So all these pedants who correct posters grammar

[MamaMaiasaura]

Seen posters correcting grammar on here, do they do so in RL situations?

My iPad corrects my postings using rules known only to it. Who am I to challenge it's wisdom.

Do you ever wonder if anyone posts with iphone/ipad-style mistakes in order to pretend that they have one? I know that my "typos" come out very differently on a full keyboard vs on a phone.

lying I agree with you 100%

MN is written communication, so errors that aren't apparent in speech will be rather glaring here, in cold hard type.

People who post aggressively and who insist they are superior deserve to be taken down a peg or two if they make obvious mistakes in their posts.

Correcting mistakes can help people to learn... if everyone ignores errors, how will they ever realise, especially as teachers seem to believe that they should only correct a few errors per page and leave the others in case it discourages children? No wonder we have two generations of people where many struggle with grammar and spelling.

On the other hand, it can be rude, people are posting here in a relaxed manner, or in a hurry, or while doing something else as well, or using their phones...

The dyslexia excuse doesn't ring true, btw, all the dyslexics I know work quite hard at getting written communication right. I bet people with dyslexia are more likely to own and use dictionaries than the general population...

Ultimately I don't think it's as simple as either 'pointing out mistakes is always rude' or 'using incorrect spelling or grammar is always rude (to the reader)'. Sometimes it's worth knowing you've made a mistake, sometimes it's rude to point it out.

(I tend only to point things out very politely when someone is making a mistake repeatedly that might embarrass them in real life - can't think of an example but if they are using a phrase that they've obviously never seen written down - OR when someone is being pig-headed and nasty but has made loads of stupid mistakes.)

What does rile me is when people 'correct' mistakes but are wrong. We had a thread once where someone told someone else off for starting sentences with conjunctions. Typical of the sort of simplified rule primary school teachers tell you, that later on you realise isn't true - akin to science and the fib about 'two brown eyed parents can't have a blue eyed baby'. At least that thread showed the ill-informed person that there was more to it than their primary school teacher had mentioned.

Edam - dyslexia excuse doesn't ring true for you? That's rather harsh.

Oh I see,, edam... so if somebody posts something you don't like or is, as you perceive, 'aggressive', you give yourself carte blanche to pull apart the construction of the post. Who appointed you 'teacher'? What do you do if a poster doesn't offend you grammatically with their post yet still is 'aggressive' in your eyes?

I think you're on a very sticky wicket with Dyslexia and I'd drop it if I were you, unless you have the medical diagnostic skills to back yourself up?

I think it's time that MNHQ put persistent 'correctors' into Pedants' Corner and locked the doors, preventing them from ever escaping...

But if someone is posting in an aggressive manner then picking them up on their spelling seems odd and petty. Why wouldn't you pick them up on being aggressive instead.

And the 'people want to learn' thing is just such a pile of crap. If you want to teach someone why on earth would you not exhibit the simple good manners of sending them a pm rather than castigating them on an open forum like an errant child.

It does cone down to manners. It is a middle class form of bullying, delivered in ever so elegant tones but making sure a thicko learns not to be so uppity.
That is perhaps why I am rarely corrected in spite of having shit grammar and dreadful spelling - because I would have the confidence to call the pedant on being a snarky weasel who picks on an issue where they feel superior because they have nothing else or wit substance or wisdom to add.

Having had a crap education is not a thing which gets turned about by trying harder.
When your confidence has been smashed, when you have been embarrassed in real life situations, the written word becomes a tangle of detail and incomprehensible rules that make you pour sweat over every class note or thank you card or post it. They should be able to post on here without worrying that they will, once again, be laughed at. Because if it wasn't sneery, if it really was helpful, it could be done discreetly.
Some total cunt once corrected a note reminder I had written on my memo board. In front of my children.

Some people find things difficult. Cooking should be simple, just follow the recipe. But it becomes about anxiety and embarrassment and suddenly a simple cup cake becomes impossible. For some writing is like that.

People should have better manners. And a bit more kindness. Intellectual snobbery is as bad as any other form.

I have never been corrected for my -awful- grammar or for genuine spelling mistakes but i have been corrected for typos! On very simple words that everyone can spell !

For example if you type 'i'm sitting on a char' it is obvious that you 've just missed the 'i'. If someone corrects that and makes remarks about education and intelligence i think it says more about her. If English is your first-and only-language and you are so proud to correct a typo like this then.. well...you don't look very educated and you luck sense of humour aswell.

Btw i wouldn't mind if someone corrected my grammar.

I'm afraid i never ever read back my posts and most of times i multitask when i post, i'm not sitting at my desk, on my own, locked in my study, focusing 100% on mn, who does?

"I think it's time that MNHQ put persistent 'correctors' into Pedants' Corner and locked the doors, preventing them from ever escaping..."

Please no! Pedants' corner is a nice part of MN, with very informative threads and helpful posters. It's where the real pedants hang out with the like-minded.

It has no place for those who make unsolicited and often rather shrill corrections. Especially those who are posting to "take down a peg or two".

Totally agree with you Pagwatch and Laquitar and LyingWitch.

I find it totally perplexing when someone says "You are a bitch oh and it's "your" not "you're"" and then says they deserved it because they were rude.

It's just so petty and childish.

I think Edam and Pagwatch both make convincing points.

Agree with PP who mentioned that those who feel it's their place to offer unsolicited educational advice should do so via PM. IRL if I want to pull anyone up for ANYTHING then I will take them aside and do so in private. It wouldn't even occur to me to embarrass them and myself by doing so in public.

Right now i have a full house. My parents chat to dcs in Spanish, dh is on the phone speaking Greek, i'm reading an Italian article and i'm checking the food in the oven. If i type 'rigt' instead of 'right' and someone starts the 'some of us value education' crap i will laugh.

The thing about being a grammar pedant is, it's actually hugely difficult to let mistakes go, even though it might be rude to point them out. It comes with the condition.

I usually just mutter under my breath on here, but sometimes I just can't help myself! Typos are OK, but things like 'should of' are knuckle-clenchingly dreadful to me.

I signed off a Christmas e-mail to my colleagues with, and I look forward to correcting your spelling, grammar & diction in 2012

No, I don't dispute dyslexia exists, I know plenty of people with it, just think sometimes posters are wrong when they say you can't correct because someone may have it. Most dyslexics take extra care with spelling, far more than those who make sloppy mistakes. And yes, I do think it's fair to point out mistakes by someone who is being self-righteous and obnoxious especially if they are calling other people thick.

But am now posting on my phone so have probably made errors in this post!

smarmypants.... It's not a 'condition'. Please don't attempt to excuse your rudeness under cover of a condition.

edam... You don't know whether a poster has it or not, or is typing on a phone or is tired or just lazy or just can't or just won't... or whatever reason. If you pick people up for being self-righteous and obnoxious, fine - the way their posts are constructed is none of your business and to comment just makes you obnoxious.

Actually I agree with correcting someone who is being rude by calling other people thick or ignorant. Because it is relevant.

I am posting on my iPad so have probably made errors in this post because I am thick

Smartypants - but loads of issue make me want to post rudely. But I don't because I am an adult and have self control. Why is being a pedant different to my finding posts knuckle clenchingly dreadful but choosing not to be rude?

I don't think I've ever noticed Edam being obnoxious, to be fair

I am with Lying and Pag on this one, the ones showing true ignorance are not those making mistakes in posts but those who put themselves forward as the grammar kings and queens then correcting them.

When I've needed proof readers I've asked for them and been glad of the help before assignments went in, but wannabe smartarses and failing are just types of posters that do themselves a disservice.

sitandnatter I know it was ages ago but I feel I should point out that I deliberately chose to write out 1,000 and 1 in numerals rather than words. I don't interpret stylistic conventions are rules which must always be followed. I like to split infinitives too.

No. I agree. Edam is not known for being obnoxious. But I am agreeing with Lyingwitch and scottishmummy on this thread so I am not sure of anything at the moment

Pagwatch I meant to be more specific and say it's wrong to correct in public if it's not relevant to what's being discussed. I'm the first one to call someone out if they're being a twatwaffle but to call someone out in public as an excuse to ''educate'' is pompous and distasteful.

Sorry zombi - I was agreeing with Edam rather than picking up on your post.

Ahhh I wasn't sure because I didn't think my post was putting across the right message after reading it. It reads like I'd never call anyone out if they were wrong regardless but that's not what I meant.