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Original poster

Appalling grammar influx

114 replies

Schnicklefritz · 03/06/2023 08:22

NC because I am almost certain that I'm going to receive a bashing.

Has anyone else noticed the influx of threads started by posters with absolutely awful grammar? I don't mean mixing up "your/you're" or "there/their/they're". I mean entire paragraphs without full stops, capitalization, "we wasn't/I weren't", "cuz" instead of "because".

Add in standard abbreviations like "wwyd" and "DH/DC", and it makes the posts incredibly difficult to follow and in some instances, effectively unreadable.

It's only the past two weeks or so that I've noticed the increase in these posts. Is it just me?

OP posts:
willWillSmithsmith · 03/06/2023 09:47

Datafan55 · 03/06/2023 09:45

Most of my family are from East Anglia and I've never heard them say we wasn't/I weren't!

I wouldn’t call that a dialect, that to me just seems like bad grammar.

avocadotofu · 03/06/2023 09:45

I absolutely agree!

Datafan55 · 03/06/2023 09:45

Most of my family are from East Anglia and I've never heard them say we wasn't/I weren't!

Fifthtimelucky · 03/06/2023 09:45

@NowZeusHasLainWithLeda

Of course not. And obviously I should have proof-read what I wrote.

But if people constantly hear the same mistake, and see it written down, some of them will not unnaturally assume it is correct.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 03/06/2023 09:44

I don't really mind as long as I can understand. Should of instead of have grates a bit. I do remember one thread that was quite difficult to follow, and everyone was being nice because it was obvious that English wasn't the OPs first language, only it was. That was toe curlingly embarrassing.

Runningslow · 03/06/2023 09:44

Yanbu, but then again I think the grammar of most tv presenters these days is pretty poor generally.

NowZeusHasLainWithLeda · 03/06/2023 09:44

Datafan55 · 03/06/2023 09:42

I just leave those ones too!

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In fairness, those tend to be trolls, so I ignore them as well.

Datafan55 · 03/06/2023 09:42

Usernamen · 03/06/2023 09:29

It’s even harder to understand when the OP has changed details to preserve anonymity (which is fair enough) but then can’t keep up with the changes. 😂

You end up with a thread full of “but you said your daughter was 6, why did you have a pushchair with you” etc.

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I just leave those ones too!

KnottyKnitting · 03/06/2023 09:42

Gtsr443 · 03/06/2023 08:24

we wasn't/I weren't

This is East Anglian dialect. Away with your judgey twaddle.

Dialect is spoken though- not written down. "We was" is incorrect when written down. I suppose it depends on how formal you expect a post to be!

Jourdain11 · 03/06/2023 09:38

I think your completely UR and obviously a grammer snob some people isn't interested in where a full stop goes they just want to talk about interesting currant topics like Phil Scofield I don't understand what you're problem is with that it's always complete possible to read the thread and some people doesnt have access to education outside of London.

Datafan55 · 03/06/2023 09:38

Xrays · 03/06/2023 09:16

Some people may speak with an accent in East Anglia (I live here, I’m originally a Londoner but my two children are born and bred EAs) but it’s still incorrect not to use standard English when you write things. I mean I’m not perfect by any means but there’s no way I would ever write “I drivved” 😳 or any of the other examples given upthread. I wouldn’t be so rude as to pull someone up on it in an unrelated thread (whereas obviously here it’s the subject) but it’s still wrong. I think standards have really slipped. I know I sound ancient 🙈😆

Totally agree.

willWillSmithsmith · 03/06/2023 09:38

I never correct posters grammar or spelling because you just don’t know the reasons why. It could be dyslexia, visual difficulties, unsupportive parents while growing up, all manner of things. Of course if the post is completely incomprehensible then a polite suggestion to clarify is ok. I’ve learnt to not let it bother me. I do correct my own (grown up) kids spelling and grammar when they text me though 🙂

Usernamen · 03/06/2023 09:29

Datafan55 · 03/06/2023 09:23

I agree. I have just come away from another thread as I couldn't make head nor tail of it.

It’s even harder to understand when the OP has changed details to preserve anonymity (which is fair enough) but then can’t keep up with the changes. 😂

You end up with a thread full of “but you said your daughter was 6, why did you have a pushchair with you” etc.

Thesunnymood · 03/06/2023 09:28

I realise that English is not the first language of many mumsnetters, and make allowances for that.

It does make itbit harder to read for some of us.
That said I have appalling number of typos in my posts usually so not helpful as well...

FlamingMadKatie · 03/06/2023 09:25

@Schnicklefritz @Gtsr443 it's not East Anglian dialect.

RampantIvy · 03/06/2023 09:24

LadyOfTheCanyon · 03/06/2023 08:45

It drives me mad.
However.

Lack of a great education/ books/reading/ support from parents has left swathes of the population unable to communicate outside of text speak. However grating it may be, I want them to be able to find support and information on MN rather than feel that it's some kind of middle class club that they are being excluded from.

I agree, but I still give up on the huge, badly punctuated walls of text.

I realise that English is not the first language of many mumsnetters, and make allowances for that. Also, too much wine consumed, typos (I'm guilty of that far too often), local dialect etc can make for some "interesting" posts.

However, the two errors that really grate on me are "should of/could of" and getting lend and borrow mixed up.

Datafan55 · 03/06/2023 09:23

I agree. I have just come away from another thread as I couldn't make head nor tail of it.

Anyotherdude · 03/06/2023 09:19

😂😂😂

Original poster
Schnicklefritz · 03/06/2023 09:19

@Stepupandupagain I said I'm not from the UK. Another poster was from East Anglia, I think.

OP posts:
Xrays · 03/06/2023 09:16

Some people may speak with an accent in East Anglia (I live here, I’m originally a Londoner but my two children are born and bred EAs) but it’s still incorrect not to use standard English when you write things. I mean I’m not perfect by any means but there’s no way I would ever write “I drivved” 😳 or any of the other examples given upthread. I wouldn’t be so rude as to pull someone up on it in an unrelated thread (whereas obviously here it’s the subject) but it’s still wrong. I think standards have really slipped. I know I sound ancient 🙈😆

Silvergoldandglitter · 03/06/2023 09:16

Gtsr443 · 03/06/2023 08:51

Seriously?

This very sensible verb system omits the –s which Standard English has in these forms—it is redundant, after all, communicating no meaning of any kind. One explanation for this streamlined system is that it came about as a result of the ‘invasion’ of Norwich and Colchester in the sixteenth century by the ‘The Strangers’, thousands of Protestant refugees fleeing from religious persecution by the Spanish in the Low Countries. By 1600 these Dutch and French-speaking refugees formed an astonishingly high proportion—about 35%—of the population of Norwich. And of course third-person –s is well known to cause difficulties for foreign learners of English.

Norfolk is also the only place where I've heard "drivved" used as simple past of "to drive".

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I've never heard 'drivved' either.

Heartsnrainbows · 03/06/2023 09:15

Stepupandupagain · 03/06/2023 09:13

Op. If you were born and bred in East Anglia, why would you type capitalisation with a Z?

She's probably got American autocorrect on her phone. Mine defaults to American English and it annoys the fuck out of me.

NowZeusHasLainWithLeda · 03/06/2023 09:14

Purplebunnie · 03/06/2023 09:11

I don't know if it's possible to type posts in Word then cut and paste. Maybe that would help people with dyslexia or poor education?

If it were that simple, I'd imagine education and neurological experts might already have suggested it.

And (although, yes, my students with dyslexia are encouraged to use their computers to do written work, for this very reason) it doesn't change the fact that Mumsnet is NOT an English lesson. The last thing on people's minds is going to be whether their SpaG is correct. Unless, of course, they fear judgement from other superior beings.

Stepupandupagain · 03/06/2023 09:13

Op. If you were born and bred in East Anglia, why would you type capitalisation with a Z?

Purplebunnie · 03/06/2023 09:11

I don't know if it's possible to type posts in Word then cut and paste. Maybe that would help people with dyslexia or poor education?

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