How important is grammar and spelling?
 

From time to time some self-appointed grammar or spelling cop, hijacks a thread to correct someone's spelling/grammar errors. Do you like this or find it annoying? Obviously, a post needs to be intelligible, but beyond that do you think the post needs to have perfect spelling/grammar? I personally find such grammar/spelling posts a little silly, considering that this is an informal discussion board. I would hope those people don't correct misstatements during personal conversations, but yet feel the need to anonymously (sp?) correct perfect strangers in this informal forum. Finally, I have noted that those who correct others' mistakes, often make their own errors in the process.

It is petty is'nt it? They always sound so cynical and snidey. They are probably the types of personality who never say boo to a goose in face to face contacts, but when its safe will critisise others anonomously (says she, who gives a bogus email address - before anyone picks up on it!!) - but at least I'm not whinging about spellings!

I have the same complaint about your post that you have about the grammar and spelling polices' posts!

I am not a frequent visitor here, so I have never seen anybody correcting somebody elses grammar. That would not be very encouraging, since this is an international board, and English is not everybody´s native tongue. Or even second or third. Like for me English is fourth language, and I make all kinds of mistakes. But I don´t want anybody here to correct me. That would be intimidating.

I second what xxx said. English is my third language. I try to avoid mistakes (spelling and grammar), but it's not always easy, because I can't constantly check my dictionaries.<BR>And then, I often see the mistakes only after having posted. Very annoying. :o((

If I am correct, my heading/title contains a blatant gramatical error, and should read "how important are grammar and spelling". Oh, the irony.

I always read for the content in the document not the grammer. Maybe that is a fault of mine. I really don't like people picking fault with spelling and grammer. I am just happy to read about other's travel experiences and advice.

Contrarily to xxx and european girl, I'd rather have my mistakes corrected, since otherwise I'll go on making the same ones over and over again. To each his own.

clairobscur: In my professional life, there is plenty of room for that. However, when I'm trying to shoot off a response on this forum, or even in a routine email, I find it a bit inefficient to agonize over grammar and spelling. Also, often both types of errors are more a function of typing/typographical errors and a failure to proof read, rather than ignorance.

Well said, ill.<BR><BR>Would love to have a spell check here.

This thread tops them all. Not only is sniping about grammar ridiculous, but discussion about it is as well. Why is it necessary to make intentional errors just to prove your points? Lets get back to travel.

..ooo grumpy RnR!! chill out ;)

A recent post of RnR's, from a London thread. Is this an example sniping, RnR? Please calm down. However, I would agree with your final sentence in the following post:<BR><BR>Author: RnR ([email protected])<BR>Date: 08/20/2002, 04:06 pm<BR>Message: Re-analyze - re? Whoooo. Too funny. Some of you never learn - you put on the old grammarian hat, step out on the tree limb, and somebody cuts you off. <BR><BR>

I try not to make blatant errors and would want to be corrected if I had done so. I think most of those who correct spelling and grammar do so when the errors are obviously those of people whose first language is English. We're not taking about expecting highly refined, journalistically sophisticated ways of writing; it's kind of basic elementary school knowledge to realize that you don't begin a sentence with,"ME and my friends are . . .? It shouldn't take a Ph.D. in Eng. to write correctly,"My friends and I. . . " <BR><BR>The short cut style of writing these posts is altogether different, also; we all do it, and that makes sense. But the glaring true grammatical errors--no!

I think everybody makes typos, especially when you're in a hurry. What I find disturbing is the sheer number of MAJOR spelling and grammatical errors. Makes me wonder about the literacy of the masses!

Ya know, dude, it's like, me and my buds would like chill out a whole lot more if all you grammar freaks would just like go to www.diagramthis.com or something.<BR>

I think grammar and spelling are important because you can totally alter the meaning of a sentence.<BR>For example, take these two sentences:<BR><BR>Bob said ill-literate should learn how to spell.<BR>Bob, said ill-literate, should learn how to spell.<BR><BR>Who should learn to spell? Me or the other guy?<BR><BR>And it makes a difference how a man looks at a girl. Does he look at her sternly or at her stern??<BR><BR>And some of you undoubtedly have read the joke about the instructions given to the product tester at the Tickle Me Elmo factory.<BR>

Oh crikey! Do we have to be so errudite? Is this a course in applied linguistics or a forum for travel and intercultural issues?

Only one 'r' in erudite.<BR><BR>Did I get to be the first to point this out?

Of course it's a travel forum, but I for one take less seriously posts with repeated spelling errors and incorrect grammar. It most offends me when posters can't even spell the countries/cities they plan to visit. How much planning does that indicate?<BR><BR>Make fun, put down and criticize those of us who care enough to crack a dictionary if needs be, but the written word is important to me, even here on Fodor's, and if you sound like an illiterate idiot I'm less inclined to bother answering.<BR><BR>Let the flames begin!