Spelling and Tense... Language decay on ATS

Ok,

I do not want to sound like one of those guys who has complained that 'it isn't like it use to be' on the board, but, really, I am sick and tired of the people who come here and cannot write a correct line of English! I am tired of "I do be see me aliens today" type thread titles

Yes, I know, i've made spelling mistakes, too... But i've never started a thread with overtly incorrect English! I can understand a little bad english if you're at work or some bad spelling if you're on your way out of the house, but this "Me be learn but dem ale-ins" garbage MUST STOP in the forums. It makes us all look like morons without educations.

Now, when I first saw this, I, in true paranoid fashion, just assumed that it was government types trying to make us look bad... But, now, I realize that a significant number of ATS thread starters cannot be considered competent in the English language.

To the Mods and Admins, I PLEAD: Please order these people to edit their words so that they are remotely intelligent?!?!?!?!

Now, I realize that there may very well be 6 or 7 year olds out there who are interested in the topics we discuss... If so, I hope the Admins will make a 'junior club' or something like that, so that we can talk about their questions without having to know their exact ages or bios (I think we all know what I am worrying about)... but, please, don't spoil the board with adults who should 'know better' anymore! If someone is a genuinely interested youngster, they should have their own ATS club... But if they're just a stupid adult they should be edited in the kindest of ways.

[Edited on 28-7-2003 by onlyinmydreams]

[Edited on 28-7-2003 by onlyinmydreams]

What can you do? I guess if there was a 'GrammarCheck' program this may help....not all are grown and have finished school. Or, if they did, did/do not pay attention to what they are writing...I know a guy on a sports board who gets picked on now and then because he writes like this:

"i kno the team is gonna du bettr, i jus don no how long it will take"

..but he is a college student and just says he is lazy...

Look at 'TheMark's" latest post in the alien board... that was my inspiration for this thread...


OIMD sayz: ME be see'un lil Alein in ma huz, now me wish da army be protecten me a bit mo....

I can relate to where OIMD is coming from, there has been occassions where the spelling has been pretty bad. We do have to remember though that there are many members here who don't call English their first language.

Alot of it seems to be carelessness though. You dont have to be perfect, but readable would be nice.

I always use the preview post feature before I post my reply, that helps to make sure it looks like you want it to. At least try to keep the thread title correct so it looks pretty on the "recent posts" on the front page.

I don't know if a spell checker is possible for the forum, I'm sure William could answer that, but is that something that you all would use if provided?

(0m3 0n i kn0w j00 w4nn4 t41k 1337 liek m33~~!!!11!1!1!1!1!111111

I have yet to see someone talk like that ^^^ here.

To dream the impossible dream....

OIMD,

I similarly shudder at language abuses

BUT

There is a generation of 15-30 year olds who were brought up not to read (some notable exceptions here)

Use of non-verbal media and communication forms like SMS and other gobbledigook are more prevalent in that group and younger

We've all read posts about the dumbing down of the American education system

Not all posters are native English speakers...


You are going to be ulcerated if you expect perfection and never find it in a place like this.

I'll forgive minor indiscretions in usage and chuckle at some who ought to know better than to expose their lack of command of the most basic language skills, but I would probably come down harder on complete lack of logic or presenting things in a way which is contrary to assisting in the search for truth.

Anyway, that's just me.

Good, let's keep it that way. Save that for the chatroom.

What we see hear is a general decay of the education system. The simple fact is that grammar is no longer taught in school. High school students are less educated in grammar than in days past. I really hate to post some "in the old days" type response, but a lot of the writing I have seen on this forum would not have withstood muster for students in the sixth of seventh grade when I went to school. We studied English, composition, and grammar from the fourth grade until the twelfth grade. By the time a student had reached the seventh grade, he was expected to be able to write a coherent sentence using proper grammar. By the time you reached the ninth grade, you were expected to be able to construct a paragraph. In the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades, we wrote entire compositions. It is a shame that the education system no longer values effective writing.

I think its hilarious. Some kids know how to type but just wanna be fun. You fellas need to pass gas once in awhile it will make you less tense over ....words.

Simple question - if no one else can read your post, then why do it? I have seen stuff hear that is simply unreadable. If no one else can read your post, then the message is lost.

I don't think I am betraying any confidences when I post this, but this is a true complaint we recieved...

LOL. (LOL's OK isn't it?)

We need more of those complaints made public.
Why should the moderators be the only people party to them. I've seen some little gems of wit there, that totally crack me up.
Come on guys - Share the wealth.


If you don't - I shull styrt speling lick thiss.

Looks like Ali G has registered
Booyakasha!

I have seen stuff 'here' is the correct word, 'hear' relates to sound.

Sorry to be picky but if you are going to correct others, please use the correct words in your correction.

Apologies for any grammatical/punctuation or any spelling I have missed.

[Edited on 28-7-2003 by johnb]

You wouldn't believe what has been passing through our little postal slot recently

Just to clarify,

I make spelling mistakes on this board when I am in a rush. I'm also, if at work, for example, sometimes forced to write very simplistic paragraphs so as to save time.

So... I did not mean to say that I am perfect and others are not. What I WAS doing was reacting to a slew of posts by apparent 12 year olds calling each other "fagets". As the mods have removed the worst of those posts, I feel that this situation has been remedied to a reasonable extent.

This is a key point.

However, for those just slipping in a little "l33tese", it only serves to belittle their own posting, and only hurts their own position in the longrun.... Disappointing though it may be, look at the history, and you'll find that most such posters don't stick around for long....

i dont care if people can spell every word properly or not.

i dont care if everyone knows proper grammar.

i dont care if anyone knows about punctuation. (aside from a period)

i dont care if you're a highschool dropout or a Rhodes Scholar.

what DOES bother me though is: StAgGeReD CaPs, "yo yo dawg dis b duh language i be using up in hea" ebonics and other gutteral forms of communication. this is a board with some intelligence and EVERYONE should set their posting standards high as this raises the excellence of the board and will make visitors go "wow! these people are intelligent!"

it is helpful if people knew the differences between their and there, hear and here but i dont put a priority on it.

i make mistakes myself but the only time i point out an error is if others might not fully understand what the poster is saying. and i dont believe i've even done this one time.

i will not jump down other peoples throats for a misspelling or an improper use of a word. (their and there for example)

i pretty much dont have a problem with the way anyone posts. if i have a problem i'll ask them to clarify first and if need be help them out with a friendly suggestion/nudge. but i dont think i'll have to.

Hey Monkey

As you have no doubt heard, if 24 of you were placed in a room and given a typewriter and a limitless supply of paper and all eternity, eventually you would type out the complete works of Shakespeare, letter perfect.

You have a good attitude to readability in my opinion.

well good luck to those 24 as i surely will not be one of them!


thanks, i try to be as tolerant of others as possible and part of that means trying to understand others even if they dont have the same education as myself. i try to make myself understood as easily as possible in short blunt words most times as i do not like confusion, it can lead to fighting and i prefer not to fight. i prefer to learn from others and perhaps teach something in return.

i can only hope others make as much effort to understand me and others as much i try to understand them.

but be glad this is all typed out. if i had to write all this by hand you'd rip your hair out in frustration.