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Post by jenniwren on Dec 28, 2009 11:02:51 GMT 1
I know I will most likely get slated for this post! Reading many other posts, I find it difficult to decipher the content purely because of the lack of intelligence in using punctuation marks, paragraphs and capitals. How can we call ourselves intelligent? Granted it happens on every website forum you visit. Why has the English written word taken a dive and why be so lazy?Can't people use a dictionary or the spell checkers provided on websites/computers?
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Post by Dragonmaster on Dec 28, 2009 11:24:29 GMT 1
Completely agree, jenni. Why don't people read through their posts before hitting the 'Post' button? I do. I can usually spell but I type so fast I hit wrong keys so I have to check for red lines or nonsense.
I despair over the standard of the usage of our rich and varied language. People are not taught the hows and the whys and the etymology, so they don't have a clue how to write things that they say - eg 'voila' (should have an accent but I don't know how to do one on computer) is French for 'there it is'. But hey, I'm just an old fogey ex teacher from a long line of English teachers who also happens to have a fascination with language and an A level in both English and French. I'm out of the modern groove. (Don't correct the children's spelling when they write a story, you will upset them and stunt their creativity.)
However give me numbers and it's another matter..... subtract £7.50 from £11.00 and I get all confused. And I work with money!!!
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Post by boffin325 on Dec 28, 2009 11:31:12 GMT 1
Hmmmm……… that sounds rather pompous! Speaking personally, I don’t have any trouble understanding any of the posts, although some of the spelling does make me chuckle Surely the most important thing on a discussion board is what is said ,not going through it checking if the apostrophes are in the right place? Spell checkers? I hate the things! Good grief, you’ll be asking people to cite their references next! ;D Seriously, does it matter no!
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Post by mandal on Dec 28, 2009 11:35:31 GMT 1
I blame Catrin!! She hasn't been doing enough teaching!! She taught me to use ... instead of ............. or ----------!!!
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Post by Kelly Marks on Dec 28, 2009 12:22:07 GMT 1
Yes it's definitely Catrin's fault ;D
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Post by wabuska on Dec 28, 2009 12:27:07 GMT 1
I would certainly be at fault at times, but IMO this should be a place to relax and express our feelings about horses, not an arena to be judged for our English language usage, spelling, grammar etc., I had an email returned to me by a boyfriend some years ago corrected for spelling, and I dumped him. Come along now- we can't say voila without an accent on a DG? Really. Jenniwren, there are at least two mistakes in your original post... ;D Now text-language drives me insane because I simply cannot follow it. Furthermore, I'm married to an American who vandalises language every time he opens his gorgeous mouth.
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Post by boffin325 on Dec 28, 2009 12:56:37 GMT 1
I had an email returned to me by a boyfriend some years ago corrected for spelling, and I dumped him. LOL Kanga priceless!
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Post by Zoe RA on Dec 28, 2009 13:16:35 GMT 1
Ah, another acadaemic in our midst ;D Bearing in mind that a lot of people who work/play in a practical environment are much more practical than academic, I think it fare enough that there are a few spelling mistakes now and then. After all, I have academic friends who get wrapped up in long lines even as they untie them from the packet, let alone once they get them on the horse
As for using a dictionary if there is no spell check, that is TOTALLY useless if you can't spell in the first place - how can you look anything up if you don't know how to spell it Something I was always pointing out to my Farther when I was a child!
I don't have any trouble understanding text speak, but I do think it is rather lazy and don't like it used anywhere other than in a text.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everybody
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Post by mandal on Dec 28, 2009 13:17:22 GMT 1
Yes ROFL Kanga!! And, good decision, imagine what he would have been like helping with Flynn and Bidi!
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Post by mandal on Dec 28, 2009 13:20:47 GMT 1
X posted with Zoe. I get so confused with the spell check, when I remember to use it! It tells me, I've spelt words I do know how to spell, incorrectly!!!
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Daz
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 2,466
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Post by Daz on Dec 28, 2009 13:45:01 GMT 1
It's a personal bugbear of mine, too.
You, your, you're.
There, their, they're.
Apostrophes etc.
I spent thirteen years of my life in education, learning how to construct sentences properly.
I don't see why people cannot do the same? PCs are not hard to use, keyboards are not all that hard to use, so why the hell is writing PROPERLY so hard to do?!
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Post by Dragonmaster on Dec 28, 2009 13:58:45 GMT 1
I think the problem is that to people like Catrin and me, ( yes that is correct, not '& I' because if I'd left Catrin out of the sentence I would have said 'me') anyway, people like us don't understand how you can get words like your: you're & where: wear etc confused it should be ingrained in your psyche, like knowing that 2 + 3 = 5. But these people were never taught properly because this stuff is no longer taught in school. So I'm not saying they are inferior or even that the fault is theirs, I just despair of our education system that has allowed this to happen to at least 2 generations of people.
I have had 3 children go through primary school and the GCSE system from 1987 - 2006 and I know they have not been taught to the standards I was in the 50's & 60's.
I'm sorry, jenni shouldn't have started this as it is one of my big bugbears, really gets me on my high horse (appropriate here?) - I'm with Lynne Truss who wrote 'Eats Shoots and Leaves'.
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Post by K8 on Dec 28, 2009 13:58:57 GMT 1
I have to agree with Kanga. This should be a place to relax, surely if everyone is picky about peoples English we'll loose even more valuable DG'ers?
I am not a academic person and I didn't thrive at school. I would rather be out getting my hands dirty and looking after animals, so why does it matter if i can spell or not?? Does it make my opinion less valuable?
Although text speak is a whole other subject!!!
MTA... I re read that and it made me sound really grumpy!! LOL, I'm not honestly!!
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Post by Dragonmaster on Dec 28, 2009 14:05:29 GMT 1
I am aware people have problems with spelling, for all sorts of reasons. I have a daughter &2 friends who are dyslexic. And as I said, I have a problem with maths, my brain is hard-wired for language not numbers. But I can get basic number functions right and use a calculator when I know I'm not sure.
That's why I don't usually comment on errors I see on here. On the DG it is not really important.
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Trouble
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 2,263
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Post by Trouble on Dec 28, 2009 14:22:41 GMT 1
I'm always guilty of hitting the Reply button before checking my typing...sometimes i go back in and edit to correct them, other times I don't.
Life's too short, and I have real problems to worry about. If better grammar could cure stomach ulcers, then I'd spend more time on it, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't!
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