Creativity is at the heart of the English language, not just correctness. Yeah, but don't confuse creativity with ignorance or carelessness. I mean, really, pointing out the correct way to use "its" as opposed to "it's" isn't stifling anyone's creativity. It's just confusing when someone writes "We watched the game at they're house" or "its a bad day when a dog loses it's temper" etc... People are too lazy with their spelling nowadays. I'm not even going to get started on people who introduce numbers into their sentences. ("i cheered 4 steve at teh game 2day d00d") ------------------ My dream job is to be a Houston Rockets towel-boy. [This message has been edited by fadeaway (edited October 08, 2000).]
Right on, jeff. The message is what is important, not the way it looks, like some would have you believe. Hitler, I'm sure had excellent grammer as well, yet, he still was a heartless b*stard. ------------------
Hitler, I'm sure had excellent grammer as well, yet, he still was a heartless b*stard. Now that statement was just silly. ------------------ My dream job is to be a Houston Rockets towel-boy.
FADEAWAY i guess its only right that i respond to your post. first of all, proper grammer, punctuation and spelling are not important. especially in the context of a sports forum. when i am typing in a place like this im not about to use capitalization, or most punctuation. all i use is periods and commas. so deal with it. i will also have many run-on sentances, as well as fragments. again, DEAL WITH IT!! the english language is a work in progress. and since i already have a degree. i dont need to be judged by you. i am done with school. also the written language is a dying art. people write letters less and less. E-mail is keeping the faith untill we are able to easily send video messages. telephone use is continually proliferating as prices drop. it is now more important to have well developed speaking skills. my dyslexia dosnt show when i speak, but when i type i may look like an idiot to you, but thats just fine with me. i spend my time out communicating with the world in person. while, im sure you are locked away in your parents house pasty white, typing away, looking forward to graduating from community collage. remember this, its not spelling and punctuation that shows ones inteligence. i am aware of my lack of spelling. i am aware of my lack of punctuation. i am also aware that you must have no life. how about you wait untill you are an english teacher untill the next time you go correcting peoples grammer. but i suggest you dont insult your students intelligence. as im sure you will be the subject od many school board meetings. i expect a grade of C+ on this one, thanks *PEACE ------------------
Ease up bud. I think you are taking this way more seriously than it was intended. I can sympathise with you comments on dyslexia, but really, it's not too difficult to use a spell checker. Although not an English major, I am more on fadeaway's side with this one. I don't mind the odd mistake or when people deliberately don't use capitals, but when posters clearly don't know the difference between 'then' and 'than,' …!? ------------------
dont worry grizz, im not stressing, i just felt the necessity to respond. reading the passage that was quoted for Mr fadeaways post i can clearly see that i was really sloppy with the english language. the point i have to make is that even with sloppy english it is pretty easy to understand what the point was. so i have to question the motivation of fadeway to judge other peoples writing. i suppose he is being compulsive, but correcting other people is a sign of a superiority complex. i have never looked kindly on being corrected. if i knew these posts were to be graded, than my writing would change greatly. also if it is uncontrolable to correct other peoples writing, than it would be a bit more tactfull if merely the quote was used, and not atributing the quote to someone as you insult the english used in said quote. this is seen as an insult on the person being quoted. *PEACE ------------------
What Jeff is saying sounds a lot like our Constitution. We have a set of written rules, that cannot be broken, unless of course, as a people we find it beneficial to break them. If breaking the rule is found to benefit us all you are glorified. If it is found to harm us all you are penalized. It is almost perfect. However, with such a system you create legends and villains all at once. Both with the same objective, to cross over the rules. Our system of government explains good and evil. It explains Jordan and Rodman. That is why they must exist in conjunction with each other. ------------------ humble, but hungry.
Jeff... While I do understand the need for the evolution of words, I also hate that the dictionary rewards and acknowledges stupidity. While I know that "ain't" is in the dictionary, it shouldn't be. It is not gramatically correct. I'm not saying it can't be used, it just shouldn't be in the dictionary. My biggest problem was that people were miss-using "irregardless" as a word so often that the dictionary people said "OK, fine it's a word." It wasn't and it shouldn't be because it is just miss-use of the word regardless. My defense? Well, a lot of people these days say "hizzous instead of house" How long before Webster's decides to make that a word? ------------------ I got nothing.
Fatty: But English is a living language and its rules are always in flux. What about "color" versus "colour" for example? What is more correct? Should "electonic mail" be allowed to be abbreviated as "e-mail" or "email?" Remember, it didn't even exist 10 years ago. Language grows not because some group decides it should be added to a dictionary. Language evolves as we create it. "Phat" is no different from "groovy." They are simply separated by about 30 years. When you get right down to it, English is a very unique because it is the b*stard child of about 10 or so languages - some still living and others not so much. At some point, our language will be dead as well and then you can look at it and define it much the way you can with Hebrew or Latin. Until then, we have to keep increasing our language because it is what makes us who we are. Connotations, spellings and grammar will all change. Words will be added and subtracted. "Gay" used to just mean happy. A "***" is a bundle of sticks or a cigarette butt. "Ass" is a mule. "Butt" was not a word until the early part of this century. "Computer" didn't show up until the 60's. How many people know that the word "twain" refers to something other than the name of an author? How many of us would have know what it meant had it not been explained to us by that author or some history book? Derivatives and slang are as much a part of what we know as English as traditional words. Just take a read of Huckelberry Finn for slave language that, at the time, was considered jibberish (another invented word) and is now considered an amazing look at language that influenced modern English in many ways. There are myriad examples of words simply invented or changed to fit what we say today ("chortle" was invented by Louis Carroll in his famous poem Jabberwocky). Too many to list here. Language is ours to change, mutilate, update and destroy. It is not some set of laws that must be followed or else. That is the beauty of it. ------------------ Save Our Rockets and Comets SaveOurRockets.com [This message has been edited by Jeff (edited October 09, 2000).] [This message has been edited by Jeff (edited October 09, 2000).]
voice>> First of all, I'm going to ignore your infantile personal attacks, which are beneath me and just make you look immature. even with sloppy english it is pretty easy to understand what the point was No. You are totally wrong. It is much easier to understand a well-written post than one with bad spelling, punctuation, grammar and/or sentence structure. i suppose he is being compulsive, but correcting other people is a sign of a superiority complex. Nah, like I said before, I just get confused sometimes if the grammar is <u>too</u> bad. There have been some posts that I've skipped entirely because they were too poorly written, and I know I'm not alone on this one. if i knew these posts were to be graded, than my writing would change greatly No one is grading anything. It's more like a gentle nudge in the right direction for the mutual benefit of all. when i am typing in a place like this im not about to use capitalization, or most punctuation. all i use is periods and commas But why? Why wouldn't you want to communicate clearly. No one is asking anyone to be the next Dickens, but a little care goes a long way. I honestly do not understand why, if someone is aware of their spelling/grammar mistakes, they would consciously keep committing them. Is it quicker to type this way or something? it would be a bit more tactfull if merely the quote was used, and not atributing the quote to someone Perhaps, but when looked at in context with <A HREF="http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001679.html">the rest of your original post</a>, I thought the quote was triply ironic considering: i) the poster's name ii) the fact that you used profitable correctly in the very next sentence iii) the fact that it helps to be a bit of a prophet in fantasy leagues If I knew you were going to get all huffy, I wouldn't have used it at all, even though it is such a gem. remember this, its not spelling and punctuation that shows ones inteligence. Right. Post count is a much better method. Besides, despite its probably misleading title, my original post was more about improperly used words than misspellings. ------------------ My dream job is to be a Houston Rockets towel-boy. [This message has been edited by fadeaway (edited October 09, 2000).] [This message has been edited by fadeaway (edited October 09, 2000).]
Jeff>> Language is ours to change, mutilate, update and destroy. It is not some set of laws that must be followed or else. That is the beauty of it. Of course I agree with you. How could anyone not? However, no matter how many times people mistakenly use "they're" and "their" out of context, the English language isn't ever going to change to account for this. You're going off on a totally different tangent from my original point, not that there's anything wrong with that. ------------------ My dream job is to be a Houston Rockets towel-boy.
How did you ever learn anything then Voice? I guess the old "We learn from our mistakes" just doesn't apply to you then. Your arguments about written language being a dying art are ridiculous. Have a look around - this is an online text chat forum, where the only way you can represent yourself is through words you type and how you type them. Some people take great pride with their spelling and grammar, post eloquent messages and generally portray a classy image - some don't. I am much more likely to spend my time reading a well composed message than a bad one. Now I'm not going to criticize you for the way you post, but rightly or wrongly, when I read passages like the one that fadeaway quoted from you, and I see words like "than" and "prophet", it portrays to me an image of you that you may not really like or deserve. ------------------ Maybe all the rulers are wrong. Current Rocket's Salary & Contract Info [This message has been edited by davo (edited October 09, 2000).]
There are those who post on message boards whose grammar and spelling are so bad that it is near-impossible to understand what the poster is trying to say. Most of the posts with poor grammar and spelling are easy to decipher, though. As long as I can understand the message of the post, I certainly don't mind some poor grammar or bad spelling. ------------------ Houston Sports Board DFW Sports Board
I'm with mrpaige. Sentence and grammar doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be understandable. Capitals don't necessarily even bother me, but just careless structure that is absolutely impossible to understand without reading 3-4 times. Using "ur" for "your" really bothers me though. ------------------ The Serious Police are watching. Follow the rules or be assimilated. Shandon is underrated.
Some of the most common grammatical errors involve the use of pronouns. On the last show of "Survivor", Kelly stated "...between She and I," instead of "her and me". ___ and I should only be used when it is the subject of a sentence. Another common mistake inlvolves the use of the word "whom". Whom should always be used when followed by a preposition. Ex: to whom, for whom, by whom, etc. ------------------
