sparkeh Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 Including this one. Ah yes. I am out the club before I even started
powdarrmonkey Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 Ah yes. I am out the club before I even started out of the club. Although strictly you can't be out before you're in, either.
RingOfFlame Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 Have you nothing better to do? This is a forum not a dictionary. So what if some people make a mistake? Members may post in a rush when they have an urgent problem, or in between jobs. Others may not have the literacy skills that some of you have, but may well have the answer to a problem you are experiencing. This is a forum for Techs not Librarians. Maybe a good name for the group would be members with a superiority complex. 1
creese Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 Have you nothing better to do? This is a forum not a dictionary. So what if some people make a mistake? Members may post in a rush when they have an urgent problem, or in between jobs. Others may not have the literacy skills that some of you have, but may well have the answer to a problem you are experiencing. This is a forum for Techs not Librarians. Maybe a good name for the group would be members with a superiority complex. Maybe we should start a group called 'Now where did I put my sense of humour?'
sparkeh Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 (edited) out of the club. Although strictly you can't be out before you're in, either. So did I mention how it's the content and meaning of the post that is important! Edited March 25, 2010 by sparkeh Bad grammar
elsiegee40 Posted March 25, 2010 Author Posted March 25, 2010 Have you nothing better to do? This is a forum not a dictionary. So what if some people make a mistake? Members may post in a rush when they have an urgent problem, or in between jobs. Others may not have the literacy skills that some of you have, but may well have the answer to a problem you are experiencing. Pedantry takes different forms. Re-read your post As it says in the group description Just for fun This is a forum for Techs not Librarians. Maybe a good name for the group would be members with a superiority complex. Being pedantic, some of us are Techs AND Librarians; me for a start! Although, I'm only qualified as a tech... The librarian bit comes with an enthusiasm for reading; unless English Language and Literature O'Levels (Grades A and C respectively) count?
LeMarchand Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 I'm in! As much as I believe in Mr Fry's point of view that language should be allowed to grow and evolve... the sheer scale of laziness that is forcing this change is my pet irk. The written language is based in the idea that it helps us develop speech patterns, with some punctuation to denote pauses and others to denote emphasis. Without a good understanding of this then we lose so much. Exactly! I can't abide it when (mainly on other forums I frequent) the resident "so right on it hurts" members trot out the "language is evolving" argument (usually in perfect English!). Yes, it is evolving, but surely if the change is caused by laziness then it should be considered to be devolving? I think you should have your own sub-forum so everyone else can ignore it ;b When I first got on the net almost 20 years ago, the still significantly academic consensus said grammar/spelling pedantry in forums i.e. largely conversational places, was bad netiquette. Have you nothing better to do? This is a forum not a dictionary. So what if some people make a mistake? Members may post in a rush when they have an urgent problem, or in between jobs. Others may not have the literacy skills that some of you have, but may well have the answer to a problem you are experiencing. This is a forum for Techs not Librarians. Maybe a good name for the group would be members with a superiority complex. I thought the point of the group was to keep such discussions out of the main forums? So I regularly end up editing after posting. Me too! Another thing to remember is that for people who English is not their first language, reading poor grammar and spelling will be a lot more confusing than it is to us. They won't know the nuances of our language to the extent that we do. I don't think anyone is criticising those people, but I was under the impression that most here are native English speakers. The worst/most annoying "English" I have seen is a member on another forum who posts in an unintelligible "Ali G" argot that must surely be an affectation, but who gets upset when people ask for clarification.
LosOjos Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 Have you nothing better to do? This is a forum not a dictionary. So what if some people make a mistake? Members may post in a rush when they have an urgent problem, or in between jobs. Others may not have the literacy skills that some of you have, but may well have the answer to a problem you are experiencing. This is a forum for Techs not Librarians. Maybe a good name for the group would be members with a superiority complex. It's just a bit of fun, I'm sure a lot of my posts display some truly awful grammar, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it
korifugi Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 Correct grammar and punctuation are important for emphasis and making other people understand your meaning... Apologies to all, but I'm going to delve a little into slang (Or a more relaxed way of speaking) to demonstrate my point... Right: "That is a cool-ass hat!" Wrong: "That is a cool ass-hat!" See? Without the correct use of punctuation our meaning is totally de-railed and our meaning misunderstood. 2
Popular Post LeMarchand Posted March 25, 2010 Popular Post Posted March 25, 2010 Correct grammar and punctuation are important for emphasis and making other people understand your meaning... Even correct use of capitals can transform a sentence. Imagine what people would think if this didn't have capitals: I helped my Uncle Jack off a horse. 7
korifugi Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 Even correct use of capitals can transform a sentence. Imagine what people would think if this didn't have capitals: I helped my Uncle Jack off a horse. Thankyou - I now have tea in my nostrils!
elsiegee40 Posted March 25, 2010 Author Posted March 25, 2010 Thankyou - I now have tea in my nostrils! Me too!
localzuk Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 I don't think anyone is criticising those people, but I was under the impression that most here are native English speakers. Ah, you missed my point. I wasn't talking about the writing abilities of non-English speakers, I was talking about the importance of using correct grammar, spelling and punctuation for non-English speakers to read. Much like the use of slang, poor grammar and the like can confuse someone who doesn't speak the language natively.
GrumbleDook Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 (edited) While I'll agree up to a point I will repeat what I've said several times over. It's the content and meaning of what is being said that is important - not the method in which it is being said. While spelling and grammar is important it is secondary to the message. I know I can't spell for toffee and I'm sure I've used more than the odd punctuation mark in the wrong place. But really, I don't care! So long as you understand the meaning of what I type I can't see as being of that great an importance. Sorry. (actually, I'm not that sorry - just trying to be polite ) Don't be sorry ... though you have a very valid arguement. For those who have watched Trainspotting *&* read the book then you can understand how the structure of the structure of the language is important to the content ... but this is the exception rather than the rule and works because Mr W is a fantastic author who understands language. He would not get away with what he does if this was not the case. You can take it to music too. I still laugh every time I hear clips of Les Dawson playing the piano ... but that is because I have also heard him play some significant pieces of music. He got away with it because he knew how to deconstruct. There is a difference between a pedant and someone with a love for carefully crafted language. However, language being bastardised due to ignorance or laziness is another matter. The forced changed for marketing purposes (eg consistently using only lower case with no punctuation) or the forced change because it is 'easier' (eg councils deciding to drop the apostrophe from street names / signs) means that people get mixed messages and struggle to decide for themselves about language. If we allow forced changes like this then do we risk generating the double-speak which Winston fought against in 1984. Edited March 25, 2010 by GrumbleDook
creese Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 As posted in the thread that started this group. 'I went over it with a fine tooth-comb'. It's a toothbrush! or a fine-toothed comb as in a comb with fine teeth.
tmcd35 Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 geþéode bret ofer bearhtmhwíl (old english apparently )
KWestos Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 Therapy That should have had an "!" or a "?" at least - ha! ha!
elsiegee40 Posted March 25, 2010 Author Posted March 25, 2010 I know it's eduGod's thread, but... http://www.edugeek.net/forums/general-chat/53170-just-brought-new-car.html
creese Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 (edited) It was a mighty fine tooth-comb. My dentist tells me to use a brush. I looked in Boots and there is no sign of a tooth-comb. Edited March 25, 2010 by creese
LeMarchand Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 I looked in Boots and there is no sign of a tooth-comb. You have to get them specially made. I believe that when you are as hirsute as Robin Williams they are something of a necessity.
tmcd35 Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 I know it's eduGod's thread, but... http://www.edugeek.net/forums/general-chat/53170-just-brought-new-car.html Well that just settles the argument then - I'm right, you're all wrong. If you don't believe me then I have God on my side
beeswax Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 (edited) These very forums spell check your every post in US English, am I the only one who thinks that US English is just lazy English?! Sure, some of the spellings make more sense on the face of it, but grammatically they're breaking the rules! Color?! What the hell is color? Oh, you mean colour, well then why didn't you say so?! [/rant] US English is not lazy English, but simply another branch of the language which devloped along slightly different lines. There are words commonly used in the USA, such as "whinney", (our equivalent being "neigh") which were traced back to two small hamlets in Norfolk where they were in common use in the 1600s. I believe the Founding Fathers (I'm sure Ring of Flame can correct me on this) also made a decision to rationalize the language by making changes to words which ended in "re", for example, such as theatre, which they changed to theater. A political statement of intent and a declaration of independence. What annoyed me about seeing English (US) at the bottom of a Word document when I was a governor of a primary school was firstly how it hit the confidence of the pupils when they were spelling words correctly, only to be told they's made a mistake, and secondly, that whoever had installed the OS was too lazy to correct this for the British market. Edited March 25, 2010 by beeswax shoddy English
elsiegee40 Posted March 25, 2010 Author Posted March 25, 2010 US English is not lazy English, but simply another branch of the language which devloped along slightly different lines. There are words commonly used in the USA, such as "whinney", (our equivalent being "neigh") which were traced back to two small hamlets in Norfolk where they were in common use in the 1600s. I believe the Founding Fathers (I'm sure Ring of Flame can correct me on this) also made a decision to rationalize the language by making changes to words which ended in "re", for example, such as theatre, which they changed to theater. A political statement of intent and a declaration of independence. What annoyed me about seeing English (US) at the bottom of a Word document when I was a governor of a primary school was firstly how it hit the confidence of the pupils when they were spelling words correctly, only to be told they's made a mistake, and secondly, that whoever had installed the OS was too lazy to correct this for the British market. On the subject of US V UK rationalise!
tmcd35 Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 I like this poem... Eye halve a spelling chequer It came with my pea sea It plainly marques four my revue Miss steaks eye kin knot sea. Eye strike a key and type a word And weight four it two say Weather eye am wrong oar write It shows me strait a weigh. As soon as a mist ache is maid It nose bee fore two long And eye can put the error rite Its rare lea ever wrong. Eye have run this poem threw it I am shore your pleased two no Its letter perfect awl the weigh My chequer tolled me sew. 1
tech_guy Posted March 25, 2010 Posted March 25, 2010 Even correct use of capitals can transform a sentence. Imagine what people would think if this didn't have capitals: I helped my Uncle Jack off a horse. I'm still laughing over this one!
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