To be increasingly annoyed about the amount of MN's who feel it is OK to correct one's spelling and grammar

[whocaresaboutyourintellect]

I am getting really fed up of it.

Someone will post a topic and then you get some "up you own backside" MN'er who takes it upon themselves to correct all of the grammar and spelling in said post.

This happens in particular in threads of a contraversial nature as a means of embarrasing the OP. It is ridiculous.

This is a talk forum, not an English exam so to all those MN'ers........get a life!!!!

I felt moved to correct someone on "right of passage" this week. But only so I could point out they were implying bumsex.

fircone that is so patronising

Even though I said I wouldn't mind someone correcting me, I have to say, I've never actually seen it done on here...

zazizoma- you may be right that it's a case of someone not knowing the rule. But it's a pretty poor show when an adult doesn't know the grammar rules of their own language IMO.

As far as the dyslexia argument is concerned, 2 very good forum friends of mine are dyslexic and often join in debates such as this one to underline just how important correct spelling is for them to be able to make sense of a word/sentence. No-one is doubting that there are mistakes made due to dyslexia...but I'd venture there's a shedload more due to ignorance.

I'd also say that certainly nowhere else in Europe at least, are you likely to find this "I'm thick and proud of it" mentality. "me, I can't spell, isn't that hilarious....I'm down wiv da boyz me".

Well said Bucharest.

Why should it lower your opinion of a poster if their grammar or spelling is not of a high standard. In some cases it is not down to laziness but intellect, not everybody is university material.

I have a family member who is never going to set the academic world alight but she is a fantastic mother and a caring compassionate person. Would she really not be welcome at Mumsnet because she only achieved a grade "E" in English. I find that quite sad.

I am on the fence here.

I love the language and would wish it to be preserved and used correctly. On the other hand I would hate for posters [me] to feel inhibited and inferior, and perhaps unable to post.

Especially as I am ace and a joy to have around

As we like to hold Mumsnet up as enlightened and accepting, this ought to extend to those who don't make the grade in this area, no?

On the other hand, text speak etc are a cultural shift and a choice the poster makes rather than an error in typing etc, and we can have more of a 'policy' on those. The policy being feck off.

thumbwitch I fight the urge as I don't want to show myself up! [There I go.....] If you had a conversation with me in rl you would see 10 ! wouldn't cover it. I am..er...expressive and animated.

at tree - I do know what you mean; ever so occasionally I am moved to use 2 !! when I think something is so outrageous that it deserves it.

I don't generally correct spelling or grammar on here unless it is a thread like this one; or unless I am trying to clarify what the poster means. Or occasionally when I am among "friends" and one of them makes a humorous error.

It does lower my opinion of people who can't be bothered to spell correctly, as it did when I worked in a hospital lab - if it is due to laziness and inattention to detail, then what does that say about their professional attitude?

How can you tell that the error is down to laziness? I can't.

Bucharest, you forget that there is a lot of emphasis on teaching grammar in Europe but it is not explicitly taught in the UK. So it´s hardly surprising that many people don´t master their own language.

I think you´re missed the point here.. those who can not spell are not proud of it as such, many posters have just pointed out that it is not necessarily a good thing to point out spelling and grammatical errors.

I also think you´re mixing up ignorance with the lack of a good education. Many people don´t get a good education in the UK, hence the current talk of attending church to get your lo in a good school or moving house to get in a certain catchment area.

Midnight Express, why do you tink Bucharest had written a good post?

I will admit to randomly correcting things Unforunately correcting people is a reflex reaction now because I work in ESL (but eliciting responses doesn't work so well on t'internet so I just put the straight correction). Most of the time I can let it go but sometimes I can't - usually when I have PMT and every little, little thing annoy me. I try to apologise after because I can appreciate that it's annoying.

Having said that I'm firmly in the "good spelling, puncutation and grammar is for everyday use and not just for best" camp. Omitting capital letters annoys the hell out of me if it's a long post. 2 word ones are fine without, likewise short ripostes, but if it's a full sentence then capitals and punctuation are what make a sentence. The internet is a form of written communication, in whatever language, and the rules and conventions of that language should be observed.

wanders off mumblingUseD to, not use to
And will/may have not will/may of

repetition of the error is one way I tell, because it means it wasn't a typo, the person doesn't know how to spell it.

When you see in a solicitor's letter "X was lead to believe" for example, that looks unprofessional and someone was too lazy to check/proofread the letter.

When you get a student's piece of work in and it is full of typos, that's because they were too lazy to even use the spell check facility!

Oh my.. I wrote "tink" instead of "think"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Am I allowed to post again?

Or do the exclamation marks mean it´s curtains for me?!

Tree
I have to admit to stalking you having a look at your posts and could not find evidence of excessive punctuation usage so you are off the hook.

And it would indeed be a loss if you were not to post, you have a lovely writing style.

I always notice other posters writing style, even though my own is not great. I rely too much on (brackets) and seem to use "though" too much.

Bucharest, I think it would be appropriate to correct mistakes that couldn't be considered typos, such as rite of passage (good one Bit) and some of the other examples here. My pet peeve is it's as intending possessive.

But when typing quickly and engrossed in a fast debate, I think one must let the errors slide. I'm constantly dropping of and to when typing. It doesn't mean I don't know how and when to use them, so I would resent having those errors pointed out.

I admit that I also notice people's grammar beyond the type errors, and it does affect my reception of their point. I think the dyslexia excuse is a cop-out.

No, I was using the word ignorance with its original and correct meaning...."to not know" something, which would fit in with the "lack of a good education" reasoning....(although I prefer the original meaning of the word "education" (to bring up) as well....
If it's truly a UK wide thing, why can I and millions like me spell and use correct grammar?

What about persons who are writing in a foreign language? This is my case, for example. English is my third language, I work here, as an academic and you can bet my posts will have plenty of mistakes. Because I need to spend a disproportionate amount of time to write a post if I want it to be perfect.

Is MN for those educated in English as a first language? I am not defensive here, but,
Can you imagine how would you feel if you were living abroad, posting from time to time in e.g. French and someone will come with this 'keeping the standards'

Judging persons by the quality of the grammar of their posts?

zazi- I agree...I'm just saying I've actually never seen it done here...unless, as other p's have said, it's been done between mates, in a jokey way, or when an OP is being arsey about standards and yet their own leave a lot to be desired...

It's just all a bit passive-aggressive I think, this "I'm scared to post on MN because they'll rip apart my grammar..." yeah, right, happens all the time...

camaleon, I couldn't have told from your posts that English wasn't your first language so I don't think you have to worry!

There are some non-English speakers on here who are more obvious because of the way their posts flow - a lack of articles, definite or indefinite, is usually a giveaway for some. As a one-time TEFL teacher, I do sometimes itch to tell them, but don't because it's not necessary on here.

Camaleon- of course not, on all counts.
I'd like to see the vast majority of native English speakers writing even one sentence in a foreign language..even those pedantic about their L1.

Like many things on here, I think it's more about the intention behind the correction that's important.

My very first post was a desperate request for help. The first few responses were a critique of a single spelling mistake I made.
It was unpleasant and bullying behaviour.

I left for a while and even now, will avoid the posters concerned.

On the education thing - I can honestly say I was never ever taught grammer at school, apart from 1 year at about 11 years old. My writing style and use of english is down to Jane Austen.
Were some taught it and others not? Was that due when school was attended or type of school attended?

The idea of not using capitals is bizarre

Or indeed these .

Hi Bucharest, but it DOES happen all the time. Posters say they have lurked for years and only just worked up the courage to post! And beg everyone to go gently on them!

This says a lot about the type of environment we are in on this forum.

Camaleon, nice to have you around!

No Tart, I agreed with Bucharest because I really hate the celebration of ignorance in this country. It's a horrible kind of reverse snobbery, IMO. I have on occasion been belittled for using a 'long word' - oooh look at her, I don't even know what that means, I'm thick me. It's just as bad as pointing out someone's errors.

Also, I don't think it's fair to blame it on the education system. I was never taught grammar explicitly at school either, but I can still use it properly.

One of the things I like about President Obama is that he said he was attracted to his wife because she was clever. Such a refreshing change from Dubya!

I appreciate being corrected most of the time.....I know I am not always the worlds best speller, or have the correct use of grammar, so it is quite educating IMVHO.

especially when I think I ought to know more in order to help my children to learn!