Good grammar on the forums

[Punk-in-Drublic]

I don't agree with it unless ofcourse English isn't the persons native language or they suffer from dyslexia or something.

 

The common misconception between the word your and you're really pisses me off, it's relatively simple.

 

And people who say things like "For the lulz" and "0hai thar", I just don't get it.

[cidamelo]

ooh tripmills you're so sweet !!

[fireguy109]

ooh tripmills you're so sweet !!

This is a cute scene. Cidamelo, I don't know if it's the smilies or your avatar/signature, but something about your posts just makes them fun. Not funny, fun.

 

Anyways, I try to use proper grammar and punctuation. The problem is that I am a cruddy typist, therefore I mess up a lot. When I'm on my laptop it's better because of Google Chrome's spellcheck, but on my desktop...

 

I see grammar errors here all the time, but I don't usually point them out. As long as the poster makes a valid point, it's not a big deal. For example, Narcis does not speak English as his first language. However, because he is always contributing, any errors he might make kind of get swept under the rug by the rest of his post.

 

It's important when you are trying to establish yourself to leave good impression with proper grammar, but once you're a regular people don't seem to care as much.

[Algonquin Assassin]

As long as I can understand it doesn't bother me. I don't expect everyone to write perfect sentences and paragraphs.

 

However I can't stand morons who are simply too lazy to put any effort in and use text slang as a basis. It's even worse when it's someone who's 18+. Even still when said moron gets pissy when people to tell him/her to put some god damn effort in.

 

You would think by that age they would have an adequate grasp of the English language. Of course people from non-English speaking countries are excluded. In fact it's kind of funny as I've seen people from countries without English as their first language write better than some with English as their primary language.

 

If it's understandable and structured reasonably well I don't mind if there are a few spelling mistakes, however if I have to use brain power by trying to decipher a bunch of jibberish I'm more than likely going to think the person is a lazy f***wit.

[Saggy]

I think it's important for effective communication, but some people put the technical aspects of it above clarity. It doesn't really matter if one is "technically" correct if they still cannot understand what you meant, and I think the opposite is true. As long as a person can actually understand what you're saying, you're okay. A lot of the most important aspects of writing such as paragraph indentation cannot be defined by technicality anyway, so if one were to just carry one writing a run on sentence with no indentation it would be perfect as far as the syntax of grammar is concerned but still probably annoying to read.

 

For the most part all this formatting with commas and punctuation and capitalization is really unnecessary as far as I've seen. We seem to be able to communicate very well in all lower case with minimal punctuation. I think most of it really goes back to an era where it was hand written and you needed to be able to add very clear and distinct formatting to ensure people could read it despite the variances in handwriting and writing utensils. We still have quite a lot of archaic remnants of that in writing.

 

For example, the apostrophe is useful to form contractions like "don't" and "can't", but I would bet money the original use was to keep a guy's hand from cramping up when writing all the damn time, and then was just picked up in common speech because we have this penchant for shortening our words. If you look at our modern society though, where most writing is done on a type writer or a computer, there doesn't really seem to be that much practical use for contractions in written language other than to mimic speech. A lot of people will still use forms of contractions while typing just to be more casual or maybe to actually shorten the amount they have to type subconsciously, but you don't often see people actually using the apostrophe because it's a little bit of a waste of time on a computer; for example if I said I was "jammin" no would would complain if I had no apostrophe on the end. The only real practical use it has left is to distinguish between "it's" (it is) and "its" and "you're" (you are) and "your", which are only contractions that were popularized through casual language.

 

A few years ago I saw a very interesting trend that I always thought was peculiar... Instead of saying "It's" or "It is" people were going back to that old-english style of 'Tis. Such as 'Tis a wonderful day to act like a twat... No, I have to admit that even I did it a couple of times. Anyway, I always figured that back when writers were actually using that contraction, it was probably just a way to save time and ink rather than going with the full "it is" or "it was", whereas the more modern it's and other types of contractions seem to be more about mimicking casual speech.

 

Generally speaking, context and clarity is the most important part of speech. Doesn't everyone remember that study they did that revealed a a person could understand written English even if the words were rearranged, so long as the first and last remained the same? So for eaxpmle yuo cuold raed tihs jsut fnie. Though some three-letter words like "you" seem to be understandible even if the last letter is misplaced, but not typically if the first us... So... Tahnk yuo is more legible than Athnk uoy, however if I did write Athnk uoy after you had just said something positive to me or something, you would still understand what I meant by context.

 

Edit

 

Oh, and as a final demonstration as two why "grammar" does not matter for effective communication, I present you with this grammatically correct sentence:

 

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffa...Buffalo_buffalo

Edited July 6, 2011 by SagaciousKJB

[fgcarva1]

 

Do you think a member is more respected and memorable if he uses proper grammar?

Definitely. A member who writes using proper grammar and a reasonable vocabulary sure is respected more than those who don't. At times I make grammatical mistakes but I put effort in such things as spelling and grammar. Posting with appropriate and correct grammar and spelling allows members to be looked upon as mature and serious, not just a 12-year old who writes like if he/she were on MSN (even then I use appropriate grammar and spelling). The member loses credibility when writing in an incorrect grammar, unless of course they are not from an English-speaking background (like me).

[chiginesh]

I don't usually talk with amazing grammar. However, I don't mind if people talk like "gangstas", as long as they don't overuse words.

[DSMTuner]

Like some of the others have said, I don't mind it if their native language isn't English.

 

Usually unless I personally know the person, I tend to judge them by how they type. On Facebook/Texting/Youtube/Social Sites...etc I tend to be in the center between properly grammatical and 10 year old child.

 

However, on forums (such as this) I try my best to form proper sentences, it looks more professional. Occasionally we all make typos, but that's why your browser has spell-check built in!

[Matty]

I think that good grammar on forums is important to a degree, yes. It also depends on the topic at hand, too. I don't mind the abbreviations being used (lol, lmao, wtf, etc etc etc...) in posts, however what I cannot stand is when people spell the word "you" as "u" or "why" as "y", etc. When asking for assistance and/or providing opinions on a certain subject or topic, a certain degree of professionalism is required and not many people are going to take someone seriously when they ask "y dis game not lodeing, pls hlp" or say "i dnt like dis idea becus ..." in a post. Not that many people on this forum type like that, I'm just generalizing.

 

In general though, just so long as I can understand what the user is posting, and that they are not lazy about their post (correct spelling of "you"), then I generally consider it acceptable.

[Chargr]

The most annoying typing was the ones I saw during the Myspace era.

 

"H3LL0 W4T 4R3 UP T00". Some will even go as far as to add a upside down questions mark, exclamation points, percentages, etc.

 

Mixing numbers/letters.

[DSMTuner]

 

I think that good grammar on forums is important to a degree, yes. It also depends on the topic at hand, too. I don't mind the abbreviations being used (lol, lmao, wtf, etc etc etc...) in posts, however what I cannot stand is when people spell the word "you" as "u" or "why" as "y", etc. When asking for assistance and/or providing opinions on a certain subject or topic, a certain degree of professionalism is required and not many people are going to take someone seriously when they ask "y dis game not lodeing, pls hlp" or say "i dnt like dis idea becus ..." in a post. Not that many people on this forum type like that, I'm just generalizing.

 

In general though, just so long as I can understand what the user is posting, and that they are not lazy about their post (correct spelling of "you"), then I generally consider it acceptable.

This.

 

 

 

"i pst on teh forumz bt u dnt lyk rply to meh idk y wat qood iz dat qnna do?"

[Raptomex]

In forums I try to use correct grammar the best I can.

[Chinatown Wars]

Just imagine that you're five and you'll get a cookie for every sentence you do right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wrong? Here comes Mr. Spanky

[Mr White0161]

There are so many people on this forum who naturally have bad grammar, do I hold it against them? In my own way yes. However I do screw up the odd sentence here and there, miss using a word or maybe adding a punctuation that is completely unnecessary. I have seen many people post some really stupid sh*t that makes no sense what so ever, but it's not there fault. Some have better education than others (not trying to sound snotty) but it's true. And that is a fact many of us have to realize, we are not all perfect. Each and every one of us is apart of something that many refer too as the "Human Condition".

[Runey]

I don't expect perfect grammar, and I understand that there are member here whose first language is not English.

 

 

Honestly, as long as I know what you're talking about, I'm fine with it.

[fireguy109]

 

Helo! I'am not poster freqently heare, and english it not verry strong for me, but I want know when in GTA 4 the juice freeze?

The scope of the gun doesn't stay behind the silence!

 

I try explaining:

 

 

In entirely be to at settling facility to shoot the man with sniper. Fruit two watch men you seven share. Needed as or is enough points in time. Miles at smart no many whole when the car is stop.. Extremely depending th shootinge time gentleman improving intention rapturous has of Nikko.

 

Uneasy barton seeing remark happen his has. Am possible offering at contempt my distance stronger than rifle i have.. Attachment of the scope between AK and RPG? Can be possible?

 

Be very sorry for mine englsih.

Sometimes even if the spelling is somewhat close and the gammar/punctuation is mostly right people still can't tell what you're talking about though.

[GTA_stu]

Helo! I'am not poster freqently heare, and english it not verry strong for me, but I want know when in GTA 4 the juice freeze?

The scope of the gun doesn't stay behind the silence!

 

I try explaining:

 

 

In entirely be to at settling facility to shoot the man with sniper. Fruit two watch men you seven share. Needed as or is enough points in time. Miles at smart no many whole when the car is stop.. Extremely depending th shootinge time gentleman improving intention rapturous has of Nikko.

 

Uneasy barton seeing remark happen his has. Am possible offering at contempt my distance stronger than rifle i have.. Attachment of the scope between AK and RPG? Can be possible?

 

Be very sorry for mine englsih.

Sometimes even if the spelling is somewhat close and the gammar/punctuation is mostly right people still can't tell what you're talking about though.

I think the problem was he just used an internet translator, which aren't exactly sophisticated.

[Kriskers]

wut? y is everyne makin bad tings in dis topeek??+111

 

Just joking with you . Of course grammar is important, its a step forward for everyone to understand what you're saying.

[lil weasel]

I don’t know grammar, what ticks me off is English speakers who don't seem to know which words to use:

 

"I donut no wither u can say witch is better using correct grandmar oar like, knot knowing witch words too used wear?"

[fireguy109]

Victim’s are Not Heroes, as Heroes arn't paid, know the dangers, and have a Choice.

Victims are not heroes; heroes aren't paid, know the dangers, and have a choice.

 

Sorry, I couldn't help it.

 

I've noticed a lot of people mess up their commas. I see a lot of examples like "xxx, yyyyy ,zzzzz"

[LuisBellic]

I dont care as long as it's understandable. We're not trying to write a novel. It's defintely important for a concept thread though.

[Levindski]

I'm a pretty big grammar freak, and I used to hold all my friends accountable whenever they made a grammar mistake in speech. I couldn't understand why they got annoyed when I corrected them, since I was merely helping them improve their English, something that would improve the lives of everyone involved: the friend in question, me, and everyone he/she interacted with. But no one appreciated what I was doing, and so I have given up trying.

 

What I absolutely cannot stand, however, is when people overuse apostrophe's, usually when pluralizing thing's. This applies to forums, Facebook, and writing in general. Whenever I see an occurrence, I feel a sudden urge to apply a blowtorch to every inch of the person's body and push them down a waterslide filled with rubbing alcohol.

[WF the Hobgoblin]

I do think it's important to at least try to use correct grammar.

[danjodan]

Well it makes them look more official and I take the person more seriously if they use correct grammar, Its not a big problem tbh.

[Girish]

If you're from an English speaking country and have studied in an all English medium school, then there's absolutely no excuse for bad grammar. Otherwise, it's tolerable.

[GodfatherX]

hey i maed dis tipicz so wee can...

 

 

Do you think a member is more respected and memorable if he uses proper grammar? I personally don't like if a member tries to act 'gangsta' by writing things like ''plz'' instead of ''please'' or ''u'' instead of ''you''.

I believe that good grammar earns respect. Specially in our school. We just stay away from from those who can't communicate in proper english. After all the main language on these forums is English and specially good grammar.

[AnthMUFC-Champs]

Well to be honest i think that if the language is understandable then it doesn't have to be word for word perfect.

[cactus.]

If you're from an English speaking country and have studied in an all English medium school, then there's absolutely no excuse for bad grammar. Otherwise, it's tolerable.

Yeah, pretty much this.

 

Txt spk is what drives me crazy, though, native speakers or not. Just write the f*cking word out.

[SunshineBoy]

If you're from an English speaking country and have studied in an all English medium school, then there's absolutely no excuse for bad grammar. Otherwise, it's tolerable.

Yeah, pretty much this.

 

Txt spk is what drives me crazy, though, native speakers or not. Just write the f*cking word out.

Quite true. English is the best communicable language ever.

[sivispacem]

If you're from an English speaking country and have studied in an all English medium school, then there's absolutely no excuse for bad grammar. Otherwise, it's tolerable.

Yeah, pretty much this.

 

Txt spk is what drives me crazy, though, native speakers or not. Just write the f*cking word out.

Quite true. English is the best communicable language ever.

Quoted for posterity before you have a chance to edit it. "Best communicable" makes no sense at all...

Though I agree whole-heartedly with Girish's original post.