Banned for Wanting Grammar!

[Coolgamer]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

What do you mean it doesn't matter? You would expect someone born and raised in America to speak English. How many all Spanish schools do you think they have? Even if a child was taught predominately a different language they are still going to be around English since they were very little (if raised in America). So it does matter.

You had my support until you brought that argument into play.

[sonic-fast-fingers]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

You should expand on your vagueness. Why would state something like that with no reason behind it?

[~kitty~]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

I remember someone telling me (quite a while since then) that the reason you should have grammar mandatory in the forum, and not the chat room, is because you have time to think between posts, go back and check. As for a chat, you type your message in before it's too late, so it's not necessary to have grammar and spelling at its best in chat.

I know you don't absolutely have to press the "post" button after typing a horribly structured sentence/paragraph (or whatever you typed).

If I make errors, I didn't intend to. No one should be trolled at for not knowing. If you do not believe in what I say, I do not care. It's not really my responsibility to make sure everyone believes in/understands what I say every time.

[Coolgamer]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

You should expand on your vagueness. Why would state something like that with no reason behind it?

Because you remind me way too much, with that statement, of the jerks I've seen that want to kick out anyone who doesn't speak English and ONLY English.

Now, your original idea (English boards should have proper grammar) is okay.

However, here's a true example. I post on a lot of German boards. They know I don't speak the language well, but they don't ban me when I mess up. They have somewhat more tolerance for those without the native language experience.

Not everyone on this forum speaks English as a first language, but you can understand them well and they are, for the most part, fairly intelligent.

Leave the languages out of the mix. If someone's typing badly to be an asshat, then it's a problem.

Examples:

OMG wld u look at da 4cast 4 2day?

Ą @|\/| 7ĽpĄ|\|9 7|-|Ą§ Ą|\| Ł337 70 b€ @|\| @§§|-|0Ł€.

[Bynary Fission]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

So let me ask you this: do you mind when all of the hard work you spent studying and all the hard work you put into writing the answer on an exam in school comes back marked wrong? Doesn't that feel like an insult? Why not? Because you're wrong.

There is a difference between being wrong (and learning from it) than getting corrected for small mistakes that don't really mean anything. Making a mistake is on your end - the person who says you got something wrong on a test isn't trying to insult you. Getting corrected, however, can come off as just that, especially when it's an insignificant grammar/spelling error in an internet forum.

Making one little grammatical mistake doesn't lead to several more severe mistakes. Unless you actually don't know the mistake you're making, in which case you might need a little correction, then it's not really worth mentioning. I'm prone to making typos or small grammatical mistakes, but it's usually an oversight on my part, not a mistake that's going to exponentially get worse over time.

That's the thing. You might only get one chance. If you lose that one chance because you wrote "could of" instead of "could have", wouldn't you feel like an idiot?

Of course. But correcting somebody isn't going to help unless it's a chronic issue - most of the errors I see are one-off things. But if somebody doesn't see the importance of using grammar and thinks "tpng l1ke dis cuz u no itz c007 2 me" is acceptable everywhere, it's obvious he won't learn it the easy way - the only way for some to learn is to make the mistake. Let them do that instead of trying to intervene, because they probably don't want your help.

Yeah, I stopped capitalizing and ending sentences on AIM. I still put commas, apostrophes, and all the other marks in there, though.

I have a slightly different reason. People were taking me too seriously on AIM. I'd be scaring away anyone who talked to me very quickly. I wish I knew why proper sentence structure scares away people, but that's the way it is.

There is a bit of psychology behind it, actually. It's difficult for me to put it exactly in words, so I'll try and explain it from my point of view.


People who use proper grammar in forums are often seen to be mature/intelligent/educated. Whether this is true or not is besides the point.

But when they use it something as casual as an IM or general chat, they can come off as either

a) Imposing/Intimidating, somebody who you don't want to mess with
b) An uptight, overly correct asshole
c) A close minded intelligent dick, or
d) All of the above

I'm not going to pass this off as fact, but this is true for 99% of the cases I seem to encounter to SOME extent.....I know I do this as well. I make sure I don't act like the person some may see me as. But, given the way you (used) to act on the forums regarding grammar, I can't say I blame people for not wanting to talk to you.

I'm not trying to rescue you from mistakes and I'm not trying to make you feel bad about yourself for making them. I would have 3 years ago before I wrote that grammar/spelling rule. Now I try to do it subtly so that you don't really notice it but the message still sinks in so as to avoid mistakes in the future.

Why do I do it, then? I've been in college for over four years now, and every class I've had involving post-college discussions has mentioned that you can lose a job you're more than qualified to have by making a single mistake on your resume. You can lose all the respect you have at this position by sending out an e-mail with a major typo.

While it's alright to point out mistakes, it really isn't your place to go around fixing them/correcting people, whatever it is that you do. This goes back to your AIM conversations: people don't just go and think you're an asshole for typing properly for no reason, unless they happen to be ignorant and judgmental. I notice you have improved a lot in what you do, but that reputation can linger - and you can sometimes be excessively harsh in what you say even now. That can haunt your reputation for a long time to come.

Besides, I know I wouldn't want to be corrected by somebody who had a reputation for doing it to others.



~Bynary Fission

[Chrissi]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

tl;dr

Your signature is xbox hueg.

[unclejeffrocorey]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

"sonic" is complaining about improper grammar, but he doesn't have his screen-name even capitalized.

Yes, i'm aware that mine is not either, but I'm not complaining about people and there freedom to do as they wish.

[Beethovens mask]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

~Kitty~

1. annoying
2. gay name
3. ewww
4. ugly avatar
5. no respect
6. weird
7. omg i didn't know you could make lists

[tsugomaru]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

plenty of words

I don't know about you, but I like it when people correct my mistakes. Especially when I'm wrong. I don't want to go around sounding like an idiot, I'm pretty sure no one does. Anyone who thinks that people who correct others are crazy have too much of an ego to admit that they are wrong sometimes.

~Tsugomaru

[sonic-fast-fingers]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

"sonic" is complaining about improper grammar, but he doesn't have his screen-name even capitalized.

Yes, i'm aware that mine is not either, but I'm not complaining about people and there freedom to do as they wish.

This is in the top three dumb replies in this thread.

Someone's username is entirely different than talking in a thread. There is no comparison between the two besides the fact they they contain letters and numbers symbols and words. **Double Palms**

[Squeek]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

Making one little grammatical mistake doesn't lead to several more severe mistakes. Unless you actually don't know the mistake you're making, in which case you might need a little correction, then it's not really worth mentioning. I'm prone to making typos or small grammatical mistakes, but it's usually an oversight on my part, not a mistake that's going to exponentially get worse over time.

That's just the thing. I read hundreds of posts a day. I know when someone makes chronic mistakes. That's what I help fix now. Three or four years ago I was the asshole who would fix any mistake. That doesn't happen anymore.

People who use proper grammar in forums are often seen to be mature/intelligent/educated. Whether this is true or not is besides the point.

I've said many times now that I'm actually incredibly stupid. I cover for it with spelling and grammar. Do you know how many people on FFR think I'm smart just because of my spelling and grammar, despite saying multiple times that I'm not? It's almost unnerving.

While it's alright to point out mistakes, it really isn't your place to go around fixing them/correcting people, whatever it is that you do. This goes back to your AIM conversations: people don't just go and think you're an asshole for typing properly for no reason, unless they happen to be ignorant and judgmental. I notice you have improved a lot in what you do, but that reputation can linger - and you can sometimes be excessively harsh in what you say even now. That can haunt your reputation for a long time to come.

Besides, I know I wouldn't want to be corrected by somebody who had a reputation for doing it to others.

You're the exception, not the rule. Nobody else I've corrected has said "haha ok that's annoying stop it". Ok that's not exactly true, but the only person who did say that changed his ways.

[Magewout]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

All the people I talk to from Belgium use lots of emoticons. Not that it's bad or anything, that's just an observation.

And by "all of the people" I mean one other person.

I must find more Belgians on the internet and verify this hypothesis.

Well IRL I'm a very sarcastic person, and most of what I say is meant in an ironic way. When talking to friends using MSN I'm kinda forced to indicate whether I'm being serious or not, and it has become a habit to do the same on forums. We rely heavily on non-verbal signs.

@Squeek: I'm not going to quote your whole post because the pages get stretched out for me and it's annoying to keep scrolling, but here's my reply:
I completely understand your point about writing formal letters, in a formal context, but alas, the internet is mostly informal, and therefore you can't really blame people for abbreviating their words.

If someone's grammar gets messed up because they're used to typing everything wrong - well let them learn it the hard way. Keep in mind that the internet population that uses MSN and/or browses forums is between 10 and 20 years old. Most kids that age are stubborn. Chances are that the only thing they won't do when you correct them, is to type in a correct way. Correcting kids has the opposite effect of what you're trying to achieve.

You'd think people are smart enough to know that when writing a formal letter/job application/resumé(sp?) you should present yourself as perfect, including perfect spelling etc. If they aren't, they don't deserve the job anyway.

[Squeek]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

My whole point: I can't imagine why you would want anyone to think you're less intelligent than you really are over something as trivial as shortening words. Even if I didn't make it a rule, public perception would remain.

[Magewout]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

My whole point: I can't imagine why you would want anyone to think you're less intelligent than you really are over something as trivial as shortening words. Even if I didn't make it a rule, public perception would remain.

My whole point: except in a formal context, 99% of people won't be bothered by shortening words and won't think less of you. Especially if you're on the internet.

[Grandiagod]

Re: Banned for Wanting Grammar!

On forums I definitely think less of people who type retarded, and as we all know my opinion is the only one that matters.