Does grammar matter to you?

[mender42]

Bear with me there's a point. If you feel the need skip to the last two paragraphs. :happysad:

I met and worked with a man at an automotive plant. I was a technician and he was the Senior Plant Manger of Shipping and /Receiving, and had been for about 8 years. He was the "go-to-guy" that department. To do his job he had perform inventory, operate PCs CRM/CMS programs, read Bar Code Numbers, colors, quantities and negotiate with vendors and managers.

As time went on I got to know him better, and noticed that if I handed him written memos, he always asked alot of questions. If I gave him verbal instructions, (no matter how complicated) he would say "No problem" and ask NO questions! It became a running joke between us, I would tease him about all his "memo" questions, and he would complain that the handwriting was lousy.

Came the day when I had misread an order and had to go to him to get it corrected. I was apologizing to him, when while laughing at me; he confided that he couldn't read at all!

He was running an Automotive Shipping and Receiving Department by shape recognition and memory! That's why he always quizzed me about anything written, he was memorizing!!!

He told me he had never passed 3rd grade, and no one at the plant knew.

I was stunned. I knew that 8 years before I had met him, his management and communication skills had earned him his promotion. In the company his accomplishments were legendary. (They never realized how legendary!) How did he do it? Listening and Memorizing. Wow. Awesome. Incredible intellect!

It's a tricky paradigm:
"It seems programmed into our society, however, that good grammar / spelling / vocabulary is a strong indicator of intelligence." "as grammar is indeed an indicator of education"

Maybe...... Maybe not..... After that and other similar experiences, my paradigm ...shifted. :eek5:
If you skipped to here, yes, the Universe Is Messy and Not Linear......

 

[jstine35]

I don't honestly want to "Kill Them All!", but it is annoying. I'm one of those people that find spelling errors without even trying. They seem to be jumping up and down, waving their "arms" at me, yelling "look at me, look at me!" Sometimes I can't even help it. It is most annoying when it is in a publication, or in the media, etc. I thought professional people worked there!

I also dislike it when you can tell that someone did not go back and read over their email before sending it. You know, sometimes you go back and make changes. Or maybe you make them as you type. But, inevitably, you get those that say things like "here are you my questions".

On a side note - I was at an IT convention many years ago (probably 1993) and had to point out to the workers at the Computer Associates booth that their HUGE banner read "Computer Assoicates". Too funny! They had no idea!

Jennifer

 

[Foxhound]

I've noticed in the recent times that the grammar skills of our nation is slipping. I can't stand the "lol", "wtf", "idk", etc... I know my grammar isn't the greatest, but I do try! I hate ill-grammared people. I don't know why, but I just don't like them. I don't like saying "Yo, what is up!?" or on the computer "yo wut up!?". I just feel exasperated about this subject. I mean I go to school and use words like "vulnerability(not really a big word), superfluous (I think that is on the Grinch who Stole Christmas", empirical/theoretical (kind of has to do with each other), angular momentum, probabilistic, etc " and they don't know what I mean. They stare at me and act like I'm speaking an ancient language from a primeval world! I've seen people write and not capitalize properly "i'm, i, i've, etc." I don't know I could just on and on! :rant2: It really agitates me!

It isn't that you come from a primeval world but that you use words that are not accepted in colloquial speech. You use words that you would use if you were a novelist or perhaps in a laboratory performing experiments. Yeah this is America and we need to know our own language but since everyone likes to take short cuts and not apply themselves to whatever they do well we get a decrease in the ability to converse like civilized adults. Now it doesn't kill me that people don't understand me but I also speak accordingly with the person I am speaking with. With my best friend and girlfriend I just use colloquial words and shortened words because I am so used to being with them that formality is no longer needed. On the other hand when I talk to either of their parents I use words that I would only use at a job interview or any sort of interview for that matter.

Basically if you dont want to read all that. The intelligence of my speech increases the less I know the person and the bigger an impact I am trying to make. It also does not kill me if the person I talk to has no idea what I am saying or talks like a human being talks to someone they feel accustomed with.

 

[QueenHawkeye]

I prefer good grammar, but my grammar isn't that great so I can't be one to insult someone's grammar.

I appreciate it when at least someone gives at least SOME effort.

 

[noerrorsfound]

Its funny, most of you are just typing grammatically correct in this thread because of the discussion. I doubt most of you really type grammatically correct especially when playing games.

Typing while playing games is completely different. When playing games, you type in shorthand because you need to send it as quickly as possible. If you're playing a tactical FPS and trying to warn your team about enemies in the next room, capitalizing your sentences and words properly, or even spelling them out completely, could cause you to not get the message across to your team in time. It's a good idea to get a microphone for tactical (and especially realistic) games, though, if the game supports it. If you're playing a fast-paced shooter, you don't want to be killed because your character was standing still while you were typing in the chat. A microphone isn't needed in fast paced games since you don't have to chat much or discuss strategies with your team.

 

[Patrick]

I try to have good grammar; even though mine isn't the best. I agree with you when you say you don't like people with ill grammar, I also don't like reading through posts and trying to decipher what they are saying. Although, on MSN and IM I am not one to talk! - However, on forums I do strive to have good grammar and to sound professional(ish).

 

[arkky]

Grammar is important, but for me, it's the situation. In real life I try to use correct grammar and such, so it's more easily understandable, especially with forgieners who may not understand local the grammatical syntax.

Online however, is a different matter. Usually I do try to have good grammar, but sometimes I get lazy, especially with my local forum. Instant messaging such as MSN is when almost all grammar gets chucked out of the window. Amazingly people still understand me.

 

[calvinvandermeer]

Improper grammar often annoys me, especially as I am a Canadian author. It annoys me that my peers on MSN, Myspace, and emails never bother to run a spellcheck. People, it is a handy little button at the top of your email toolbar. If half of your words would be underlined in a MS Word document, you are not an English major. And another thing that bothers me is when Canadians - even in the paper - use American spelling for things. This is Canada; your ears will fall off if you go outside without a toque. So PLEASE put a “u” in honour, neighbour, and labour. Even authour used to have a “u” in it (about the only thing I remember about grade school) but for some odd reason this no longer seems to be the case (I have a old dictionary with author spelt that way in it). So yes, bad grammar does annoy me.
Calvin

www.cvandermeer.x10hosting.com
Like my writing? Email me at calvin_vandermeer@hotmail.com ​

 

[tittat]

Others ill grammar doesn't matters me.I even don't notice that.Because iam a ill grammared person.I always look for simplicity and understandability of the language.

 

[struni]

In my opinion Communication is more important than grammar. As far as we can comminicate effectively,there is no problem with grammar. Because the main purpose of any language is communication. Everybody , who is learning new language make mistakes. We should not discourage them.

 

[FalseHope]

Yeah. I agree. If someone is learning a new language though, it would be good to show them their mistakes instead of bit**ing to them about how they cannot talk or type or whatever.

 

[like2program]

I thinks dat I don't likes da peoples who uses bad grammering.
Seriously though, learn to write.

 

[struni]

I thinks dat I don't likes da peoples who uses bad grammering.
Seriously though, learn to write.

Why friend? What is the problem with them? How can they learn and improve their language if we treat them like this? If you find any mistake just correct them so that they won't repeat the mistake.(ofcourse,including me if I do so) If we know something, let us guide others with our knowledge.
Let Them Learn Something. Let us guide them.
Sorry to point out you buddy, but checkout your grammar in above post.
I think it has some mistakes and the word grammering is not correct(atleast not acceptable internationally).
If you don't think so I'm sorry.

 

[Zdroyd]

The only thing I find worse then people that do not even try to type with good grammer, are people who type 1337!

"i finded tht badd gramer and spelin is realy anoying! ppl tht us badd gramer and us badd spelin sould be died! stpid badd gramer ppl!"

 

[Zangetsu]

grammar doesnt really matter for me as long as i can read what they have typed it shouldnt be much of a problem

 

[ThePaintGuru]

I have to say, even though it doesn't really matter to me (I wouldn't correct people while they're talking, for example), when I hit a site that is written in very poor english, with obvious gramatical mistakes, I'm not likely to come back. The only thing that bothers me on forums Is When People Capitalize Every Word They Write, A Habit That Makes Absolutely No Sense At All And Makes The Text Hard To Scan.

 

[chewett]

Why friend? What is the problem with them? How can they learn and improve their language if we treat them like this? If you find any mistake just correct them so that they won't repeat the mistake.(ofcourse,including me if I do so) If we know something, let us guide others with our knowledge.
Let Them Learn Something. Let us guide them.
Sorry to point out you buddy, but checkout your grammar in above post.
I think it has some mistakes and the word grammering is not correct(atleast not acceptable internationally).
If you don't think so I'm sorry.

he was being scarcastic. you can tell as he wrote "But seriously" which shows that before he was not being serious

 

[mcorp]

I agree that proper spelling and grammar is important. I don't like forums much
where nobody uses capital letters or punctuation. It makes you think they're a
bunch of immature kids.

However, I have no problem with people using abbreviations such as lol, wtf, omg,
etc. Especially in IM, I'd rather the person use "lol" instead of having to wait for them
to type "Lots of laughs" when half the people I talk to in IM are already extremely
slow typers. I was under the impression that abbrevations were fine in informal writing
but not in formal. Then again I am horrible with spelling and grammar so who knows.�

res

 

[DeadBattery]

I think good grammar is a must.
Why spend your life talking like
I is good, watsa bout you? You is good to! Dats sound wiked.
It can also be irritating to people who have to read that.

 

[mcorp]

Oh yea, one other thing that I can't stand is when people TalK LiKe thiS!
I saw this one person who typed a capital letter On Every Single Word
That He Typed! It drove me nuts!!