At the risk of sounding older than I am - does anybody else think spelling/punctuation is a dying art?

Sometimes I have to laugh at the things that eaither appear on this site or make it into print. People have no idea what they're actually saying!

I think we should all be able to share the joke, so post your favourite examples here:

This is my recent favourite (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23657&highlight=loft+ladder)

sure is Strix - as you will note from a hot topic this morning - spelling and grammar seem to be given less and less importance in schools these days - my kids dont get their spelling mistakes corrected in writing at school - I was told that its what is put that is important - not HOW. Annoys me more and more when you see official signs /notices etc that are wrong too - the kids are learning from this and thinking it's right - and don't get me on txt spk!!!!

So do you have some nice juicy examples of WHY it's important MsB?

(Couldn't agree more with your comment on school work. My brothers are much younger than me, and their uncorrected work was shocking - but that's probably because the teachers cannot spell either, these days :suspect: :rolleyes: )

Being dyslexic I can't stand it when people use it as an excuse for not being able to spell. In order for someone to call themselves dyslexic they should have a confirmed diagnosis.

Dyslexic people can spell extremely well it just takes us longer to learn to spell and we have to discipline ourselves to proofread what we have written.

Just off out with mi dogs to try out one of these dog-friendly food pubs I saw in another thread so can't right now but take a look at the thread of The Forums very own Richard Branson aged 17 for a start (and its not ALL dyslexia).

Tee hee - why do I now find myself checking for punctuation and grammatical errors in all my replies...?:hihi:

i think a lot of people forget about punct and gram as they get too excited when replying. it just comes out too fast!!

Originally posted by NatalieSheff
i think a lot of people forget about punct and gram as they get too excited when replying. it just comes out too fast!! Yeah, but you can spot the difference between a typing error, or hasty laziness and downright poor education.

Anyway - anybody got some glaring examples?

Despite my occasional spelling errors - my by now world famous 'teh' rather than 'the' - I actually do believe that reasonable attempts at spelling and grammar are crucial if you want to get a point across.

If you fail to use paragraphs, have repeated spelling errors, poor grammar or use text abbreviations all the time, then people soon get tired at trying to make out what you're saying.

And whether it's justifiable or not, you can come over as appearing to be an idiot.

I appreciate what's said about the ideas spilling out, but it's still worth taking time to bring them under control!

Joe

This is one of my personal bugbears too. Have you read 'Eats Shoots and Leaves'? In it, Lynne Truss tells us IT'S OK to be fanatical about punctuation!
Hurray!
A garage on Abbeydale Road has a sign saying "MOT's here"
Does that mean a man called MOT is in there?
Let's unite and form a Grammar Forever society!

Originally posted by Strix
Sometimes I have to laugh at the things that eaither appear on this site or make it into print. People have no idea what they're actually saying!
I agree, I don't know what they think they're up to "eaither".

:blush:

Originally posted by foo_fighter
I agree, I don't know what they think they're up to "eaither".

:blush: Oops! :blush:

I don't mean typos though - I mean stuff like the link I posted, where people are adamant they're right and it doesn't matter.

Originally posted by Strix
Oops! :blush:

I don't mean typos though - I mean stuff like the link I posted, where people are adamant they're right and it doesn't matter.

how can "eaither" be a typo??? the letter "A" is nowhere near the letters of "neither"

Originally posted by Robbie_Lovin
how can "eaither" be a typo??? the letter "A" is nowhere near the letters of "neither" Well you have to stick your fingers into the keyboard on a notebook, coz they don't stick out like a normal key board, so I've obviously caught the A with my little finger.

My worst problem is the combination of buttons I keep catching on the other side - they automatically delete a whole line of text from my post, but I've not managed to suss which ones do that. :mad:

I despair of seeing grammar/spelling mistakes in this country. Misuse of apostrophes is the thing that annoys me most yet the rules are quite simple. It will only get worse as the younger generation are no longer taught proper English at school.

I work at the university and the number of lecturers and people with PhDs whose grammar is appalling is shocking!

As a sideline, has anyone noticed that the majority of people seem to think the letter 'h' is pronouned 'haitch,' rather than 'aitch'? I get really annoyed when they try and correct me.

In the main, I will dismiss people's comments that have poor spelling, grammar and punctuation.

It annoys me, when I see sloppy, slapdash work with poor English.

Alex

Originally posted by Longshanks
As a sideline, has anyone noticed that the majority of people seem to think the letter 'h' is pronouned 'haitch,' rather than 'aitch'? I get really annoyed when they try and correct me.

Ooh this reminds me of school...

"There's no haitch in aitch".

Quite right!!

As a sideline, has anyone noticed that the majority of people seem to think the letter 'h' is pronouned 'haitch,' rather than 'aitch'? I get really annoyed when they try and correct me. [/B]

Yes, yes YES!! I thought I was the only person who knew about that!

Some people actually write and EVEN talk in the 'txt' language.

That really irritates me.

I have a mobile phone, and to save time when sending a text I do write in some 'txt' language but I would never write like that normally or speak it!

Originally posted by IanMitchell
Some people actually write and EVEN talk in the 'txt' language.


I have to admit to occasionally saying 'wtf' or 'ffs' with certain friends. But I can assure you it is done with adequate irony, so as to be funny...

Honest! :heyhey:

Originally posted by IanMitchell
Some people actually write and EVEN talk in the 'txt' language.

That really irritates me.


i used to have a boss that said "this is v, v, vv, important natalie". That got on my nerves. I notice how everyone is trying to use correct grammar on this thread haha!

Yes, yes YES!! I thought I was the only person who knew about that!

It's one of my bugbears too, feels like the equivalent of fingernails on a blackboard.

Something else I tend to notice (although it doesn't grate as such) is when people break the "either or , neither nor " rule.

I make horrendous typos when I use msn though. Spaces in the wrong places & anagrams rather than words with letters in the right order. I think I'm at the point where all my buddies are people who can deal with the mental work out that comes with reading with my typing :blush:

As far as Robbie's point goes about Strix's typo - I don't think it matters whether the letters are near to each other on the keyboard at all. It's more to do with intent. If Strix really thought "either" was spelt "eaither" then she'd be guilty of poor spelling. Otherwise it just counts as a typo. Do other people define typos that way or is this just me justifying the mistakes I make due to poor keyboard skills ?

Originally posted by Strix
Oops! :blush:

I don't mean typos though - I mean stuff like the link I posted, where people are adamant they're right and it doesn't matter.
It's cool Strix, just noticed it and thought it was ironic.

Oh, and I definitely believe you about it being a typo'…

…honest. ;)

Originally posted by foo_fighter
It's cool Strix, just noticed it and thought it was ironic.

Oh, and I definitely believe you about it being a typo'…

…honest. ;) Well, as it's one of my 'over-used words', any doubters can inspect the 2,873 times I've used it on these pages by clicking my 'search' button :D

I thought it was funny too, Foo, when you pointed it out :hihi:

This thread's got all heavy.

I'd hoped for a humourous look at some 'bloopers'

Sorry Wallbuilder, but this made me chuckle!

Originally posted by WALLBUILDER
I've found a few nice pubs doing food purely by accident. How do you do food 'by accident'? :hihi:

I've noticed that quite a few people put 'as' instead of has, they seem to leave off the 'h'. I once met a bloke who thought hash, as in corned beef hash, was spelt ash!

This thread's got all heavy.I'd hoped for a humourous look at some 'bloopers'

I offer an almost constant stream of them on msn Strix although some would be inappropriate for a family forum like this :|

I did cause Beckb some consternation recently though when I declared I'd be rotting for her instead of rooting for her...

can we use errors in sytax too Strix? - such as...

And does anybody know where we can take the dog to watch the footy? (premiership matches, mostly)
;)

Originally posted by msbehavin
can we use errors in sytax too Strix? - such as...

And does anybody know where we can take the dog to watch the footy? (premiership matches, mostly)
;) Okay, I'm defeated. I can't spot the joke there - unless I've just asked if I can take the dog to Anfield :confused:
Or are you commenting on the 'chatty' style I often adopt when posting (like here, starting mid sentence)?

am merely being pedantic but all in good humour - sounds like you are taking the dog to watch it - rather than WITH you. My dogs prefer Corrie anyway...;)

Originally posted by msbehavin
am merely being pedantic but all in good humour - sounds like you are taking the dog to watch it - rather than WITH you. My dogs prefer Corrie anyway...;) Ahh, well he does watch it. He embarrased us when he was a pup, by adopting Beckham (Man Utd then) as his favourite player. He sat on the couch copying the moves with his paws. He thinks the game is all about playing for the corner though!

Originally posted by christine
A garage on Abbeydale Road has a sign saying "MOT's here"


The apostrophe denotes one or more missing letters - in this case "ransport".

In order to avoid making so many typos, I bought an ergonomic keyboard. It now takes me 3 times as long to type anything and I have to proof read every line!

Originally posted by tslogf74
The apostrophe denotes one or more missing letters - in this case "ransport".

In order to avoid making so many typos, I bought an ergonomic keyboard. It now takes me 3 times as long to type anything and I have to proof read every line!
Erm, I don't think that's what is meant in this case.

The missing letter in "that's" is a "i", as in "that is", or in the case mentioned it would be "MOT is", which is wrong. That's the point that was being made.

If it was to replace letters as you suggest, it would be written M' O' T's, not right I think you'll agree.

I must confess I was joking in this case.

I find the misused apostrophe as annoying as the next man (it just looks ugly), although I get a bit bored of people constantly going on about it. No offense to anyone here, but whole websites exist to lambaste frivolous apostrophe use.

I find using the wrong gender in French or Spanish to be a much more heinous crime, although I'm by no means fluent in either.

Originally posted by tslogf74
I must confess I was joking in this case.

I find the misused apostrophe as annoying as the next man (it just looks ugly), although I get a bit bored of people constantly going on about it. No offense to anyone here, but whole websites exist to lambaste frivolous apostrophe use.

I find using the wrong gender in French or Spanish to be a much more heinous crime, although I'm by no means fluent in either.
OK, you got me, shouldn't have been sat here taking the world so seriously should I.

D'oh !

:partyhat:

PS Couldn't find a more appropriate smiley, that's me in a dunces cap.

Originally posted by Strix
I think we should all be able to share the joke, so post your favourite examples here:
[/URL]

I don't because one day you just might upset someone feelings without fully realising their circumstances. I can take a joke, but not at someone else’s expense.

Originally posted by Moongarden
Being dyslexic I can't stand it when people use it as an excuse for not being able to spell. In order for someone to call themselves dyslexic they should have a confirmed diagnosis.

Dyslexic people can spell extremely well it just takes us longer to learn to spell and we have to discipline ourselves to proofread what we have written.[/URL]

Apart from stating the obvious in the first paragraph and then I don’t see what your point is, there are many scales of disability of being a dyslexic. Just because you have mastered it doesn’t mean others will ever, no matter how hard or often they try.

Well! Who got outta bed the wrong side?

Surely anything posted here would be something that was already available for public viewing, and therefore to be admired by us all?

And I'm the one under most scrutiny already, but I'm not objecting :suspect: :hihi:

I agree with the 'haitch' thing. It does my head in too. It's similar to people arguing about whether you should say "I'll see you in AN hour" or "I'll see you in A hour". They think they're all clever thinking they understand the rules of grammar!

Another pet hate of mine is the old "There/They're/Their" thing. Also "Past/Passed" and "Here/Hear".

Moan over. Feel free to trawl my posts and critisise my spelling and grammar!

Originally posted by BoroughGal
Moan over. Feel free to trawl my posts and critisise my spelling and grammar!

[I]Last edited by BoroughGal on 11-01-2005 at 02:47 AM
Reason: Argggghhhh! Spelling mistake!![I]


Ooh, absolutely priceless. LOL.

:hihi::hihi::hihi: