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.

Standards, dear, standards.

I don't see that it is considered snobby to want to write and spell well?

Who has said that it is?

I'm a linguistics graduate and former sub editor. I care deeply about standards in written English and the proliferation of weird spellings on the Internet.

But on MN I tend to restrict my pedantry to Pedants' Corner, being not a howling cunt.

I don't think MNHQ should necessarily delete SPAG-cuntery as a class of unacceptable post. Why wouldn't the worst excesses already fall foul of PA and Unsupportive guidelines?

Fucking DYAC. Guidelines came out as goslings ffs, and that's an argument in itself.

No of course it's not snobby to want to write and spell well but it's all about context. Writing a presentation/CV = standards very important. Posting on a chat forum = not so much

Jeanne most posters don't write their posts in maths though.

I have a current PC thread about conversational arithmetic.

It's not snobby to write and spell well.It's snobby to look down on those who struggle to write as well as you.

dixie, I'd say it is rarely said in a nice way.

Occasionally people say it nicely. Threads where people ask for help writing letters to landlords are often pretty decent about it, oddly. So I think people are aware that it could be something people find difficult and need help with. I just think very often it could be done more carefully, and people could think a bit harder about whether they're making kneejerk assumptions.

MrsH - true, and I take your point, but I still think there's something better in the way people respond to maths errors.

Agree with usual. Snobby to look down.

My kindle has fucked up that post.

The letters in my post keep disappearing < rubs eyes>

Yes, that's probably true, dixie. Still, does mean people are capable of putting aside the judgy bit and being helpful, so it would be possible.

Its cos your well fick, usual.

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

I don't think it is at all, I also don't think it is to wish that other wanted to or did spell and write well.

I don't even think its always snobby when people point it out on here, sometimes its just people being twats.

Personally I do not get people being so precious about developments in language, language always develops that's why we are where we are now and not writing like ye olde times. But I can understand others view points.

People have issues with all sorts of things, if they seek help with them, if you wish give it, if they are posting about something completely unrelated why does anyone feel the need to point out an error not sought, even if its not PA.

Oh, it's soooo good of you all to point out poster's bad spelling and grammar.
I expect they never had constant tellings off and red pens littering their work at school for years on end?

I find spelling very difficult. I can vividly remember being threatened with the ruler, if I dared to make any "stupid" mistakes in a piece of work. That really worked not

And you have no idea, when you're being a twat pointing out mistakes, whether that person had real issues, or if they genuinely don't know the rule/spelling. So you run the risk of really upsetting someone. But I fully expect, the kind of person who enjoys points out mistakes, really doesn't give a shit about other people's feelings.

The difference in treatment of Maths and SPaG is understandable.
People come on to the forum on purpose to say "I don't understand this Maths. Please explain." They get treated well. Similarly, actually, people who go to Pedants' Corner with a genuine request also get treated well.
Posters who make a SPaG error and then get pissy when it is pointed out to them are annoying. What is the attraction in coming to a written medium if you can't write?

However, I don't normally correct SPaG mistakes. I usually just ignore the post and move on.

It's been something I've meant to post about before Dixie but yes there was one particular thread and post that spurred me on tonight.

Yeah, you're right, senua, it's an imperfect parallel.

For me, the attraction of a written medium is that I like chatting to people on here. I think a lot of people come on MN for support, or because they're a bit isolated by small children. I don't know of any forums that are purely spoken word, though I am sure they exist.

But, I guess what bugs me is I don't think 'argh, I can't manage the written word! I feel awful!' until someone tells me I'm making an idiot of myself. And, by then it's too late. I've already got too much out of conversations about feminism or jobs or whatever. I don't really fancy going back to the extremely limited options for RL chats with a huge group of fun women.

So only people with perfect spelling and grammar should post on MN.?

Is that in the talk guidelines?

senua, I imagine that people come here to interact with other people, just like everyone does, irrespective of their ability with written English. They are probably fairly unaware of their mistakes, otherwise they would be able to correct them. In addition, they probably think that it isn't actually that important as long as you can get your point across. Especially if they are posting for support or advice, perhaps at an emotional or difficult time for them.

It's rare that a poster's SPaG is so bad that their posts are incomprehensible, so it's really unnecessary to comment on their mistakes if they don't hinder understanding.

What is the attraction in coming to a written medium if you can't write?

Well they must beable to write or you wouldn't be able to see their post

If they couldn't write they wouldn't be here. They can obviously communicate their meaning in writing. It just doesn't conform to the style and rules some posters would like it to, which is different.