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Pedants' corner

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

To think so many posts have poor English?

123 replies

poordiction · 09/02/2024 21:51

What's happened to people posting properly? Poor language, missing words, bad punctuation

OP posts:
SuperSange · 09/02/2024 21:51

Like yours, do you mean?

Namechangeforthiss · 09/02/2024 21:52

When the first reply is the best!

TeaKitten · 09/02/2024 21:53

Is it a joke post?

Tinkerbyebye · 09/02/2024 21:54

1, English may not be a first language
2 learning disability such as dyslexia
3 upset? In a rush?

lots of people don’t write any more, it’s text speak.

who cares as long as it’s understood

Theedgeoftheabyss · 09/02/2024 21:55

To whom it may concern, is it time for you to go to bed now?

AristotelianPhysics · 09/02/2024 21:55

You have no idea of your privilege.

BusySittingDown · 09/02/2024 21:55

Missing a full stop there, OP! 😉

I dunno, some people have dyslexia, some people CBA, some people don't have English as a first language etc. It's a casual chat forum, not an English exam!

betterangels · 09/02/2024 21:55

I love how you decided to prove your own point.

AuntieStella · 09/02/2024 21:57

Those who can write in standard English should do so, because it makes the site more inclusive to those with dyslexia or for whom English is not a first language, because those groups might struggle with slang/txt spk/errors/other non-standard usage

OMGitsnotgood · 09/02/2024 21:58

I just love it when people think they are being superior then shoot themselves in the foot.

TeaKitten · 09/02/2024 21:59

AuntieStella · 09/02/2024 21:57

Those who can write in standard English should do so, because it makes the site more inclusive to those with dyslexia or for whom English is not a first language, because those groups might struggle with slang/txt spk/errors/other non-standard usage

This isn’t work or school, it’s a public forum for everyone. My responsibility isn’t to anyone else. I will type on my phone in a rush however I like.

Barbie222 · 09/02/2024 22:01

actually like your brief to the point post

Tumbleweed101 · 09/02/2024 22:01

My phone seems to change words while I’m in middle of writing a post and I often don’t proof read back so many of the things I post here are horrible in the way they are written.

However, I have written novels so I can write ok off my phone.

AuntieStella · 09/02/2024 22:03

TeaKitten · 09/02/2024 21:59

This isn’t work or school, it’s a public forum for everyone. My responsibility isn’t to anyone else. I will type on my phone in a rush however I like.

I think it's a shame when people don't have a sense of community; or want to make it easy for people to join in, even when it is well within their own ability to do so.

It used to be a great strength of MNetters that they did their best to build an inclusive community

XenoBitch · 09/02/2024 22:03

Posting on MN is not an academic paper. If it can be understood then who gives a shit?
My grammar and spelling is awful. Most of it has red lines under it before I finally post. I miss words because I generally do that when I speak too. My brain goes too fast for my mouth and fingers.

Theredfoxfliesatmidnight · 09/02/2024 22:04

It makes the poster look really stupid. Being able to use your own language is a basic, and if you can't do that as an English speaking adult, people are rightly going to think you're a bit thick.

"Bare" / "bear"seems to pose a particular difficulty for some people. "Bare with me" literally means get naked with me. Literate people are laughing at you if you write that.

The word "cue" also seems to be one that some posters find difficult to comprehend. We need a big meme of Manuel from Faulty Towers to use on repeat.

But it doesn't matter so long as you can be understood apparently. Ignoring the fact that this makes no sense, because the correct use of language is how evolved humans are able to understand each other.

TeaKitten · 09/02/2024 22:05

AuntieStella · 09/02/2024 22:03

I think it's a shame when people don't have a sense of community; or want to make it easy for people to join in, even when it is well within their own ability to do so.

It used to be a great strength of MNetters that they did their best to build an inclusive community

That’s quite dramatic. My English is fine, but it’s certainly not my responsibility. This is an open forum with a huge amount of traffic, some people are going to have bad grammar. There’s nothing wrong with that, we aren’t at school.

LonginesPrime · 09/02/2024 22:06

AuntieStella · 09/02/2024 21:57

Those who can write in standard English should do so, because it makes the site more inclusive to those with dyslexia or for whom English is not a first language, because those groups might struggle with slang/txt spk/errors/other non-standard usage

Why would anyone speaking English as an additional language find it harder to pick up slang than to pick up formal English?

Surely part of the point of coming onto a forum like this in one's target language is to see how real people speak as opposed to what the textbooks tell you?

IsThePopeCatholic · 09/02/2024 22:08

Theredfoxfliesatmidnight · 09/02/2024 22:04

It makes the poster look really stupid. Being able to use your own language is a basic, and if you can't do that as an English speaking adult, people are rightly going to think you're a bit thick.

"Bare" / "bear"seems to pose a particular difficulty for some people. "Bare with me" literally means get naked with me. Literate people are laughing at you if you write that.

The word "cue" also seems to be one that some posters find difficult to comprehend. We need a big meme of Manuel from Faulty Towers to use on repeat.

But it doesn't matter so long as you can be understood apparently. Ignoring the fact that this makes no sense, because the correct use of language is how evolved humans are able to understand each other.

Such arrogance! Reminds me of BJ. Such a fine orator and writer 🙄but such a consummate liar and all-round shit.

TeaKitten · 09/02/2024 22:08

Theredfoxfliesatmidnight · 09/02/2024 22:04

It makes the poster look really stupid. Being able to use your own language is a basic, and if you can't do that as an English speaking adult, people are rightly going to think you're a bit thick.

"Bare" / "bear"seems to pose a particular difficulty for some people. "Bare with me" literally means get naked with me. Literate people are laughing at you if you write that.

The word "cue" also seems to be one that some posters find difficult to comprehend. We need a big meme of Manuel from Faulty Towers to use on repeat.

But it doesn't matter so long as you can be understood apparently. Ignoring the fact that this makes no sense, because the correct use of language is how evolved humans are able to understand each other.

How do you no by reading the post, when it’s poorly written, that the person is using their own language? How can you tell that English is their first language and laugh at them? Or are you judging people as being a bit thick when you don’t actually no, as it’s an anonymous forum?

OMGitsnotgood · 09/02/2024 22:11

the correct use of language is how evolved humans are able to understand each other.

I have a languages degree and can get by in several other self taught languages. I also have friends who don't have English as a first language, their English isn't always 'correct'.. I can say for a fact that a language doesn't have to be 100% correctly used to be understood.
Says more about the intelligence of those who can't decipher less than perfect usage in my opinion.

LonginesPrime · 09/02/2024 22:11

Literate people are laughing at you if you write that.

Not all literate people are nasty like that though - the judgey arsehole literate people are only a small subsection of the wider pool of literate people.

GetWhatYouWant · 09/02/2024 22:12

I think many people just don't care at all how they come across, it's nothing to do with dyslexia etc. They simply don't mind if others think they're thick as shit. They don't bother proofreading before posting, as if their opinion is so important it must be rushed on to the page. On a thread earlier today the OP had used "was you" instead of "were you" in the title. Someone pointed this out and suggested the OP changed it so as not to make people cringe but the OP didn't care in the slightest. That's what I just don't get, I would be ashamed if my grammar led people to think I was stupid and uneducated.

StarlightLady · 09/02/2024 22:14

Two errors in your post!

GetWhatYouWant · 09/02/2024 22:17

TeaKitten · 09/02/2024 22:08

How do you no by reading the post, when it’s poorly written, that the person is using their own language? How can you tell that English is their first language and laugh at them? Or are you judging people as being a bit thick when you don’t actually no, as it’s an anonymous forum?

Are you being ironic here or don't you realise you've used 'no' twice when it should be 'know'?