To think Talk Guidelines should...

[sassysally]

.. ban grammatical, spelling, punctuation pedantry.

Often people will quote a bit where it looks like Autocorrect has gone haywire, and say "OP can you clarify this bit - whose birthday is it?" without saying "bloody hell this is scarcely English" at the same time.

It is regrettable, although perhaps inevitable, that a well set-out OP with plenty of white space, correct punctuation, and no spelling errors will attract more helpful comments than a stream of consciousness with autocorrect "help" and obvious typos, even before you take into account occasions where the OP's English isn't first rate.

The paragraphs (or lack of) put me off even reading a thread unless it's one that has leapt off the screen at me.
Putting the text in paragraphs makes it a whole lot easier, but shouldn't warrant a sneery post.

I was once the first reply to a very incoherent, long, agonised OP, with no paragraphs and virtually no sentences. I explained that it was quite difficult to understand and asked if OP would like me to tidy it up for her. She/he said yes, so I copied and pasted it, sorted it out and posted it. OP said thanks and thread carried on sensibly. However that wasn't late on a holiday night!

Thanks cardibach. Very interesting.

My first ever post on here was ripped into pieces by the spelling police and I was embarrassed enough to feel the need to explain I have a brain injury and neurological disorder.

And a few months ago someone did it,I could not see the mistake and they did not say what it was just pretty much called me thick so asked on the thread what the mistake was and it was a left off apostrophe. Rather oddly the poster who called me thick made several spelling mistakes in the post where she took the piss out of me for not using an apostrophe.

I was secretly pleased when quite a few posters pointed it out and called her a rude fucker.

When an OP has poured their heart out, typing through tears and the first answer is - 'Have you heard of paragraphs?'

Yes that's just nasty. Also, along the same lines 'I can't read that as there are no paragraphs'

If I struggle with a post for whatever reason, I just close the tab & move on.

Yes, good idea OP

Yanbu

I couldn't agree more. It's embarrassing when posters ignore the OP's post just to say "It's They're not there or some other pointless bullshit.

It just smacks of people wanting to belittle others. Vile.

I've been rightly and wrongly called all sorts on here and it's water off a ducks back to me but once a relatively well known (and normally nice) poster ridiculed me for a grammar mistake and I felt quite humiliated.

For a site that preaches tolerance about many issues it seems very odd that abusing people because of their literacy skills is acceptable.

YANBU. I suffered a very bad concussion last summer and did not fully recover for months. I look back at some of my posts from that time period and they were not always coherent. I feel lucky I was never ridiculed for my mistakes. I would have been devastated. It would be my hope every poster would feel safe from ridicule because of spelling or grammar.

There is at least one good reason that good spelling and grammar (as opposed to text speak) is desirable. And many less good reasons. (probably a big mistake language wise)

However if one derails a thread on spelling or grammatical mistakes, then one is a dick. If you choose pedantry over substance, take it to Pedant's Corner. Do not allow your issues to stop anyone seeking advice or friendship their say.

You cannot recommend taking it to Pedants' Corner.

Before PB, that was often recommended, and there were subjects which were perennials there. These are now deleted as TAATS.

So either it's a return to comments on the thread (which would be a pity), or it is utterly taboo. Which of course means that the gentle chuntering (for Pedants' Corner was a nice place, as those who have ever been there will know) that helped keep 'standard' English as MN norm is now lost. (The concept of 'standard' being much discussed there already, of course). The posters there were simply not the same group as those who pick on tangential matters to be rude in other topics, but are now it seems assumed to be offensive.

The dominance of AIBU over topics is spreading. But if that's what newbies want, it's what MN becomes. I've noticed several topics wither in the last few months. It's a pity.

Pedants still discuss the same things - if you wait a decent interval and don't flag it up as a TAAT (eg making the title "musings on homophone errors" rather than "should of again - argh").

It's been useful to split Cunning Linguists away from Pedants too.

The dominance of AIBU over topics is spreading.
Yes. AIBU is the first port of call for all sorts of subjects that would be better received and answered in their proper forums - Relationships, Facebook etc.
I did suggest to MNHQ that a note above this section with links to some other Topics might be useful, but nothing came of it.