Why the obessession with spelling/grammar?

[Wingnut]

Whoa! He DOES exist! I'm friends with him on FB.

So there, Pam! I can can be as defensive about him as I want -- he's on Facebook, after all!

[Taldarin]

Consistently making spelling and grammar mistakes just makes you look stupid, so the hyper-sensitive spelling and grammar nazis are probably just trying to save you from looking like an idiot.

[pam]

So there, Pam! I can can be as defensive about him as I want -- he's on Facebook, after all!

Is that kind of like saying..if it's in the Enquirer it's got to be true?

[FunkyTown]

Consistently making spelling and grammar mistakes just makes you look stupid, so the hyper-sensitive spelling and grammar nazis are probably just trying to save you from looking like an idiot.

I would also say that, because the sole way of communicating in this medium is through text, this requires a greater concentration on what you're saying. In Real Life, we judge people on a number of conditions. Try to imagine the following:

1) Someone who constantly, willfully mispronounces something in real life: "Youse guys are AM-swoe. Totally AM-swoe. I'm glad you're letting me extender in to youse guys house."

Now - How would you react to that?

2) Someone who, in real life, mumbles constantly? "Hey, guys. Can you do me a favour and mrbl gumfl the drg mnshoof?"

If someone descends from speaking normally to mumbles, then you will try to get them to speak up.

In communication, an effort must be made by both parties. Since this medium is exclusively text, it is neither wrong nor improper to expect someone to make an effort. In the same way that I would extend the courtesy of not attacking someone in real life for simple occasional grammar mistakes, or request someone who occasionally said something I misunderstood to repeat themselves, I will not attack someone for the occasional spelling mistake.

However, that doesn't mean they have carte blanche to turn their writings in to meaningless gibberish.

[pam]

I realize this is an old thread..but found this article that just opened it up for me again.

I feel like I found kindred spirits in the article:

Typos -- no big deal? Think again - CNN.com

[Wingnut]

I wonder how many times they proofread that piece before posting it.

I had heard about Julia Louis-Dreyfus's star. I'd hate to be the guy who did that, or the guy who didn't pick up on it.

The author mentioned a jumbotron typo, which made me smile a little. When I go to baseball games locally, there's always a reverse typo. Jhonny Peralta plays for the Cleveland Indians. Yes, that's how to spell his first name. Whenever I see it, my first thought is "they spelled it wrong again!"

[annamaureen]

I do find it a bit silly when people get bent out of shape over minor grammar errors. Especially when someone replies to a post/comment just to point our the mistake.

[john doe]

I do find it a bit silly when people get bent out of shape over minor grammar errors. Especially when someone replies to a post/comment just to point our the mistake.

You mean like this one?

[pam]

I wonder how many times they proofread that piece before posting it.

Honestly, that would have been priceless.

[Traveler]

Correct spelling is a recent addition to intellectualism. 200 years ago spelling was not as important as it is today. Those that only know and accept one way to spell a word are arrogant, ignorant and uneducated.

I had the old spelling argument with several English teachers in college. Spelling is way overrated. There are English sentences that are grammatically correct that can be spoken but cannot be written (spelled correctly).

The Traveler

[john doe]

Well, there's one vote for laziness.

[Traveler]

Well, there's one vote for laziness.

If spelling was as viable as mathematics I would agree. Spelling is anything but an exact science and lacks constancy. If there is any benefit added by spelling something correctly other than the self applied pride to those that believe is such things – it escapes me.

The Traveler

[Taldarin]

Correct spelling is a recent addition to intellectualism. 200 years ago spelling was not as important as it is today. Those that only know and accept one way to spell a word are arrogant, ignorant and uneducated.

I had the old spelling argument with several English teachers in college. Spelling is way overrated. There are English sentences that are grammatically correct that can be spoken but cannot be written (spelled correctly).

The Traveler

Maybe if we were talking about "color" vs "colour" I could understand your point, but if we're still talking about general spelling and grammar on the internet, you still look stupid if you can't spell or put together a cohesive sentence that is easy on the eyes.

[john doe]

I'm still confused how someone would claim that asking for correct spelling is ignorant.

[FunkyTown]

Okay, this is really bugging me. I see it here, I see it on Facebook, I see it on blogs, I see it anywhere anyone writes anything about Christmas, and this thread is the most appropriate place to vent about it without singling anyone out.

The person is Santa Claus.

The movie is The Santa Clause.

There is no 'e' in the name Santa Claus.

I used to spell his name 'Santla'.

It wasn't until I heard the Christmas song that I realized I was wrong.

"No 'L', No 'L'. Santa's name has no 'L'."

I'm pretty sure those are the words.

[Blackmarch]

So, I've noticed on the forums that I've belonged to that there seems to be at least 1 person who is hyper-sensitive to people using correct spelling/grammar. Why? I was an English major, yet I realize that not everyone has the same education or even concern about such things. I get a little huffy (usually to myself, rarely in postings) when someone starts picking on someone else because they spell things incorrectly or because the grammar isn't up to red ink status.

I'm just wondering what the big deal is? If I can understand what the person is trying to say, I rarely correct them.

while i'm against folks going out and using gamespeak (think lolcats combined with mega abbreviation for almost everything) or leet on forums... as long as it's decent enough to be able to read and understand it shouldn't be an issue.. not everyone can spell or dictate professionally.

I think once people start nitpicking spelling and grammer it's usually well into a heated argument and they are the path of contention.

Edited May 18, 2010 by Blackmarch

[Wingnut]

I think my biggest complaint is inadequate or inappropriate punctuation. If some uses its instead of it's, I sometimes have to read a sentence two or three times to understand it. Also, if one is speaking possessively but neglects to use an apostrophe, it completely changes (or negates) the meaning of a sentence. Spelling is one thing (my fingernails on a chalkboard), but punctuation alters meaning and creates confusion.