to feel that it's quite nitpicky here these days?

[SherlustHolmes]

I've been a prolific poster on here for seven years under various names (Cod. Lavender. Moldies. Shitting elves. Pirates. That fucking bat.)

In the last few months I've been nipped at for so many things - posting style, choice of words, posting in the wrong place... And today I made a mistake and got pulled up quite rightly but then got pulled up again when i tried to rectify it and didn't do so exactly as one poster had suggested. Their point was valid but it kind of eclipses the issue in question.

I've always loved that Mumsnet posters don't allow inaccuracies and are quick to correct them. And I've always tried to take criticism on the chin. But it's been so frequent recently that I've committed minor infractions of unwritten rules, I feel pretty fed up and got at. In forums I've always tried to ignore or overlook errors - I suppose it's easier to ignore them than to go out of my way to correct people, and for what purpose? It feels like there are plain clothes posting police in here.

Has anyone else noticed this or have I randomly become hypersensitive?

I agree and I'm too scared to post most of the time as some people can be so bitchy

Hmm. I'm torn.

One of the things I love and have always loved about MN in comparison to some other sites (ahem) is the intelligent level of prose.

In the past (I've been here since 04), people would tend to either ignore or appreciate when being told about their grammatical or spelling errors. (Anyone remember Mizidee? Classic example) and sort it out.

I don't want to waste my time reading text speak shit, or paragraphs without punctuation, or terrible spelling. I would rather the site was 'policed' in this way by the users, rather than allowing ignorance to reign free. There's other sites where it's accepted, and that's fine. Those aren't for me.

Personally, I can choose to ignore it and move on to another thread. But recently I've been berated for daring to correct spelling. Very rudely actually, and it's not moving MN in a way I like.

I think people just need to use their common sense when correcting spelling. Sometimes it's a genuine, funny typo = lots of laughter. But someone fleeing a violent relationship probably has bigger things to worry about than punctuation. agree that paragraphs are essential though!

There is a general joylessness around at the minute though. I've only been here a few years but the change is really dramatic. I find myself hunting through AIBU for anything worth reading!

And I agree about the PO thing. I know some people really resent being called that inappropriately but there are a few threads that are just bound to go tits up because someone has used (making up an example) a word like crazy and then been accused of being disabilist. Nobody owns particular words!

Well you can hardly complain about rudeness in response to your own, Juno. You're 'policing' nothing. If people ask you to correct their grammar or spelling then that's different.

Do you need reminding that this is a chatboard? You're not paid to be here, you choose to be, as do I as do others. It is by definition, a waste of time or a pleasant diversion. Nit-picking, arrogant arses make it less pleasant for me and for many people and I will continue to berate people who do it because it's become such a, dare I say it? Common thing.

You can stand your red pen down now.

Time... What's PO please?

lying I think your post there is indicative of the problem. You sound really angry?

Your opinion is that correcting a spelling mistake makes me a 'nit-picking, arrogant arse' (which is very rude), and I personally think spelling mistakes are just ignorance - and I correct them as I would like to be corrected should I make one.

It's a difference of opinion, but notably people have become quite rude about it.

Juno I am glad people get picked up for correcting spelling.

People don't appreciate it.

littlethorin some people don't appreciate it. Some do.

yes, but not everyone likes to be corrected. Perhaps they have had people correcting them their whole life and are thoroughly sick of it?
I have never seen any 'corrected' OP express their gratitude for it.

I do doubt the motives of some people who like to correct others and strongly suspect that it's borne out of smugness and condescension, rather than an online education service.

lying professionally offended. PO for short. Sometimes it is used (IMO) inappropriately where people have a genuine reason to be offended. But recently I have seen a lot of posts where people are expressing outrage over... nothing. Really. Over nothing. It's baffling, derails threads, gets the PO poster lots of attention whilst leaving the OP high and dry and generally adds to the complete joylessness in evidence at the moment.

I haven't seen anyone yet on mumsnet who has.

Not a one.

It's really quite presumptive of you to assume people will appreciate it, as I would imagine some people would find it patronising and even upsetting.

E.g. calling someone with a mental health problem 'crazy' = understandably causes offence.

Saying 'My kid is crazy, he's just eaten twenty biscuits' - then one of the PO lot wade in saying 'Crazy is disabilist I am reporting you to MNHQ' does indeed = crazy!

I'm not angry at all Juno but then posting on here is something I do 'in between'. It is rude to pick up spelling and grammar of strangers and many people don't like it. I wouldn't mind if you pick up on mine, I make many errors, but others do mind it. There seems to be a default now where posters are saying that they're 'dyslexic' when they're picked up on how they're posting, language and punctuation-wise. A thread yesterday had posters jumping on the OP for saying this, stating that she wasn't dyslexic but lazy. I find that really unacceptable.

There are lots of examples of this 'nit-picking' here, Thumbwitch gave an example of it. That OP was all but ignored in the rush of posters leaping on her about her spelling. It's not on.

I think I've stumbled into this thread and made it about spelling and grammar when really it's about thread content, which is different so I'll stop blethering on about it because I've said my piece.

Well, maybe some people are smug and condescending. But that's not everyone's motive!

I've been corrected before, and normally post a thanks! As did many people previously but that's stopped being the majority.

I wonder of the influx of new users over the years has just changed the tone of the site? It used to be very MC, mainly educated/intelligent users. I think that has changed, to be honest.

Thank you, Time, I've been thinking it's "Pissed Off".

...and I don't say it to make digs. I say it because I have seen the results of how people feel in being corrected, being 'got at', in my professional life. I wonder how many people would correct someone when they were talking if that person had a stammer?
I would like people to think before they get their 5 minute buzz by pulling someone up on their grammar or spelling.

There's definitely a lot more hunning going on at the minute and kisses at the end of every single post. It does make the site feel different. Still, I guess sites evolve. People who can't live with it will move on. I just hate that a lot of the humour seems to be missing at the minute!

Time, I agree with your post about 'crazy'. It's not a word in 'ownership' anywhere and yes, I've noticed this kind of thing cropping up quite a lot lately too.

yes the IQ is draining out of the place

Juno... I wonder if what's actually changed is that from one or two people picking up a spelling/grammatical error there are now a dozen or more, posting after the one or two, saying the same thing? There's even a time lag so it is just plain bandwagon-jumping. How is an OP to feel? I'd probably feel ganged-up on.

I personally don't like kisses or 'hun' or 'lol', I try to skip past them or get out if it's too bad.

Things aren't what they used to be... no doubt about that.

tenement there's a big difference between correcting a spelling mistake in written form, and correcting someone with a stammer. They aren't even vaguely comparable.

I wouldn't hire someone who made spelling errors.

When someone starts a thread with something like should of instead of should have you will get about fifty posts one after the other pointing this out.

I just don't understand this.

Sometimes it's a lighthearted thread or someone with a problem, I can't see why fifty people think they need a grammar lesson.

My grammar isn't the best but I come on here for a chat. Not lessons.

I think anyone who uses the forum regularly ends up falling in to the style a bit more, it's usually new posters who throw in a Hun or lol. I quite like a lol but I'm not keen on a Hun.

Do you post on here with a view to recruiting staff then Juno?

Let me tell you why it's a valid comparison- By correcting people, either verbally or on paper, you (not you obviously) can fail to pick up on the substance and the nuance of the content of what someone is trying to communicate. You may find this communication difficult, but it's almost always easy to understand.
In a fast moving thread, this interruption can feel the same. Believe me I have seen plenty of damage done to people because they perceive this help as criticism. Perhaps not the fault of the 'corrector' I know, but it would be good for people to take a step back and ask themselves 'is this advice worth it?'.

no, don't be ridiculous.

I honestly find it odd that it's becoming acceptable to just spell incorrectly and make grammatical errors. Is this just becoming an acceptable part of society now?