PSA: How to avoid being hassled by grammar nazis

[dullard]

Originally posted by: allisolm
And therein lies the problem. If you write there and mean they're but I read it as their, we're NOT communicating.


HotChic had it right when she said "Better to learn good habits and then not have to think twice no matter where you write."

Allisolm, you had several minor grammar errors in that post. I still understood exactly what you intended. I probably have several errors in this post; and yet you can understand this post. Thus even with minor grammar errors, we did communicate. Most people are intelligent enough to gloss over minor grammar errors and still get the communications through.

Most of the time the grammar nazis come out on Anandtech (1) because they don't like the poster or (2) because they can't come up with a counter argument in a debate and turn to personal attacks instead. Those grammar nazis should reconsider. That is all I'm arguing.

Yes, people can and should speak and write properly. But the best way to avoid grammar nazis is for grammar nazis to see the errors in their own behavior. Fixing the grammar doesn't fix the root problem (superiority complex, angry and agressive moods, or whatever the problem) that the grammar nazis have.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: HotChic
In response to your bolded statement, it's an overall lack of caring that generates mistakes in both work and communication, in the group of folks I'm talking about.

I have some coworkers with dyslexia who can't spell to save their lives. They do suburb work in their main tasks. However, there is a large population who simply don't care enough to be professional in their communication or their other work.

The question for those that fit into neither category is this: which group do you think people will think you are a part of when they get misspelled and ungrammatical business communication?

I'm not defending laziness, I'm just saying too much gets made of simple spelling and grammar mistakes in terms of applying them to a person's entire character. But not on a resume. On a resume, it's not a typo, it's not a grammatical error, it's a callous disregard for your one opportunity to make a true first impression.

By the way, I hate suburb work, the commute is killer.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: HotChic
In response to your bolded statement, it's an overall lack of caring that generates mistakes in both work and communication, in the group of folks I'm talking about.

I have some coworkers with dyslexia who can't spell to save their lives. They do suburb work in their main tasks. However, there is a large population who simply don't care enough to be professional in their communication or their other work.

The question for those that fit into neither category is this: which group do you think people will think you are a part of when they get misspelled and ungrammatical business communication?

I'm not defending laziness, I'm just saying too much gets made of simple spelling and grammar mistakes in terms of applying them to a person's entire character. But not on a resume. On a resume, it's not a typo, it's not a grammatical error, it's a callous disregard for your one opportunity to make a true first impression.

By the way, I hate suburb work, the commute is killer.

Superb catch.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

SERIOSLEY THANK U FOR POSTNG THES AND REMINDNG US TAHT MOST OF US RILLY SUK AT COMUNICATNG ONLIEN!1111! WTF LOL IT RILLY PISES MA OF WH3N I R3AD A S3NTENC3 TAHT LOKS LIEK IT WAS WRITEN BY A 12-YAAR-OLD AOLER!!!!!! OMG LOL

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel
SERIOSLEY THANK U FOR POSTNG THES AND REMINDNG US TAHT MOST OF US RILLY SUK AT COMUNICATNG ONLIEN!1111! WTF LOL IT RILLY PISES MA OF WH3N I R3AD A S3NTENC3 TAHT LOKS LIEK IT WAS WRITEN BY A 12-YAAR-OLD AOLER!!!!!! OMG LOL

Actually, any twelve-year-old can best you at written communication.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel
SERIOSLEY THANK U FOR POSTNG THES AND REMINDNG US TAHT MOST OF US RILLY SUK AT COMUNICATNG ONLIEN!1111! WTF LOL IT RILLY PISES MA OF WH3N I R3AD A S3NTENC3 TAHT LOKS LIEK IT WAS WRITEN BY A 12-YAAR-OLD AOLER!!!!!! OMG LOL

Actually, any twelve-year-old can best you at written communication.

You can learn too!

 

[ForumMaster]

use FF or Opera with Aspell and learn to use spell check and to double read you posts?

 

[MrBond]

Originally posted by: ricochet

:laugh:

"Lose" vs "Loose" s/b added on the list as well. One is the opposite of winning, the other describes my ex-girlfriend. Well, okay, they both describe my ex.

I'm honestly worried that this will become so bad that it'll be acceptable to use either word and let context sort it out.

I'm guilty of stupid grammar mistakes myself. Once I typed an entire paper and instead of "trial" I typed "trail". Preform/perform is a common mistake too, but that's not something a lot of people would do. In my industry, it's hard because "preform" actually means something and I type it a lot. In fact, I haven't taught it to my spell checker just because it makes me double check to make sure I didn't mean "perform".

Then there's the whole "data is a plural noun" thing. I think that just looks weird when written out as a plural word (ie: "the data are shown in the graph", not "the data is shown in the graph"

 

[theprodigalrebel]

Originally posted by: ForumMaster
use FF or Opera with Aspell and learn to use spell check and to double read you posts?

Intentional?

 

[IceBergSLiM]

GET A LIEF!11!!1 LOL UR GONA LOSE UR HARE AND GIEV UR S3LF ULCARS WORYNG ABOUT INFORMAL WRITNG ON A PUBLIC FORUM!!!1!! LOL

 

[broon]

to vs. too.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Whose vs who's

Loose(er) vs lose(er) -- That one kills me

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: MrBond

Originally posted by: ricochet

:laugh:

"Lose" vs "Loose" s/b added on the list as well. One is the opposite of winning, the other describes my ex-girlfriend. Well, okay, they both describe my ex.

I'm honestly worried that this will become so bad that it'll be acceptable to use either word and let context sort it out.

I'm guilty of stupid grammar mistakes myself. Once I typed an entire paper and instead of "trial" I typed "trail". Preform/perform is a common mistake too, but that's not something a lot of people would do. In my industry, it's hard because "preform" actually means something and I type it a lot. In fact, I haven't taught it to my spell checker just because it makes me double check to make sure I didn't mean "perform".

Then there's the whole "data is a plural noun" thing. I think that just looks weird when written out as a plural word (ie: "the data are shown in the graph", not "the data is shown in the graph"

Yeah, that one took a little while for me to get used to as well. It makes sense conceptually, but for some reason, it just sounds wrong.

 

[FeuerFrei]

Guess I missed this thread earlier.

My POV says that if they haven't mastered the basics of spelling and grammar, there's no way I will assume that they are truly competent at anything requiring any brain power. If you don't know how to use your native language ... what DO you know?

Of course seeing a person trip up on basic crap does make you feel superior. Not that you should rush to judgement over one small goof on an internet forum.

 

[Steve]

I could care less

Actually, it bugs me when people type layed instead of laid, even though I think both are acceptable.

 

[alkemyst]

your messing a question mark in the subject.

 

[Steve]

PSA: "Women" is not singular

 

[HardcoreRobot]

people smart enough to understand the content of your post aren't the ones making the mistakes

it's a lost cause