Just seen my first 'spag bowl' on FB. I feel like I belong here now

[omikron]

I'm honoured.

wetpants, Well bully for you. Do you think posters who struggle with written English will frequent this thread to learn a thing or two from you and your ilk? I doubt it very much. The title of the thread was innocuous enough and the first dozen or so posts not too pointed but as the thread's progressed, there's been open criticism.

If you (general) can't make sense of a thread or a post, then really, spare yourself the bother. Nobody will mind, but posting when you know that your comments are going to cause upset is a bit shit.

'@Belle074' was that the shoofer that appeared on a post from Jason Manford?

Maybe this is not a thread for you then if it upsets you. I’m not here to teach or educate anyone. My point was that if non-native speakers can get the basics right why do the native speakers can’t? And all the examples in this thread are very basic command of english.

Well said, wetpants!

I was raised in a bilingual country and went to great lengths to use my second language correctly. It's a matter of respect.

I'm afraid most of it is due to poor education and laziness. Nobody seems to care about 'getting it right' any more.

wetpants

why do the native speakers can’t?

I’ve said that, many times.

I think you missed a capital letter there Wetpants. It's also not terribly good style to begin a sentence with "And".

Oh, and you don't get to tell people not to post on a thread.

I am really uncomfortable with being called a smug twat by a PP for contributing to this thread. The same old comments trotted out about taking the piss out of people, when it is not that, but instead, utter despair about the abundance of errors that abound and people's indifference or lack of desire to give a shit. Well, I DO give a shit. If you're communicating in the written word, it matters, and we should all attempt to get it right. Poor education is to blame, as well as the overriding sense that it is of no consequence and anyone noticing, or god forbid pointing it out, is a self righteous twat trying to make themselves feel better. Surely, those who inadvertently write 'nice set of pink bowels for sale' on facebook would have a chuckle when they understand what they've actually written, and prefer to correct it?

We used to have a sense of pride about our high standards of literacy in Britain, but now it seems the opposite is true. Learning and improving in all areas as we mature and go through life is important. Words and language can be a beautiful way we express ourselves.

Many of us can't bear to see standards dragged any lower.

canterbury if that’s all you can pull apart from my post, then that’s great. I wasn’t an academic child and didn’t get any support from home either AND I know my English grammar still needs work but this thread is about ridiculous spelling like wallah and bone apple tea.

milktray I think that’s it, no-one seems to give a shit and have any pride how they conduct themselves these days. It’s all “what’s the harm” God I feel old

Been/seen instead of being/seeing e.g.

Seen as the train is late...

And canterbury I haven’t told anyone not to post here what an odd comment and lacking in comprehension.

missmouse your comment about correcting people on FB would have validity if this were that site. It isn't. Why are you dressing up your 'love for the English language' as something laudable when all you're actually doing is poking fun at what posters on another site write, here?

It's not beautiful; it's a bit spiteful and pointed, and it's intended to be so.

wetpants Perhaps read your own posts back before you pull others up on theirs?

missmouse thanks for that post, I've been pondering how to word a response today but you've done it beautifully and saved me a job. Ta for that.

I concur that I, and I think most posters here, are not taking the piss out of a person who for any number of genuine reasons may struggle with the written or spoken word. I float between amusement and irritation however at some people's ability to use the english language. Education/upbringing whatever the reason but I'm quite sure it's laziness too in some cases.

I realise that makes me judgmental (with regards those people) so I'll have to take that accusation on the chin. I'm only prepared to take it though from posters who can put their hand on their heart and honestly say they have never, ever, EVER judged another human bean sorry, couldn't resist. I'm sure there are a few of you out there but c'mon, this is MN! At any time on most threads there is judging going on.

And don't forget it a poster really crosses the line you can report.

checks post like mad for grammatical or spelling errors before posting

missmouse I completely agree FWIW

LyingWitch You are missing the point but I suspect you know that.

tellmewhen, Do you think that posters other than yourselves don't notice errors? I clock them. I don't blurt them out because a) the poster hasn't asked to be corrected and b) it's not my job/would possibly irritate them.

Anybody who wants to read beauty in the English language wouldn't come to AIBU particularly, they'd possibly go to Pedants' Corner. I go there myself quite often to educate myself about the knottier aspects of the language.

Perhaps you've not seen threads on AIBU where a poster's SPaG is being pulled apart irrespective of the nature of the problem the OP has posted about. It's like a pack of hyenas sometimes and it's sickening. There's no need for it, who the hell learns from being 'told off' at mis-spelling something or putting apostrophes in the wrong place? The utter arrogance of some who can't/won't comprehend a post that isn't written to their liking yet they feel the need to tell everybody on the thread that alas, they are unable to help because the paragraph is too long/there is insufficient/no punctuation. It's pathetic.

This thread could have been nice; I would have probably added some mis-phrases that my mum uses; they're apt but very wrong. The difference is, I laugh with her, not at her and I don't make her feel 'less than' for them.

I would agree with you that we do all judge but would disagree that we need a posse of like-minded people to gang up with to verbalise it.

That's it really. I don't need anybody to agree with me, that's how I personally feel about threads like this and about the excuses that some are making for their spiteful contributions. I've said my piece so I'll leave it there.

We'll have to agree to disagree I guess as I don't believe this thread to be spiteful. I can see where you're coming from when talking about posters who seem to join a thread purely to pick apart the spelling of another poster entirely unrelated to their thread. That's just plain nasty. It's not what's happening here though.

I'm not sure if you were referring to my post regards my mum a moment ago? Those are all things we've laughed about together. I'm sure I've dropped plenty of clangers over the years myself and I'm ok to be laughed at as I'm sure in most cases it's what I've said/done rather than someone taking that one moment to define me as thick/ignorant/whatever. And if they do? Bugger all I can do about that.

If someone wants to sell their Akwarium though, for lords sake at least spell it properly

I am really uncomfortable with being called a smug twat by a PP for contributing to this thread. The same old comments trotted out about taking the piss out of people, when it is not that, but instead, utter despair about the abundance of errors that abound and people's indifference or lack of desire to give a shit. Well, I DO give a shit. If you're communicating in the written word, it matters, and we should all attempt to get it right. Poor education is to blame, as well as the overriding sense that it is of no consequence and anyone noticing, or god forbid pointing it out, is a self righteous twat trying to make themselves feel better.

I agree with this. It's disheartening to see that bad spelling is almost the norm. Even on social media, you still need to be understood.

No, tellmewhen, I wasn't referencing your mum, just mine. For clarification, my posts really weren't aimed at you/your posts. You were swept up by dint of posting on the thread.

My posts are peppered with mistakes, some are courtesy of auto-correct and some are just me. I'm also ok with being laughed at but that's from a place where I'm not disadvantaged and have had all the benefits of education. Some posters, on some threads, ought to be cognisant of those posters who are upset - and rein it in accordingly, but they choose not to.

Now about the 'Akwarium', I imagine, if you were looking for one of those, you'd be well aware of he misspellings and check those first. What a way to get a bargain! ; )

I'll shut up now, honestly.

Wetpants you obviously speak very good English for a non-native speaker, but there are 5 mistakes within two of your posts, so you are perhaps not really in a position to be criticising others about their use of a language that's not your own. I speak several languages, but I wouldn't dream of going on a forum in one of my non-native languages and criticising people's spelling and grammar.

One of my (slightly off-piste) bugbears is the frequent misspelling of the tea brand 'Twinings'. Loads of people on MN seem to think it's 'Twinnings' and it always makes me wonder if they are pronouncing it to rhyme with 'winnings' instead of 'linings'.

I do wonder whether some of the people participating on this thread may not be aware of their own privilege. Not everyone had the same opportunities many of you apparently seem to have had.

My grandmother received the benefits of 4 years of (somewhat) standardised education... And she's definitely not the only one. It's quite obvious whenever she tries to write or read something.

you don't know who happens to be behind a screen. They may not be a native speaker. They may have motori difficulties, dyslexia...

I myself am not a native speaker. It's sometimes quite obvious...🤷🏻‍♀️
This thread doesn't me but I do wonder whether it may discourage some people / keep them from using mumsnet. Which would be a shame, considering the amount of resources and advice that seems to be freely given to people in difficult situations.

LyingWitch We must read this thread through a different coloured lense as I haven't seen anything nasty here until this was posted:
Blimey aren’t you a smug bunch of supercilious degenerates. What hideous, judgemental individuals you must be to endlessly feel compelled to have opinions on things that have nothing to do with their morals, intelligence or personality.

To me THAT is nasty and very aggressive.

lazylinguist you are missing the point also. I've already said that my grammar still needs improving, this thread was about basic words and spellings that people get wrong or aren't bothered about to do correctly. I don't think anyone here thinks they speak the perfect English but they are still allowed to point out horrors like wallah, spag bowl etc. Or if you're not 100% correct at all times, you are not allowed to comment?

Btw, human bean, love that

Craving many of the people I know have had better education and more opportunities than 95% of the world's population. They still make many spelling mistakes, more than I do and according to here, my writing is full of all sorts of crimes.

Does everything have to be dumbed down just because you never know what and who is behind the screen?

Sleep with the angles.
Obviously only applies to deceased mathematicians.

I didn't read the whole thread....
And I didn't mean to directly adress you specifically... I really hope you didn't feel like I was attacking you or trying to single you out in any other way. That wasn't my intention. Not at all.

Anyhow. When did I say that things had 'to be dumbed down'? Seeing as there is (at least imo..) quite a difference between not making fun of people and dumbing things down, don't you think so as well?