To think that pedantic grammar policing should be abandoned on here?

[Enoughreally]

There are plenty of people with very valid questions and opinions that seem to be slated from the very minute that they post. The only objection I have is the lack of paragraphs in an OP,that renders me cross-eyed.
Surely, if everyone can actually understand what is written,there is no need for constant correction (intimidation) of new posters. It would be good if some character could be allowed to shine.

I actually think the paragraph thing is rude too.

Someone posts for help and they get a barrage of "I'm not reading that. It's got no paragraphs" or "I would have helped, but it's got no paragraphs" or actual sneering.

If someone is in a state, then it is natural that their words and thoughts come tumbling out. Just as you might speak in a rushed, jumbled fashion if upset.

To choose to have a go about the lack of paragraphs is no different from responding to someone's distress by saying "It's access, not acess."

I'm not saying that you are one of those awful people who dismiss someone's distress and choose to instead sneer about the lack of paragraphs, btw, just pointing out that there's no difference between being pulled up about paragraphs and being pulled up about other grammar (or spelling)

YABU because there is no "pedantic grammar policing" going on.

I can't stand bad grammar and spelling - I make no apology for that.
And text speak has no place on here - it makes posters look thick.

Proud do you think it's OK to make fun of someone because they can't spell well, or because they haven't been trained well in grammar?

Thank you for posting this. I agree entirely and I too read that thread that I think you are referring to last night and was upset by it. I thought the references to Jeremey Kyle were cruel and insulting and then the various comments and ridicule of the grammar, spelling and use of terms in her post was bullying and hurtful. So, she referred to a 2 1/2 year old as a baby. My "baby" is 2 1/2 and I often call her that. I thought her reference to her as a baby showed a kindness and a love for her DSD rather than ignorance.

I stopped reading when one poster commented that she hoped the OP didn't speak like she wrote. How rude. She didn't come on the thread to be insulted for her poor English, which may be as a consequence of many things beyond the OP's control, she came on to get advice. Instead what she received (certainly at first anyway) was a barrage of judgemental opionions from people that had no understanding about her relationship and lifestyle but seemed very happy to jump to certain conclusions that the OP was forced to reguarly deny.

When someone is posting for support, and instead of support they get sneered at, someone looks awful - but it isn't the one looking for support. It's the person who can read someone asking for help and respond with a sneer about something so unimportant to their issue.

And I am not saying that you personally have a go at someone who is posting for support, because of their spelling or grammar. I am speaking generally.

To be fair to the majority of MNers, the ones making rude remarks were very much the minority on the aforementioned thread. I did a quick count about 8 hours ago; there were 133 messages and only 12 were not supportive.

Most people will look beyond the grammar if it is a serious issue and help is needed.

Re the paragraphs - it's not "sneering" to want people to put breaks in their long posts. It's a useful thing to do because it makes it easier to read and to get the general drift. I don't care if the paragraphs are arranged according to grammatical rules of new subject matter in each new para or not - I just want some line breaks so that I can see where I am.

It illustrates the point of why such things are worth doing - it's all very well to condemn people who can't be bothered to read the post because of its layout, but wouldn't it be more useful to the poster if people COULD read it easily and then be able to get on with answering it rather than just moving on to something else - this place has a lot of posts - why make yours the one that people can't easily read?

I wish people on here would stop indulging in such massive chips on shoulders about reasonable use of language.

I am Ms Grammar Pedant of PedantyTown but would never, and have never, pulled someone up on their poor communication skills.

I've never seen the people who hang out in Pedants' Corner (who, from what I have seen, by and large, are people who just love language, the use of language etc, rather than being any form of grammar police) pull anyone up, on any thread, about their English.

The posters whodo do that are just sanctimonious snobs and I'd like to see them come over to Pedants' Corner for a lesson in not only correct use of English, but basic good manners.

Anybody who puffs themselves up proudly as an arbiter of spelling, grammar or anything else, is just a moron. There's no need for it at all and it's disruptive to a thread to have somebody blethering on with a critique that most don't want to read.

A long post without paragraphs is difficult to read, admittedly, but I'll either bother to read it or I won't. It's not for me to make sneery comments - nor anybody else either.

I wouldn't venture into Pedants' Corner because I'm not interested, but there might be one or two who are and they should perhaps be restricted to posting there after a warning here?

It's all about communication though. Since we are all behind computers, it is imperative that we use good enough English to be understood. Call me a snob but I DO judge ppl hu rite lyk dis, and who don't use paragraphs.

HengshanRoad... Judge all you like but, if you believe that your views on somebody elses grammar and spelling matter a whit then you're sadly mistaken. Some posts make me wince at the way they're written but I wouldn't dream of commenting, it's just rude.

Given that spelling and grammar are essentially social convention and constantly change in any case, how can there be any 'good' or 'right' form?

I like the pendants.

I am learning and re-learning long forgotten rules of grammar.

On the other hand, sometimes I think SOME pendants aren't doing it to help or enlighten or even voice their annoyance, sometimes they're just doing it to make the OP look stupid... I don't like that.

I actually think, if anyone started a thread in PC saying "oooh look at this linky to this really badly written OP" yada yada, they would be roundly jumped on.

There are general threads in PC where we all say "ooooh my hat what is the world coming to, all these whippersnappers with their textspeak" but I've never seen criticism of real, singular posts/threads.

MrMan, that's not grammar, that's philosophy.

And

aldiwhore I suppose then that Pedants' Corner is a place you enjoy reading and posting then. It's not acceptable for posters to be picked up (and some continually are) on their spelling and grammar and general syntax. It's pointless and disruptive and possibly makes the poster cross or feel diminished. It's nobody's job to do that, not on a chat board and only the self-satisfied and pompous would feel the need to do it.

I wonder if Vampire weekend wrote this for MN :)

"Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma?
I've seen those English dramas too
They're cruel
So if there's any other way
To spell the word
It's fine with me, with me

Why would you speak to me that way
Especially when I always said that I
Haven't got the words for you
All your diction dripping with disdain
Through the pain
I always tell the truth"

And by the way, I can spell just fine - its just the @£$% iPad that amends it capriciously. Honest :o

Oh right - diction, grammar, spelling equals posh, sneering and nasty.

I have pedantic tendancies. I like to get things right and I like to learn something new every day. I cannot understand the mentality that thinks that being corrected is a form of intimidation. I am grateful for instruction, not resentful.

Well done to those of you who are empathetic enough to see past a poor writing style but I'm afraid that I can't be bothered. If some stranger on an anonymous forum wants my attention then they need to do better than a difficult-to-read rant. However, I tend to walk by on the other side rather than voice my pedantic thoughts.