04-03-2012, 09:15 AM
1
Using Proper Writing Skills
Since I spend a lot of time on dozens of forums I run across people who deliberately refuse to write in a manner that makes it easy for the readers to understand. Paragraph after paragraph is all in lower case letters with poor punctuation, grammer, spelling and a total lack of sentence structure. It comes from cell phone text speak where someone has gotten into bad habits with the human language. When reminded of this online they become defensive and most of the time, hostile.This latest culprit posted a question on what others in the forum thought he should invest in to further his photographic career. I replied a good English teacher so that people could understand his writing. Shortly thereafter he exploded, being full of himself. I was pleasantly surprised when a number of forum moderators jumped into the discussion agreeing with my point and suggesting this man stop the text speak and compose his posts with others in mind.
I'm not referring to anyone with occasional spelling or grammer errors but someone with a total lack of regard for others. We all make mistakes.
04-03-2012, 09:34 AM
2
Re: Using Proper Writing Skills
I would be the first person to say I'm not the best when it comes to grammer, spelling or punctuation. But the one thing that really gets me is the use of textspeak. I understand the need to use abbreviation, but for the most part, it's just laziness and ignorance and I refuse to speak to anyone who uses it as a substitute for English.
04-03-2012, 11:10 AM
3
Re: Using Proper Writing Skills
I'm also not the best of spellers and to tell the truth some of the spelling with some words makes no sense to me at all lol. It's nothing like the way the word sounds at all. But Text print is as you say horrible, lazy, and pure bad manners I think. I got onto my Grandson about it not so long ago. I told him if he sent me a text then please to use English as I refused to answer the rubbish they write now.........He sent back....Ok Nan No Problem. The only one I don't mind is "lol"
04-03-2012, 11:59 AM
4
Re: Using Proper Writing Skills
I'm not sure that they teach spelling and grammar in schools any longer, in fact I don't know what they do teach.
I do know though, that some of our modern technology serves no purpose other than to make us idle with both language and maths, and I'm afraid it can only go downhill from here.
04-03-2012, 01:44 PM
5
Re: Using Proper Writing Skills
Being objective, is it not rather bad mannered to make vitriolic comments on a fellow member's literacy skills?Surely what they are saying is far more important than how thay are saying it. Perhaps the perceived lack of education is preferable to a lack of good manners and tolerance. Such criticism only serves to alienate people and can often preclude them from contributing to the debate or discussion.
I suspect most folks join a forum to make friends and communicate with like minded people of their chosen demographic; that means talking to people as they do in daily life not as if they were practicing their contributions to the 'Guardian' letters page.
As for 'text' speak, I agree it is awful but then again I would think many of the literary giants of yesteryear would consider our so called acceptable modern english, appalling.
It is a shame that our rich language is being textulized - if that is such a word - but I prefer to think of it as a failure in the education system of the schools rather than idleness.
04-03-2012, 01:59 PM
6
Re: Using Proper Writing Skills
Based on the 'acceptable' marks I see my OH's teens get for poorly written assignments rife with errors, I think the schools are falling behind in teaching writing skills including grammar.They also fail to correct poor speech. The girl (age 15) will say "I seen...", "him and me got homework ", "I don't gotta do that" and "do we got any" and ignores me if I politely try to correct her. She hopes for a professional career. I believe her communication skills will hold her back. Her brother is a year older and has greatly improved just by listening to me and engaging in conversation. He sometimes corrects his sister and she ignores him too.
As for text speak, I've even seen it used on job applications. One respondent sent me an email saying "I will wrk hard 4 u lol". Not hard enough to write a full sentence though!
04-03-2012, 02:28 PM
7
Re: Using Proper Writing Skills
Originally Posted by Hammer
->
Being objective, is it not rather bad mannered to make vitriolic comments on a fellow member's literacy skills?Surely what they are saying is far more important than how thay are saying it. Perhaps the perceived lack of education is preferable to a lack of good manners and tolerance. Such criticism only serves to alienate people and can often preclude them from contributing to the debate or discussion.
I suspect most folks join a forum to make friends and communicate with like minded people of their chosen demographic; that means talking to people as they do in daily life not as if they were practicing their contributions to the 'Guardian' letters page.
As for 'text' speak, I agree it is awful but then again I would think many of the literary giants of yesteryear would consider our so called acceptable modern english, appalling.
It is a shame that our rich language is being textulized - if that is such a word - but I prefer to think of it as a failure in the education system of the schools rather than idleness.
The man I'm commenting about answered me back in perfect English & grammer. He not only knew better but is the only one on the forum that insisted on this form of jibberish.
When it looks like this it's disturbing.
being objective is it not rather bad mannered to make vitriolic comments on a fellow member's literacy skills.surely what they are saying is far more important than how thay are saying it.perhaps the perceived lack of education is preferable to a lack of good manners and tolerance.such criticism only serves to alienate people and can often preclude them from contributing to the debate or discussion.
I suspect most folks join a forum to make friends and communicate with like minded people of their chosen demographic that means talking to people as they do in daily life not as if they were practicing their contributions to the 'Guardian' letters page.as for 'text' speak, I agree it is awful but then again I would think many of the literary giants of yesteryear would consider our so called acceptable modern english, appalling.it is a shame that our rich language is being textulized if that is such a word but I prefer to think of it as a failure in the education system of the schools rather than idleness.
04-03-2012, 04:39 PM
8
Re: Using Proper Writing Skills
Content is more important than the way it is written.A Little Poem Regarding Computer Spell Checkers...
Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.
04-03-2012, 04:56 PM
9
Re: Using Proper Writing Skills
Every job applicant is asked about their communication skills. If you can't read, write or speak intelligibly you need not apply. Laziness is no excuse for conveying your thoughts sloppily to the point where the reader must decipher your scribble.
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