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AIBU?

..to think people are over-pedantic here about spelling and grammar?

80 replies

furrycat · 27/09/2007 15:50

I am normally fairly pedantic myself about this (in books, newspapers etc) but this is where people come for a quick chat for heaven's (or is that heavens?) sake! If you have something to say, you should be able to say it without other people picking you up on your mistakes, or feeling you have to post again with a spelling correction.

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StealthPolarBear · 28/09/2007 08:41

makes me think of being injected in the eye. urgh

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NicknameRemovedByMN · 28/09/2007 08:28

The Times has a classic in it today. "Rub the injection sight"

I'm not bothered about people on MN having correct grammar and spelling, but The Times......

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chipmonkey · 27/09/2007 23:18

I irritated my sister so much when she was growing up, always correcting her grammar that she bought me the "Eats, shoots and leaves" book as soon as it was published.
I do find bad grammar and spelling intensely irritating but feel that it's bad manners to point it out to someone unless you are that person's English teacher.

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talulasmum · 27/09/2007 22:43

i think paranoia was setting in with me though. but your right, when your new not
really sure.

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Lorayn · 27/09/2007 22:30

I think my first ever post was on a thread where a discussion had been taking place, one person, granted did not know very much on the subject, but rather than being told about the facts she was picked on for using textspeak, even after explaining she was dyslexic, being more used to mumsnet now I can see that most of the time it is tongue-in-cheek, but there are definitely times when it is inappropriate.

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talulasmum · 27/09/2007 22:17

agree with that

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Lorayn · 27/09/2007 22:07

talulasmum, I dont think your spelling was questioned more than once on said thread, but I see your point, as I said, it is often how and why it is corrected rather than it being corrected that is the problem.

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talulasmum · 27/09/2007 21:39

furrycat; well said! i signed off a thread today for a few reasons; one of them being people kept correcting my spelling. (it was like being at school)
does it really bother people that much?
im new on here and luckily not that bothered, but i couldnt help thinking,
what about all those other new mums like me that might be put off useing mumsnet by having their spelling constantly corrected ? people that might have a real "aibu" question they desperately want answering. its just not fair.

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Lorayn · 27/09/2007 21:16
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haychee · 27/09/2007 20:53

Lorayn

Excellently worded! Spot on post

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Lorayn · 27/09/2007 20:22

I think as long as people aren't using it as a weapon, rather pointing out something you may have missed then it isn't really a big deal, I like to think I spell well, and am normally grammatically correct, but would not object to someone pointing out a mistake I had made. We all use abbreviations and sometimes typo, I even thought 'prefect' was one until it was repeated (sorry des, couldn't hush it, you did well though!)

Surely it isn't about the fact that corrections are made, more about the way it is done or the reason the poster does it?

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pointydog · 27/09/2007 20:18

Pity the pedants.

Smart arses do find it really hard to h elp it.

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furrycat · 27/09/2007 20:00

they can help it. Ironically, I am totally pendantic normally. I just think the rules here are slightly different from the rules in a novel, or a newspaper etc. People write their thoughts down in a rush and shouldn't feel obliged to proof read what they've said. You just have to give them a bit of leeway.

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EmsMum · 27/09/2007 20:00

I have started to view cods certain peoples' posts as a form of mental challenge. Like doing a crossword or su doku. I'm sure its good for our brains.

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pointydog · 27/09/2007 19:58

dh's poor spelling improved enormously when he started using message boards.

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pointydog · 27/09/2007 19:55

Pedants can't help it. It's like a tic.

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Issy · 27/09/2007 19:55

Same rules as in RL: I don't correct an interlocutor's spelling or grammar because it would be rude to do so, but I do find it difficult not to discount a post that is peppered with spelling and/or grammatical errors. However, if the content and expression are good enough, the spelling and grammar become irrelevant (cf. just about anything written by Custardo).

I admit that it's an unfair prejudice; further down the thread Haychee gave a handful of good reasons why an excellent post may be poorly written. But life and Mnet aren't always fair.

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SenoraPostrophe · 27/09/2007 19:41

correct spelling, syntax and punctuation do usually make things easier to read and understand though.

Yes, sometimes perfectly spelled and punctuated missives can be obtuse, obfuscatory and otherwise less than swiftly comprehended (), but you are still more likely to understand if the spelling is good.

overwize wot we av is anaky donchafink?

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mimi03 · 27/09/2007 19:36

furrycat i totally agree with you- i manage to get on mn when i have a spare second and its usually rushed, so i abbr. and miss spell......its annoying and abit snobby to correctppl allthe time....if you dont like my spelling just move onto another thresad i say!

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Desiderata · 27/09/2007 19:32

I totally agree with Gobbledigook.

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StarlightMcKenzie · 27/09/2007 19:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

furrycat · 27/09/2007 19:27

Gobbliedigook, it's not either right or wrong. Language changes - it's a living, breathing thing.

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Gobbledigook · 27/09/2007 19:16

How can you be 'over pedantic' about it?! It's either right or it's wrong and it's important to get right! IMO anyway. I hate crap spelling and grammar.

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hunkermunker · 27/09/2007 19:15

PMSL at grammar pedantry being "edgy"

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StealthPolarBear · 27/09/2007 18:56

me too tigerschick!
I don't correct posts, but I do enjoy a good pedantry thread. I expect my mistakes to be pointed out to me.

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