guys that went around to some U.S. National Parks and fixed numerous spelling errors on the signage.
Very few young people continue to read after they graduate from high school, college, etc. Most of them only read what's required.
That's one place you'll find misspellings (or, as I sometimes call it, shallowness), but it may amaze you that there are other places where you'll find mistakes. Hotels, service stations, city government guides, ads (Oh, yes. I have seen tons of mistakes!!), and even school websites. They're out there, in person or online. I mean, often. More than you or anyone realizes. Regarding the restaurant, when you put together a menu, you've got to know not just what you serve, but also a few things about what you serve to your future customers. Spelling plays a huge role. This country has gotten so complacent with learning and applying that it's just sickening. Even sadder is the general attitude of many folks: apathy. We've accepted this and that's why we're going down the toilet really fast. I've concluded a long time ago that, as a nation, we just stink at understanding our own English language. Not mastering. Understanding. I do applaud the individuals who do understand and know the proper usage of English and have taken the time to apply themselves in their everyday lives. We need more people like you. We can master the language later; first, we have to understand it.
When people put text together for things like menus and ads in order to organize them, could it not be the wise thing to do to check your work before submitting it? People do judge you by the words you use whether you like it or not. We need to learn new things every day. Learning and understanding your language enriches your life.
Oh, that word about stupidity? I echo that and wholeheartedly agree. That's America in 2010.
Doesn't amaze me at all--I've seen them! Ooooh, forgot about the school website, why did you have to remind me? Thankfully, my daughter graduated high school last year and I don't have to feel that pain anymore!
I agree with you Case! But, I'm just a forty something year old nutty buddy. I remember when "reading was fundamental." The basics were reading, writing, and arithmetic. People on here say they don't like to read, it's boring, writing is boring, the writing forum is boring, and on and on. I am thoroughly convinced that when books become obsolete and textspeak becomes the norm, society is doomed, and the end is most certainly near.
Apathy is right. If you read through the forum, you'll see many people who actually express that they don't care to check over their writing, not even once, because it's just a bunch of strangers on a forum. I think many people here misspell on purpose too! It's hard for me to take posters like that with any seriousness at all.
Misspellings~Does anyone remember those two hiker guys that went around to U.S. National Parks and fixed numerous spelling errors on the signage.
Very few young people continue to read after they graduate from high school, college, etc. Most of them only read what's required.
Those were the days, weren't they? I believe they ended the moment some grade-schooler dared to ask the teacher, "Does spelling count?" Previously, a question like that would've generated the same horrified reaction as Oliver Twist asking for more gruel. (A literary reference that probably sails right over the head of today's so-called students).
Or how about when people say, "the house was robbed" instead of "burglarized"? A house itself cannot be robbed.
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.
I do applaud the individuals who do understand and know the proper usage of English and have taken the time to apply themselves in their everyday lives. We need more people like you. We can master the language later; first, we have to understand it. 
