to think you can be educated and have a well paid job even if you post grammatical errors here

[ladygingina]

I do get a lot of personal insaults here calling me stupid, uneducated and doubting I have a well paid job just because of poor grammar and spelling.

Seriously unless I was working as a copywrirer then these skills aren't not really relevant. I do spend more time on official document then I do bashing away on my phone here!

YANBU

grammar insults just show posters to be twats.

Of course it's possible to have a good job and still make grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and typos. In that sense YANBU.

But I disagree with the point that I think you are trying to make in your second paragragh - these skills are still relevant. Your sentance illustrates how grammatical errors can change the meaning of the point you are trying to make.

Hi. There are lots of educated people for whom grammar and spelling don't come easily: I used to go out with a chemical engineer who had yet to master apostrophes. I do think that bad grammar and spelling at work do give an unprofessional impression. (That might be just me as a significant part of my job is checking that research reports are of a publishable standard!). But mumsnet is not work. It's a forum for people to seek advice and express their opinions! And it's just bad manners to comment on someone's grammar and spelling.

and also affect perception I think? Though you are right - should be less important on an internet forum.

x posts nan - exactly what I was trying to say

I think if you're going to comment on the correct use of English on an internet forum, you should be aware of Muphry's Law.

So yes, I agree it's bad manners to pick on someone who is posting on another topic, about their spelling etc. This is an internet forum, surely the content of a post, what we have to say and how we feel, is more important than perfect grammar? Nitpicking is rarely pretty or kind.

So you could be a teacher, a lawyer, a doctor, anything and still misspell a simple word, or split an infinitive, or use a semi colon incorrectly. It's not a mark of one's worth as a human nor indicative of the advice they might give or the opinion they might post.

But on the subject of criticising grammar etc., I think if you can dish it out......

Why are you bothered if you know the truth?

Well, I know lots of doctors who can't write properly...

YANBU

My posts often have grammatical errors in them.

I am dyslexic so do struggle.

At work though I check and double check (and ask other people to check) everything. I'm a teacher and I'm very careful to make sure things are correct for my students.

On here I don't have time (or the energy after a long day) to go through quite as carefully.

I think grammar/spelling etc is very important. It makes me shudder if I get a letter from the bank or school that's not right.

Here, on an informal chat forum? Really, anyone who corrects grammar or spelling is just making themselves look very unpleasant.

OTOH you needing to be appreciated for having a "well paid" job doesn't reflect brilliantly on you either. If you expect your views would be more respected if only everyone believed you are well paid (which is all relative anyway) then YABVU

I think if the correct use of English really does not matter in a job, then so be it. However you are talking from the position of having a job. When applying for a job, it is extremely poor advice to suggest spelling and grammar do not matter, especially for anyone wanting to be a teacher, doctor or lawyer, because your application will probably be rejected if it is littered with mistakes. Grammar is important because it lets the reader know the precise feelings and sentiments of the writer. Do you remember the book "Eats, Shoots and Leaves"? The phrase also could describe a panda; "Eats shoots and leaves".

"A lot of personal insults" I think that's an exaggeration isn't it?

Only one person said anything at all on your knifes/knives thread.

Also I think people who hunt down posters previous threads to make a point on the current thread shows bad taste ........

I have an English degree. I worry when I post on this site that people will pull me up on my grammar and spelling. I do know how to use it correctly, and do so when I need to, helping dd with homework, job applications. However, I've worked in factories since leaving college and don't need to use correct English in everyday life so am out of the habit of doing so. Doesn't make me ignorant just lazy!

YANBU. Wayne Rooney has a well paid job for starters.

One of my aunts is severely dyslexic - she has just retired. She was a Head teacher... You can imagine how pleased she was when spoolchucker came along. Her Christmas cards, complete with family anecdotes, continue to be a source of hilarity. Heaven only knows how she coped with writing reports as a young teacher. I suspect my uncle may have had to take dictation.

Yanbu although pmsl at the spelling mistake in the OP

We can all aspire to be Wayne Rooney then! Maybe Wayne Rooney should be the next Appeal Court Judge or lead our Armed Forces?

It depends on what image of yourself you wish to project and how sensitive you are to other peoples' perceptions of you.

Reading any comment which contains an error, it's not possible to tell if it was written by someone who knows they have made an error and are not bothered by it, or if it's written by someone who doesn't know they have made an error.

Often it's rightly or wrongly assumed to be the latter, which then prompts some to 'educate' the poster. When it's the former who is being 'educated', they become defensive.

I'm genuinely puzzled why people would want to communicate in two different ways, with correct grammar and spelling which they can do effortlessly in some situations then adopt (for want of a better term) a much lower standard for internet message boards.

anotherchapter - I had a brief look at a couple of op's previous threads so that I could get a handle on what she's saying. I've never heard of her before, so don't know whether she gets a lot of personal insults or not re. her spelling/grammar.

I agree with you op, read interesting article the other day, highly educated teacher was saying she feels embarrassed as she is poor at grammar and sp.

Apparently schools totally relaxed standards and teaching of the basics from 80's saying communication was key and getting point across.

left loads of us without the basics.

if someone wants to pick at my grammar and sp I can put them in touch with my primary school and they can try and trace my teachers or get in touch with education sec at that time.

or they could fuck off and get a life

Reading any comment which contains an error, it's not possible to tell if it was written by someone who knows they have made an error and are not bothered by it, or if it's written by someone who doesn't know they have made an error

Honestly, honestly, really...these thoughts do not cross my mind. I assume most people like me just quickly trot out posts.

It never ever goes through my mind why someone may have made a mistake, and what the poster thinks of said mistake.

you think the only job that requires good spelling and grammar is copywriter? Really???

I do work in publishing/media doing various things that require me to have perfect spelling and grammar, but I still think on here things are a bit different. You are joining in a conversation and sometimes you type a bit too fast, don't use the neatest form of words etc., and it's informal so you use an informal style. Also I have a dyslexic child now and that's made me more tolerant too. I can be a great pedant but I would never pull someone up on a mistake on an MN thread – unless they were in the middle of being pedantic themselves!

I have to say I don't like it when I get poorly spelt and written communications from school, or see them in educational places like museums and science centres. It's possible to check and make sure it's right, and I think in those situations, people should.

I'm dyslexic - sometimes I make mistakes with spelling - other times I pick the wrong word from spell checker - as I've read it wrong.

Sometimes I'm busy or tired or replying quickly - and even on prof reading I don't see the errors. Plus my typing ins't great.

Occasionally it on the phone and bloody auto correct creeps in.

I also had 80's schooling so my grasp of grammar isn't as great as I could hope - though have tried to rectify that as a adult.

In my work and education I have always taken steps to mitigate this - but on an internet chat forum I do the best I can.

Yanbu - but people can be picky about anything especially if they are losing the argument.