Too much to ask? I think not!

I have been noticing the declining state of overall grammar and spelling on the internet over the years. It's getting worse and worse. While I realize that internet communication has evolved into its own "dialect" of sorts, in which punctuation and abbreviations are used to infer tone, emotion and intention, it still does not explain the gross amount of typos and improper word usage that I see every time I read something. It isn't limited to just ATS, it is everywhere. EVERYONE makes typos from time to time, and that's not what I'm addressing. What I'm talking about is the overall lack of attention to what is actually being put out there. Is it laziness? Is it lack of education? What is it? It's not hard to notice the bright red line that appears under a word that I've misspelled, so I'm wondering why so many overlook it.

In addition, the shift key is there for a reason. I realize that few people have taken formal typing classes, but it doesn't change the fact that proper capitalization and punctuation helps the reader understand what is being expressed. Seeing lower case i's, when they should be capitalized, is a distraction. When I see posts in all lowercase letters with little to no punctuation, I instantly know the age bracket of the person who is posting.

Also, I am struck by the lack of accuracy in expressions. Most people can't tell you where the expression came from, let alone relay it properly. Half of the words are either wrong or misspelled, while the person manages to convey only a portion of what the expression was originally formed to mean.

I say all that to say this - this might JUST be the internet, where nobody knows your name, nobody knows you, and nobody really keeps you in check. But I implore everyone to take pride in yourselves. You are what you write. You are what you say. If you write half-baked posts, (regardless of content, because you will never make everyone happy 100% of the time), misspell word after word, convey partial thoughts, use run-on sentences, etc., then what are you saying about yourself?

No one is expecting perfection, because no one is perfect. Those who are struggling with English as a second language, kudos to you - this does not apply to you. To everyone else, laziness and apathy is hardly an honorable trait, regardless if strangers are reading your posts or if friends and family are reading. Don't take pride in your words because *I* said so - do it for yourself, because people will respect you more when you care enough to make an honest attempt to use your language properly. It tells people you care enough about THEM when you've taken the time to put together a well thought-out post. While most people don't consciously think this when they read one, they may in fact think you DON'T care enough about your readers when you don't.

Hey shut the hell up the new episode of Survivor is on!

Originally posted by Socratic Method
Hey shut the hell up the new episode of Survivor is on!

Was that supposed to be funny?

Just checking....



And I agree completely with the OP, by the way.

reply to post by ziggystar60


T0 ech one hise own.

Originally posted by Socratic Method
reply to post by ziggystar60

 

T0 ech one hise own.

edit on 9-11-2010 by Socratic Method because: (no reason given)

Well, THAT was funny.

Still aggre witt teh OPP tho.

Nothing can be done about it. Checking programs ensure we don't need to know how to spell etc... and people are too lazy to learn how to do it themselves, and a question could be why should they bother?

Better to use spell check and not worry about spelling than spends hours checking your work when you could be spending your time chasing rainbows and eating moon pies, which is certainly preferable.

With google we don't even need to think or ask questions of people anymore really, in fact for most people it's better to not think and just google it.

We may regress to the point where all we can do is grunt at each other, but as long as the message is understood I don't see a problem, even if your spelling and grammar is perfect, you will not be perfect all around, so how can you expect others to be?

reply to post by _Highlander_


As I said before, perfection is not the goal. No one is perfect. It is not about my expectations either, regardless if I can understand the message or not. Maybe this is one of the generational differences, I don't know. One's language use to be revered - an art form to be learned, practiced, exercised and perfected like a martial artist would discipline himself to his craft. A PRIVILEGE in and of itself, if you were fortunate enough to learn it. The mysteries of language would reveal itself in the process. Who even knows that about their own native tongue anymore? Where it use to be common place, it is now a rare find to read an elegantly formed passage that strokes the imagination and primes the spark of inspiration. (That last sentence took a little bit of thought, and while it is not extravagantly profound, I wrote it to make a point.)

Again, this isn't about what I think. I am more concerned about why others don't consider their own words and language more carefully. Do people not understand that words, whether written, thought or spoken, are the creative force in the universe? If people are writing crap, then crap is what they create. I mentioned earlier about taking pride in our words, but really, it goes much deeper than pride. This is about wisdom, and understanding. I'd venture to say that we can equate this with giving loaded guns to babies to play with - they know not the power or capabilities they possess until it's too late.

See 4th circle.

Plus what I have to say can't wait for proofreading ... it's just that damn important!

Meh, if a choice is to be had I'd always pick substance over technique. But I do appreciate when folks take the time to present their thoughts with attention to detail, it often reflects on their ability to present a cohesive expression. (caveat being that english is their first language and old enough to be expected to spell and conjugate correctly)

Having said all that there are a significant amount of intellectuals/writers/philosophers/etc who have made a fine living effectively saying nothing in a beautiful and perfectly structured way ... a couple of members do that too.

The way I see it is, Internet posts aren't an exercise in formal written English they are more like a conversation and people tend to write in a conversational style. I'm sure that if most posters were writing an Essay or a Book they would write completely differently.

Having said that though my grammar is just atrocious both on and off of the Internet, I have tried to improve it over and over again but it never sticks.

reply to post by davespanners


I didn't mean to imply that it SHOULD be formal. I think folks could start by at least getting their homophones straight from time to time. I love minimalism just as much as a beautifully constructed poetic form. Not everyone is gifted that way. But I'll go back to restate that it is important, I feel, that people should care about what they put out there, regardless of how informal the situation might be. The reasons are many, but overall, as I said before, words are powerful.