Spelling & Grammar Nazis

[cman]

http://iespell.com/

this is the spell checker add-on for ie based browsers

should work with netscape

[Sushi]

I am also a recovering spelling nazi. For years, I would take off on something someone said for comedic effect (also, to humorously point out the error in hopes of correcting their misstep without embarrassing). Over the years, however, it seems to me no one cares as much as I do about how the language is used. Therefore, I don't correct anyone's use of the language unless asked.

I have 'corrected' in chat, but don't anymore. This is because I came to the realization, the rules are different for chat than in a post. In chat, you are trying to get your thoughts out as quickly as possible (those who type, or 'keyboard' well, have a serious advantage here). However, in a post, you have the time to reread what you've written before you hit the reply button. There are some posters here who I will not read because of this.

I believe it is the responsibility of the person 'speaking' or writing to communicate well. I would also say, most of us don't have the time (or the inclination) to wade through what some here write. Of course, I could be wrong. It's been a while, but it HAS happened. For those who do, you are more than welcome to do so. I don't come here to work at understanding someone, I come here to enjoy myself.

(not really edited, was just checking for the spell check button)

Lastly, I know I don't know ALL the rules, but am fairly familiar with most of them. So there. :P

Edited June 25, 2007 by Sushi

[washingtonweather]

like is a verb I thought?

[Belle]

Good posts, y’all.

Yes, the appreciation for good, clean communication seems to have gone seriously downhill and I fear that with this up coming txt msg generation, it’s only going to get worse.

Mr. P-Mosh and anyone else who may be offended by the title of the thread – I’m sorry. I did not mean to offend anyone by using the term Nazi. I do feel the spelling and grammar police here need to lighten up a lot. If you must correct someone, do it privately, better yet don’t say anything and just enjoy the company.

Rhino, yes, some mistakes do make for a good belly laugh, and why not as long as the recipient is of the same humor?

And, yes, thank goodness for Firefox!!

Ham, I agree that the parents have a lot to do with it. It’s a shame more and more parents don’t seem to care much at all about their kids – what they do, who they hang out with – where they go – how they speak, spell or do in school.

George, that’s what I’m talking about. What if I DON’T forgive the fact that you don’t know how to break out quotes and instead of commenting on the content of your post, proceed to give you a lesson on breaking out quotes? ;)

BTW, like Sprawled, those are acceptable as far as my editing experience goes. But, I’m not a professional editor like Linda; I just wear a marketing hat occasionally.

Sushi, that’s the point – we all come here to enjoy ourselves. Most folks don’t come here to learn proper spelling and grammar. Some who frequent the café know the rules but don’t use them online for whatever reason. I’m just as guilty as the next person when it comes to some things. I even like some of the abbreviations and use them – YMMV, IMO, ROFLMAO, BRB, IIRC….

IMO, it’s not our place to “correct” one another, here especially. Like Free Soul said, it’s unsolicited advice. If we don’t like how someone writes we’re certainly free to skip over their posts and, like you, there are some folks I just can’t bear to read because it hurts my eyes and/or I can’t ever figure out what the heck they’re trying to say. Conversely, I suffer through some posters’ writing because the person usually has something really awesome to share.

Because we ARE here to have fun, to heal, to vent and to get away from all the judgmental crap we suffered through in TWI, I just think the spelling and grammar police need to lay off. I know I've spent enough time being told how I'm not up to par. Lord knows I already get enough of it at work where I do need to know those things. I don't come here for that. It takes the fun out of it.

Who gives a rip if someone can or can’t spell "avatar" correctly? How do you know it’s not just a typo? More importantly who gives a rip? Why bring it up when it’s a thread that was just intended to be a little fun and to give folks a chance to share something about themselves? Who cares if you spell something wrong in a post where you pour your heart out regarding something from TWI that affected your life? "I read your post about being raped and forced to have an abortion and the only comment I have to make is.... did you realize you had seven spelling errors and three grammatical errors in that post?" I’m just getting sick of it!

On the other hand, paragraphs are good! :D

OMG, Linda – I never knew “impact” wasn’t a verb! I just edited that last sentence from “….impacted your life?”

[GeorgeStGeorge]

Like can be a verb ("I like chocolate.") or a preposition ("It smells like chocolate."). It is not a conjunction, although it is often used as (note: not like) one. Use as, instead.

George

Also note that when a word is used to represent the word itself, rather than its meaning, it is to be italicized or underlined.

[johniam]

I admit that my mom taught me to speak correctly in some situations; never in front of others though. To this day it does bother me when people violate certain rules of grammar, but mostly I ignore it if I can decipher the message with little strain. I don't always use perfect grammar.

Linda mentioned using 'they' with a singular antecedent. I deliberately do this if I want to conceal the gender of the antecedent; too much bother saying 'that person' or 'he/she'.

Using language is an art, and, IMO, a powerfull ally in giving spice to your message, edifying or destructive. For that reason, it behooves one (again, IMO) to not stray too far from basic rules of grammar and spelling, whether you're communicating like a legal document, or like ee cummings.

[Mister P-Mosh]

Good posts, y’all.

Mr. P-Mosh and anyone else who may be offended by the title of the thread – I’m sorry. I did not mean to offend anyone by using the term Nazi. I do feel the spelling and grammar police here need to lighten up a lot. If you must correct someone, do it privately, better yet don’t say anything and just enjoy the company.

Belle,

I didn't mean to give the impression that I was offended at all, because I'm not. I was just bringing up the nazi comparison as a point of discussion, not as something that I really care about. It just reminded me of the story I wrote.

Also, if we wanted to adapt the "spelling nazi" term to TWI standards, we could call people "kakos spelling devilspirits"

[Belle]

Like can be a verb ("I like chocolate.") or a preposition ("It smells like chocolate."). It is not a conjunction, although it is often used as (note: not like) one. Use as, instead.

George

Also note that when a word is used to represent the word itself, rather than its meaning, it is to be italicized or underlined.

Actually, you're wrong as far as the meaning of what I wrote, George. I don't mean that I write and speak at the same time (e.g. "I write as I speak"). I mean that my writing is like my speech. If you were to hear me speak and then read something I have written, you could hear me saying it.

[washingtonweather]

There are many posters who no longer come here because of the Spelling/Grammar nazi's. I for one have been corrected more times than I can remember.

It kills the heart of people who do not do well in that area. I guarantee those same poor spellers run circles around some of our more perfect spelling/grammar experts in other areas. And yet I would bet they won't (and I know for a fact they haven't) shove there areas of expertise in the faces of those without it.....yet it seems that spelling and grammar are easy targets here...

[dmiller]

For my comment --- please see post number 51, in the Avitar thread. :)

[ChasUFarley]

There are many posters who no longer come here because of the Spelling/Grammar nazi's. I for one have been corrected more times than I can remember.

It kills the heart of people who do not do well in that area. I guarantee those same poor spellers run circles around some of our more perfect spelling/grammar experts in other areas. And yet I would bet they won't (and I know for a fact they haven't) shove there areas of expertise in the faces of those without it.....yet it seems that spelling and grammar are easy targets here...

Sometimes it's not what you say but how you say it that counts.

A gentle correction isn't a problem.

A couple of posters ganging up on someone else and spewing insults about that person's education level is a big problem.

I take issue with the latter of the two and do not welcome those who come in here with a "holier than thou" attitude.

Will someone get more rewards at the Bema because they used spell check?

Will someone get healed faster because they properly used commas?

Those who are busy making fun of others need a different hobby and I'd be glad to give them something that will keep them busy for a long time...

[dmiller]

DUCK TAPE !! Yeah!!

(woops --did I speel that coyrecktly??)

(EFT)

Edited June 25, 2007 by dmiller

[ChasUFarley]

[doojable]

I've always said that duct tape is "the babysitter's best friend!"

[waysider]

Here's my 2 cents:

It is far more important to try to understand the essense of what is being said than to correct spelling, etc.

That doesn't mean it should never be done. Sometimes it is needed to extract the true meaning.

If it doesn't serve a purpose, though, it's probably best to see past it.

I work with the public and hear a lot of accents and mispronounced words.

It's my belief that this subject( accents, etc.) is a paramutation of the subject at hand.

If it doesn't serve a purpose, I try to focus on WHAT is being said.

I find it helps me to think of the person as a child who has something very important to say but lacks the verbal skills to fully articulate.

How would you correct your children? Can you ask leading questions to help clarify the point at hand?

Now--- If'n yer jest talkin' 'bout the person bein' lazy--------- that thars somethin' else. <_<

[Oakspear]

It's rude (in most situations) to correct someone's grammar, however, however proper grammar and spelling makes it easier to be understood.

If you want to be unclear in your communication, why communicate?

[waysider]

Here's a little thought that popped into my head.

If it's rude to correct someone's Grammer,

It it also rude to correct their Grammper?

Just wondering.----------

[dmiller]

Here's a little thought that popped into my head.

If it's rude to correct someone's Grammer,

It it also rude to correct their Grammper?

Just wondering.----------

[coolchef]

if you come down on me for using improper grammer or mis spelling i really don't care to know you

i am not the sharpest knife in the drawer

but in real life i don't have to spell every word i speak

some people have had more education than others

please don't come down on folks who have not had YEARS of education

some of us {including me} have had our education from the real world

with love and a holy kiss blowing your way

[coolchef]

if you come down on me for using improper grammer or mis spelling i really don't care to know you

i am not the sharpest knife in the drawer

but in real life i don't have to spell every word i speak

some people have had more education than others

please don't come down on folks who have not had YEARS of education

some of us {including me} have had our education from the real world

with love and a holy kiss blowing your way

[Bramble]

How you might approach someone makes a huge difference. If you want to embarrass them or shut them up, then its easy to take a cheap public shot. If you want to help someone you see as a friend or loved one, you'd do it a different way.

People are smart enough to be able to tell the difference when someone comes at them with a correction.

If the person has never, ever been kind or friendly to me, then I would suspect the cheap shot.

I have a teaching degree, but I am not a good typist--I work on a 10 key all day, so I experience a little hand fatigue sometimes. I do alot of IM and chat--people get their points across with out perfect spelling and grammar all the time. I notice it but it doesn't bother me.

Busy body reproovers, nit picky people--now those bother me. Who needs that? How does it better anyone's world?

[Linda Z]

Belle, I think you communicate exceptionally well. The only reason I put in my two cents about the "rules" is that I was disagreeing with what Sprawled Out said to GStG.

Another thing to consider re: grammar is context. I tend to stick pretty close to the rules in my job because I work primarily on a peer-reviewed medical journal. On other publicaitons I've written/edited for, which have a much more conversational tone, many rules can be relaxed.

Clarity is a lot more important (IMO) than grammatical perfection. And there's almost no one on here who writes so poorly that I can't figure out what he or she is saying.

Oh, and Belle, impact is now recognized as a verb. It didn't used to be, and diehard grammarians still cringe at the sight of it. The language is always evolving. Some of us get dragged into new usages kicking and screaming, but we get there eventually. It doesn't mean we have to like it.

Here's a trivia question for those interested in words. Do you know how dictionary definitions get changed over the years?

[doojable]

Here's a trivia question for those interested in words. Do you know how dictionary definitions get changed over the years?

By "vernacular usage'??? Meaning that as the language evolves the dictionary defiinition reflects that change.

[dmiller]

Here's a trivia question for those interested in words. Do you know how dictionary definitions get changed over the years?

Neologism??

[Linda Z]

Hmmm, DMiller, I believe that's the result of the process, not the process.

I knew what that word meant (literally), but I looked it up to see what else the dictionary said about it and got a chuckle out of this meaning:

"2 : a meaningless word coined by a psychotic"

Some of the people I worked with on a new dictionary edition definitely fell into the psychotic (or at least REALLY neurotic) category. I'm not kidding. Those of us who felt we were a tad more "normal" were going to write a sitcom about it, but we decided no one would believe us.