OT My postings

[wazoo]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Old guys - it's only going to get worse. Kids have more important things to do in their lives than worry about rules, and I mean ANY rules. It could be partly a function of where I live, but the kids I know (and by 'kids', I mean anyone under 30) are only interested in playing video games, drinking and smoking. I know plenty of really intelligent young people who didn't think getting a high school degree was very important. It's cool to be a slacker. From where I am sitting right at this moment, I can look out the window and see 'cool kids' and homeless people. In many cases it's the same people, just on different parts of the same path.

In our generation this attitude generally only lasted through high school, then we had to go get a job. It was a cultural thing, and it protected us.

But back to the topic. English is devolving. Oral language started off purely as a means of communication. Written language gave it rules and thus permanence. Our youth have a distaste for rules. Any method that communicates a thought is now acceptable.

Fight dullardness: Read, write letters, do math in your head.

I'm in 10th grade and I proofread all my posts

[EvilKing00]

Originally Posted by wazoo

I'm in 10th grade and I proofread all my posts

Can you proof read mine too plz?

[drc]

As a former literature major and encyclopedia writer, my philosophy is if you understand what the person means, that's the majority of communication. I do 'speak proper,' but don't go all school teacher about a teenager using the word ain't because I, and everyone else, know what the kid means.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by drc

As a former literature major and encyclopedia writer, my philosophy is if you understand what the person means, that's the majority of communication. I do 'speak proper,' but don't go all school teacher about a teenager using the word ain't because I, and everyone else, know what the kid means.

...or when they drop the 'F' bomb repeatedly in public, or even at the dinner table when visiting their grandparents. They are just communicating - no biggy.

[drc]

Forgive Scott. He lives in Belltown. On my side of town, the kids don't even know what is the F-bomb.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by drc

Forgive Scott. He lives in Belltown. On my side of town, the kids don't even know what is the F-bomb.

I was complaining to a friend of mine about the nasty language I hear around Belltown, and he told me that I was getting old, reminding me that my parents probably felt the same way about the language that my generation used. The main difference is that I was still held accountable and got to taste quite a bit of the old ivory bar.

[tschock]

Kids (those under 30 and a gross generalization) have always had a dislike for rules. The problem today is that adults (those over 30 and another gross generalization) don't hold anyone accountable for breaking the rules, in all aspects of society. Lack of grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc are just endemic of the larger problem.

I am not the best speller, and at times have problems with grammar, but I try to proofread what I say as my job requires a good deal of technical accuracy. And to try and convey what I actually MEAN so that others can understand. My errors I catch myself doing these days are usually typing the wrong words (such as "there" instead of "they") because my brain is usually ahead of my fingers, which are many times on "auto pilot" when typing.

I myself, as others have pointed out, usually just gloss over a post/comment that isn't clear and I don't give it a second look. My feeling is that I'm not going to spend more effort in trying to understand what someone wrote than the effort they put into what they wrote in the first place.

[cyseymour]

Originally Posted by drc

As a former literature major and encyclopedia writer, my philosophy is if you understand what the person means, that's the majority of communication. I do 'speak proper,' but don't go all school teacher about a teenager using the word ain't because I, and everyone else, know what the kid means.

"Ain't" is slang, not a misspelling persay. But there is a difference between written and spoken communication, or what is considered appropriate in one environment vs. another.

I would say that in the Net54 environment, it is generally casual, and misspellings are made and accepted, but there is a general expectation that the poster at least makes an effort.

[barrysloate]

per se

[frankbmd]

+1

The 'marm

[byrone]

Originally Posted by drc

Forgive Scott. He lives in Belltown. On my side of town, the kids don't even know what is the F-bomb.

Trivia question

Do you know who coined the word "F-Bomb"?

[EvilKing00]

the "kid" if im not mistaken - gary carter that is, of my now pathetic met team. Boy we need help lol

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

+1

The 'marm

It's Latin, so we can cut a little slack here.

[jimhopkins82]

I tend to leave out words while I'm typing so I always proofread everything. Both my parents were teachers and made sure I understood the importance of correct grammar or tried to anyway. I'm thirty so I guess I'm in the gray area between the literate and illiterate. (Kidding)

[Michael B]

(apology spelled correct)[/QUOTE]

Sorry, but it should be "apology spelled correctly". It is an adverb as it is modifying a verb - spelled. Correct is an adjective which modifies a noun; ie. 'It is correct.'

[edhans]

My biggest bitch is the incorrect use of adverbs.

.

+1

Here's a vote for "alot" as the most annoying error of all.

[barrysloate]

Keep in mind that a chatboard is a pretty informal place, so there's a little more leeway here than say if you were writing an essay for the Harvard Review. All I ask is that people write clearly so that the rest of us understand what they're talking about.

[MikeGarcia]

We really should try to be a tad more understanding and forgiving , even charitable , to those posters for whom communication can be a difficult task .

For example , I'm acquainted with a member here who told me , in confidence , that he was the offspring of a dyslectic philosopher and an agnostic insomniac and thus spent his childhood lying awake wondering '' Is there a Dog ''....

[steve B]

A few things I'll comment on all at once.

I'm probably guilty of not being understandable at times. I tend to be a bit long winded.

Evilking- I do nearly everything with attention to detail. That probably comes from training in machining/drafting, and doing jobs where missing the details had a possibility of getting someone killed or injured.

Ain't...........I have never figured out what it's supposed to be a contraction of.

While I'm not great at grammar the thing I've seen recently that bugs me is mixing tenses. As in "This bike Needs restored" I've been told this is really common around Pittsburg.

By the time I was in high school I liked rules. Especially ones I could turn to my own purposes. Our school handbook specified "a note from home" was needed to excuse an absence. So I had my sister write one when I skipped school. Dad was less than pleased since he'd written the handbook. I had to help rewrite it over the summer.

I don't think much proofreading happens, even at places where the business is writing. Like the newspaper. So many articles have errors of spelling, or the wrong word used, or stuff that takes a few minutes to make sense.

Steve B

[Fred]

I probably would have just put "apology spelt correct" at the end of the first post, just to have some fun.

[Cerberus]

Originally Posted by EvilKing00

but for 20 years i was in the resturant business .

Another commonly misspelled word.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by EvilKing00

I would disagree with this as well. As far as lackadaisical or lazy, due to not being on top of spelling. I can only speak for my self - but for 20 years i was in the resturant business worked 16-18 hours a day 6 days a week. For the last 8 years im in Real estate and though the hours are better im always working. Im also thinking of opening another business next year and i run 2 websites and own a rental property. I would say im far from lackadaisical and but also far from a good speller, lol

I always tell my employees, its good to know what you know but its better to also know what you dont know.

I would say it's probably better for society that you're a hard worker than that you can sit on your ass all day and nitpick spelling and grammar errors. So I think you're doing ok here -- but what do I know, I'm just a patriotic taxpayer.

[birdman42]

Random points that may or may not be connected:

As a professional writer and editor, I believe that my first goal is to be understood. Anything that makes the reader (or listener) work harder gets in the way. Even people who don't know/can't explain/don't give a s*** about the rules can identify them in received language. Try explaining proper use of the en dash. It's more arcane than the infield fly rule. But when readers see it they know what it signifies.

When people write/speak and it's clear they're not even trying, it's like a big FU to the audience. EK, after reading your posts I can't imagine it's your intent, but it can come across that way. Using proper grammar and learning to spell are like good table manners. You can get the job done (writing, eating) without such things, but those around you will thank you for the effort.

So here are some writing tips for those of you who are interested. Baby steps.

• Start every sentence with a capital letter.
• Use apostrophes where they're appropriate.
• Take 20 seconds after you finish writing before you hit the "Submit" button.

Good luck, and God bless.

Bill (not looking to succeed Barry or Frank)

[EvilKing00]

writer and editor...i c. (see) as the writer you can express all your thoughtfull and colorfull immages in your head on the page, but wearing 2 (two) hats, as the editor you must then (or at the same time) check your dotted i's and crossed t's. Its really two different all together mind sets.

As a professional editor (lets just say you werent a writer, as alot of folks are just one or the other) where would a good editor be with out a creative writer who spells the same word differently on the same page 3 different times?

When i started this thread i was just pointing out that i know i make spelling mistakes and will probably continue to do so. As well as offering an apology to those who may be irked by it. I wasnt trying to start a 10 page thread on this topic, as i have read through the forum this isnt the 1st time its come up. ugh, maybe we can get back to baseball soon...... this spelling stuff is so boaring.

[sdkammeyer]

Originally Posted by EvilKing00

ugh, maybe we can get back to baseball soon...... this spelling stuff is so boaring.

+1

but ...... "boaring" is actually "boring".

sorry man .... i had to do it
much love

[Bocabirdman]

Aside from the obvious reason that draws all of us to this board, one of the great pleasures I get here is the opportunity to flex my vocabulary. Words and phrases that one simply cannot use in everyday life can be interjected into a written post. At work, I often find myself mired in meetings with a roomful of college graduates and I get the "deer in the headlights" look should I slide too far down the list of word choices. I, also, am asked to write "How to" instructions for the computer operators across the company, on occaision. I was instructed to "dumb it down" after using "ergo" in one such paper recently. Posting here liberates a body.

That being said, I try and remember that everyone's grasp of words and grammar is different. Holier than thou I ain't. I may point out a mistake to someone who has skills and will not be insulted by my telling him. However, if I do not know the writer and his abilities, I will forgive and refrain from saying anything. People didn't join this board to have their wordsmanship critiqued. It's all about the cardboard.

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by EvilKing00

I wasnt trying to start a 10 page thread on this topic,

Hi EK,
Being relatively new, you may not realize that there is a setting somewhere (sorry I can't remember where now) that allows more posts per page.
Maybe you were exaggerating for effect, but if not... this thread is still only one page for me. Just trying to help.

Tony

p.s. To anyone except EK : did I use effect properly? That one always corn-fuses me.

[frankbmd]

[QUOTE]........I may point out a mistake to someone who has skills and will not be insulted by my telling him ...........[QUOTE] Bocabirdman

Shouldn't the schoolmarm be immune from your insults?

Now back to baseball, did you know that Moe Berg once shared a jug of sake (the two syllable version) with Babe Ruth in Japan?

[Rob D.]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

Now back to baseball, did you know that Moe Berg once shared a jug of sake (the two syllable version) with Babe Ruth in Japan?

Oh, for goodness' sake.

[MikeGarcia]

Originally Posted by Rob D.

Oh, for goodness' sake.

Capital O ouch.

[EvilKing00]

lmao - ok just one more on the Spelling thing - you have to see this if you have read any of this 1 page OR 10 page thread! - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mul...content.1.html

[cyseymour]

Originally Posted by calvindog

I would say it's probably better for society that you're a hard worker than that you can sit on your ass all day and nitpick spelling and grammar errors. So I think you're doing ok here -- but what do I know, I'm just a patriotic taxpayer.

So are you saying that people who care about spelling are unpatriotic tax evaders who sit on their asses all day?

[Michael B]

Since this particular thread turned into a grammar/spelling thread I though the members would find this amusing. I was cruising on ebay and saw this particular item. I was not interested in it, but I sometimes look at signed items when I am familiar with the signature to see if I think it is real or not.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ted-Nugent-S...item2ec5cad4de.

I read the ‘COA” of this person who calls himself ‘Theautographexpert’ with a 50 feedback. Please stop laughing. No, really. To quote: “T.A.E. has put allot of work into bringing you.. blah blah blah. I dropped him a note letting him know that his COA would have more credibility if he did not have a misspelling in it. I prefer misspelling rather than grammatical error. He said he was reporting me to ebay for harassment and challenging his credibility. To bastardize a Kinky Friedman book title / quote – ‘You can lead a dumbass to water, but you can’t make him think.’ I like to drop notes to sellers who list unidentified signatures or have similar minor mistakes that may help them. Everyone, to a fault, is appreciative. Then you get some knucklehead like this.

[RCMcKenzie]

My understanding of the autograph market is that one cert is as good as another. In the end you must do your own due diligence.

I got this from Mill Creek sports on ebay...

montgomery.jpg

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by cyseymour

So are you saying that people who care about spelling are unpatriotic tax evaders who sit on their asses all day?

LOL. More like the other way around.