Grammar and spelling (both irrelevant derailing and pedantic threads)

[TheEntertainerr]

Just read a couple of threads and need to rant.

1. There is no need to pull other posters up on spelling and grammar. It's irrelevant and derails the thread. If you disagree with a poster, it's okay to disagree with them. Disagree and state your point of view. If you understand what they're getting at, there is no need to pick them up on spelling/grammar. The motives are clear, you've taken a dislike/disagree and trying to score a petty point, in order to validate your belief that you're better/superior. Don't! You don't appear more intelligent/educated/knowledgeable. Just someone who is either incapable of disagreeing or effectively countering an argument.

2. Threads about poor grammar and spelling. Okay, some particular mistakes may really irritate people. I get it. Vent it, but quit while you're ahead. Don't cast aspersions - people being under-educated - based on one particular mistake. By all means, do so if you're that confident with your own ability and that your posts will hold up against the same level of scrutiny. Ironically, they often don't.

Rant over.

If I correct myself it’s because I embarrass myself if I’m wrong. I don’t care too much about the opinions of others, but I can’t leave a grammar/SPaG error I’ve seen. This is why I don’t get all the ‘I know good grammar I just can’t be bothered on a casual forum’. If you ‘now it, how is it easier not to use it? How can you bring yourself to ignore it?
I wouldn’t correct someone who was obviously distressed though.

Boredisboring, as long as we continue to have no edit facility people will continue to correct themselves.

I correct myself. I will continue to do so. I do proof read, but my autocorrect has changed words as I am posting before.

Totally agree, 99.9999% of the time it's perfectly clear what someone is trying to say. The only person I think less of is the one trying to be a clever dick about it.

I assume it's because I'm sometimes typing the sound and forgetting the context. I definitely do know 😊

This has happened to me too, and it's definitely not a grammar or spelling error, it is some strange thing going on. I once typed "next store" instead of "next door". I don't know what was going on between my fingers and my brain.

If mistakes are never pointed out then how will people learn?
Exactly!

If a pupil said Can I lend a ruler? I would reply Yes, to whom do you wish to lend it?
Oddly, they eventually started using the word 'borrow'.
I was amazed to find that a young colleague in my Maths department who had excellent qualifications didn't realise that 'would of' was wrong!

There's an enormous difference between pointing out a grammar mistake to a pupil and pointing out a grammar mistake to an adult on a parenting forum.

There's a time and place for everything.

Thread title today which proved confusing because of the grammar and sentence construction:

How do I sleep with him across the road.

It turned out that the OP did not want to sleep with their neighbour at all, in fact that was the last thing they wanted but the thread was derailed and off track because posters came onto the thread expecting something different to what they found.

My SPaG is not perfect but I think good SPaG helps to prevent misunderstanding and ensure clarity and that shouldn't be dismissed just because this is a Chat Forum.

If a MNetter wants to improve SpaG they may take a night class or just practice. Sometimes people post specific questions. Otherwise unless it makes a difference to the meaning I think it is rude to comment on SpaG.

I do not come on MN to submit serious work, if my spelling or grammar could be improved I’m not bothered. I’m often on my phone which will change words that I type without me noticing.

It really doesn't make you look anymore intelligent.

It really does!

No I’m sorry but if someone doesn’t know the difference between your and you’re or their, there or they’re then I will judge them. It’s and its is another one. OH to and too.

It’s not hard, just google how to use them.

‘Could of’ is utterly horrendous and everyone that uses it needs to go away.

Practice/ practise/ advice/ advise/ licence/ license is another one.

C for a noun, S for a verb.

I simply believe that when we are communicating in the written word, clarity, care, spelling and grammar are essential, rather than optional. Poorly spelt words and awful grammar really do make the writer lose credibility.

YANBU OP. Mumsnet is a casual online forum and I would argue all forms of casual online communication are subject to different rules of SPAG from those currently deemed standard. In some circumstances, this could mean that corrections are not only inappropriate but downright wrong.

Some grammar pedants may be fantasising about being schoolteachers and need to remember that those who they try to (possibly incorrectly) correct are their equals and neither need nor want their 'expertise'. That is, of course, if the pedant is actually correct about the point of SPAG they are nit-picking over, which is often not the case.

Grammar pedants also often tend to concentrate on posters who disagree with them. Someone upthread made a comment along the lines of 'if people are bigots then they should have their SPAG corrected.' This is a philosophy commonly observed on all online forums where 'bigots' from all sides of the political megagon are torn to shreds over what are obviously typos, for the heinous crime of disagreeing with their opponent - especially when that opponent is losing the argument.

The best way to beat these SPAG pedants, imo, is to play 'em at their own game. You can pretty much guarantee that somewhere in a pedant's post there will be an error. Pick them up on it. Edumacate them. They'll be grateful .

If you think it’s bad on here wait until your dsis does it on a family group chat.........all because of one missing comma on a message not intended for her..........😡

I just came here to say that it's niece and not neice.

Once I come across “could of” in a post, I stop reading, I’m afraid. Perhaps many others do also.

Could of’ is utterly horrendous and everyone that uses it needs to go away.

...who uses it...?!

Agree that 'could of' is irritating but as long as the post is readable It's fine. I actually enjoy people pointing out my grammatical errors because I would love to be able to write properly.
It's only a chat forum though, not an English degree exam. There are far more concerning things I can worry about than grammar.

But use of punctuation can completely change the meaning.

"Stop clubbing baby seals" - agree, it's awful.
"Stop clubbing, baby seals" - quite right, they should be with their mums at that age, not pissing it up at trendy nightspots.

But use of punctuation can completely change the meaning
What a load of nonsense. Of course grammar Nazis can invent 'examples' where a single incorrect comma changes the meaning of a sentence. But in what reality would that ever happen?

So I am in the middle of reading a book about Canadian Seal Slaughter and it says "Stop clubbing, baby seals". Is any sane person going to be confused about why the book is now talking about mums pissing it up at trendy nightspots.

Small differences in SPaG make no, difference to the meaning of sentences in the real world.

@walkingdeadfangirl. Yesterday there was a post titled "How can I sleep with him across the road?" The missing comma changed the entire meaning and Mumsnet actually had to edit the title, adding a comma, since many replies contained seduction advice instead of advice to calm her fears.

Alot and abit are starting to become popular on MN. Now that does annoy me.

People are so sad 😂 As long as I understand what somebody is trying to communicate then there’s no problem 🤷🏻‍♀️ As someone to whom spelling etc came fairly easily, I do wonder why some people find it so difficult but ultimately on an informal chat page it doesn’t matter. If a poster repeatedly spells something wrong but isn’t upset then I think it’s fine if other posters say ooh actually OP it should be XYZ, but what is truly pathetic is people weighing in on an argument with “ACTUALLY, IT’S YOU’RE.” Not big, not clever, I’m embarrassed for you and the argument is not won by that little ‘gotcha’.

missmouse101 Did none of them read the OP?

NoSauce They're just basic typos aren't they? So easily done, especially when using a small screen. Not worth worrying about.