Isn't about time MNHQ started deleting posts that attack people's spelling and grammar?

[cuntycowfacemonkey]

(In advance I will say any of my posts are likely to have spelling and grammar mistakes)

It's such a shitty thing to do and often it is directed at poster who then feel they have to explain themselves and disclose they have dyslexia. I don't understand why MN tolerate people with potential disabilities being mocked in this way?

Why can it not be regarded as a personal attack and such comments deleted. Very often the arses that post comments about another posters spelling bring nothing else to the thread and usually it derails the thread and the OP's original issue gets lost in the ensuing bunfight.

I've stopped caring about the spelling / grammar mistakes because you never do know someone's reasons, and I'll work my way through something without paragraphs.

But hubz, bubz and mummies are BAD FORM.

Do we have to put up with 'tow the line?'
Or 'suddenly on queue?'

This is a link about the number of highly successful dyslexic people there are. Fascinating reading!

www.dyslexia.com/famous.htm

ltk has hit the nail on the head for me. Ignore grammar and spelling (I'm not on about sensitive posts, or posters in distress) and standards will slip.

It is good to have standards. It isn't good to belittle anybody, whether that be for their grasp of the English language or for holding different opinions to what you do ignores subtlety

I think most people do judge people whose response to an emotionally difficult post is to pull someone up on their use of English. It's often something that says more about the smug pedant than the op.
And as a particularly pedantic point, MNHQ could end up in some spectacular grammar debates.

Aren't they kind of interesting though, ubik?

Sure, they're wrong, and I've just made another wrong 'un queen picked up ... but they're new coinages and they might take off, and people will develop false etymologies for them, and they'll become part of the language. Which is how language gets richer.

I think she was being subtle, Queen

Jeanne - why shouldn't it be?

What's wrong with aspiring to that? In just the same way that people who come on here to ask about maths issues do.

There seems to be a view that spelling and grammar don't matter, whereas - to quote your own example - other areas, like maths, do. Why is this? Why do we not value the written language, and not see it important to learn and improve, whereas in maths it's seen as important?

Oh, no, I've already explained I lack subtlety, celibacy.

I know you're every so attuned to nuance, so this is probably obvious, but the reason I'm posting on this thread on the anti-SPAG-police side, is cos mine is shit and I don't really care very much. It's you lot who get to feel embarrassed for fucking up, isn't it?

I can see the patronising cunts are already on here

It's gives them a cheap thrill when they can correct a stranger on the internet.

op I agree. It's knobish and shows how boring they are.

If anyone genuinely thinks the poster would appreciate their errors being pointed out they could surely send a PM rather than post in the thread. Otherwise, motives can be interpreted in different ways.

I proof read as part of my job abd hVe to admit that couldn't actually give a toss about spelling And grammar on mumsnet.

But I don't think those posts were spelling or whatnot is corrected need to be deleted. As others have said , it just makes the corrector look like a dick who's lost the argument.

Please can we stop asking mumsnet to delete stuff? Deleting should be a last resort.

Oh bother. I did mean to say that the generally good (and frequently brilliant) use of the language is one of the big plus points of MN. There are posters here who left school at 16 or earlier, who are ordinary women, chatting with PhDs, Doctors etc using well crafted language. They're nice reading. It's marvellous :)

I think PMs would be even more patronising, surely?

Oh Jeanne, that must have hurt.

I was actually taking the piss out of myself.

Cross post, sorry.

BIWI - I think aspiring is not the same thing. People who explain maths don't seem (to me, anyway) to be frustrated that the OPs are coming from quite a low level and needing a lot of help. I've seen people reassure OPs that they're doing well, and telling them helpful ways to understand things, with no implication they are the bottom of the help.

Whereas, people who have poor SPAG are being told they are the 'lowest common denominator'. It's a very different outlook, and really not helpful, I think?

celibacy - well, that makes two of us.

I agree with the OP. Why is it ok to mock someone for having a limited ability at spelling, or low educational achievement. Would it be ok to mock someone for having a physical disability?

Mumsnet is somewhere that prides itself on being a place for intelligent posters. So surely that means we should also value a higher standard of writing?

Totally disagree with this.
What is intelligent anyway, I have no degree but I know masses of in depth info on some subjects.
Ask me about composers/artists/spelling and grammar I am shit.

I hate the snobby spelling and grammar shite on MN and I disagree that anyone needs to comment on it, if you do not like the spelling/grammar surely its not hard to shut the thread and keep moving?
Unless an OP is taking the piss about someone elses spelling and/or grammar and someone notices a mistake they made, I agree with those

I wrote a massive post recently that would have helped someone out, in one of my areas of expertise, I deleted it.
Afterwards I thought about it and why I deleted it, and it was because of the thought that some sneery fucker might comment on something spelt wrong (as I had no spellcheck on what I was using at the time), that is complete bullshit, and its not something I am worried about it real life.

I do not agree that intelligence= a high standard of writing (or the opposite), at all.

PM

It'd be like a big red mark from a teacher!

As I alluded to in my first post, a personal attack should not be tolerated. If that PA uses pedantic spelling and grammar pulling-up it's late then yes, delete. Not solely because it's pedantic though, otherwise the majority of MN would be deleted overnight.

WTAF?! Jeanne - I wouldn't dream of telling someone that they are 'lowest common denominator' - and I'm sure you know that! I'm describing an ethos that seems to prevail here.

I've already said that I don't support sneery posts that are PAs, so please don't put words in my mouth.

BIWI you are saying pretty much what I'm trying to say. Only you're doing it better.

I need to go to sleep, adieu.

I'm sorry - I didn't intend that, I just quoted you to refer back to the same ethos.

I have never seen you say any such thing, and sorry you felt I was saying that.

But, I think you are right that that is the ethos.

With maths, I get the impression that there are a fair few regular posters who really know their stuff. But I don't see them being anything except very patient about trying to find helpful ways to make posters who are struggling feel as if they are doing really well at something hard. I am sure those posters don't find (for example) basic trig difficult. But they rarely give the impression that it is stupid to be confused by it, or to struggle with it.

It is different with SPAG. There are, again, a lot of posters who are really brilliant, and know a lot about language, but often they act as if not knowing the basics is something to make a poster feel small. Sometimes that's not even malicious - it's just assumed that if the OP can't spell, what they're struggling with is 'basic' and they're lowering standards on the forum as a whole.

I wish the attitude with SPAG were closer to that with basic maths, and I think it would make people feel better.

But why is it considered snobby to want to spell and write well?

I really don't get this.

And intelligent does not equal having a degree.

Anyway, I'm with you, Celibacy, in that it's time for bed. Not with you, obviously. That would be weird