Why proper grammar is important.

[Caenymh]

Personally, I'd love to see people use the internet and text speech a little less in their communications. While I understand that it can convey the same message as a properly structured sentence, I feel that statements made with proper spelling and grammar convey the message more effectively. Through context, one can often figure out the meaning of an unknown word. The same can't always be said when working with abbreviations and text speech. English is complicated enough already, even for native speakers.

[gamhacked]

I think that people who use net-speak excessively are, for the most part, gratified by its easy use. Most Europeans aren't native English speakers and hail acronyms, abbreviations and misspellings adopted by the gaming base as their means of in-game communication.

I, for one, value meticulous spelling, punctuation and word usage, likely because I've always found it easy to employ and, as a result, hard to understand other people's misuses. I also believe beauty can be found in writing, even when in the unlikeliest of milieus, and seek it in all I read.

A tall order for the gaming community, no doubt. So, I've become accustomed to the way they interact, yet have tried hard not to succumb. I just hope the internet can contain its ilk, lest its hideous speech spread and infect the rest of the world.

[PetersenIII]

I think that people who use net-speak excessively are, for the most part, gratified by its easy use. Most Europeans aren't native English speakers and hail acronyms, abbreviations and misspellings adopted by the gaming base as their means of in-game communication.

I, for one, value meticulous spelling, punctuation and word usage, likely because I've always found it easy to employ and, as a result, hard to understand other people's misuses. I also believe beauty can be found in writing, even when in the unlikeliest of milieus, and seek it in all I read.

A tall order for the gaming community, no doubt. So, I've become accustomed to the way they interact, yet have tried hard not to succumb. I just hope the internet can contain its ilk, lest its hideous speech spread and infect the rest of the world.

That's... That's so...

/hug

[Karazee]

The example of "helping uncle jack off a horse" and "helping uncle Jack, off a horse" is a good example, but how often do you use that anyway?

Depends on how cute the horse is.

[Onatopp]

Effective grammer is the difference between:

Helping your uncle jack off a horse

and

Helping your uncle, Jack, off a horse.

HAHAHA! So true!

[Deleted]

I think in games and forums for games and such that spelling doesn't matter as long as you know what it means like ur and u. But some punctuation is needed to get the point across like Rukah said about the horse and jack.

But then, when IS grammar nessecary?
The thing is, grammar is used to make reading a text, and textual communication in general easier. I honestly don\t see why anyone would do something to make reading harder.

And the "English is not my native language"-argument is just pathetic, since it usually comes from people who don\t even capitalize the first letter of a sentence.

[Neuromancer]

And the "English is not my native language"-argument is just pathetic, since it usually comes from people who don\t even capitalize the first letter of a sentence.

What a dumb argument. It's quite easy to understand that a non-native English speaker could and would make mistakes towards grammar in the English language. You're using the "not capitalizing the first letter" as your means to try and generalize the whole group. That's just not justified.

[Toho]

i can't really put my thoughts into words so here is a picture....they do say 1 picture is worth a thousand words, right?



c wut i thid thar?

[procne]

i can't really put my thoughts into words so here is a picture....they do say 1 picture is worth a thousand words, right?



c wut i thid thar?

It's worth 2 words only - "nobody cares". As a matter of fact your last sentence is comprehensible only because it is an internet meme. It's complete rubbish for a normal person. But then you are actually right - noone normal would care for what you say if you are going to do it in such broken english.

There is some magic line where sentences become simply incomprehensible. By neglecting grammar and/or spelling you are getting closer and closer to this line. Many people are already behind it, and I'm sure you can admit that you have seen posts without any punctuation, broken spelling and complete lack of grammar. I'm also pretty sure you didn't even bother reading it.

So just please don't treat grammar as your enemy or something useless. It was created over centuries for a reason. At least try to keep your grammar at decent level.

Besides what's with this fashion of laughing / bashing people who point out your grammar mistakes? In school teachers were bashing children for wrong spelling / grammar, and now after school those people finally feel free of the tyranny and want to take their revenge?
People pay money on language courses to have their mistakes corrected, so why don't just be grateful if someone takes time to point out mistakes for you? Of course, if it's done in some civil way, and not "lol l2spell noob".

I'm sure I tend to make grammar / spelling mistakes of which I have no idea. I would really be grateful if someone could pick those up and tell me how should it be written properly :S

[Toho]

i agree the forum posts must be written in a short, understandable and tolerable level, nobody wants to read the wall of text.
however i am not a grammar Nazi that tries to correct my grammar or spelling when im trying to talk in trade/party/raid/general/etc chat.

im playing a game not writing for my college entrance exam.

[Sarcasm]

im playing a game not writing for my college entrance exam.

Typical response. Why do you feel you need two sets of "English" to write in? Why not just use the one and use it everywhere? It astounds me.

[Nathanyel]

i can't really put my thoughts into words so here is a picture....

Good job choosing one of the probably only two Germans on that camp who weren't Nazis.

[procne]

Good job choosing one of the probably only two Germans on that camp who weren't Nazis.

Who is that actually?

[Layuth]

My avatar wins this thread.

[Steavz]

My avatar wins this thread.

Not sure which direction you're leaning on this one. Retarded in the literal sense, as in the inability to learn and develop communication skills at a standard level? Or, the pop culture "retarded", as in, 'I don't know how to make constructive posts, so I'll throw in a retarded joke'.

Avatars and signatures are subject to the same rules as posts and threads. They should not shock, offend or in any other way break our rules.

[procne]

Not sure which direction you're leaning on this one. Retarded in the literal sense, as in the inability to learn and develop communication skills at a standard level? Or, the pop culture "retarded", as in, 'I don't know how to make constructive posts, so I'll throw in a retarded joke'.

Treat it as a letter ending for example (don't know how it's called in english)

[Pozz]

Let's not forget, that there is alot who can not spell good enough for you to be saticfied.
I'm really bad at spelling, yet I can write seriuos posts and such without having to many thinking that it's impossible to read.

And, to the OP.
Your spelling might be good, but you should not sit on a high horse considering your bad usage of commas.

Just the way you as a "bad speller" have actually used signs and skipped a line shows so much more intellect than if you had written every single word perfectly, but put it up as a wall of text as others in this thread have done.

---------- Post added 2011-01-19 at 01:23 PM ----------

Dont blame me for your uneducated brain, just goes to show you cant have your own opinion on mmo champ forums, always seems there is people out there trying to put others down by now following there ways.
As if that was unreadable, another prick jumping on the bandwagon.
People can do what they want on the internet and who the fuck are you to tell anyone different, get of your high horses and start worrying about yourself and not others.

It was not unreadable, no. It was however put up in such a careless way and required so much more effort than your average forum post that people can't be arsed reading it.

---------- Post added 2011-01-19 at 01:32 PM ----------

What's wrong with "ignorant" being an adjective and the way it was used in that sentence? You can't use adjectives like this?

I do think it can be. The way I see it it takes the role of a subject-predicat(I think it's called).

---------- Post added 2011-01-19 at 01:35 PM ----------

So I started using grammar, but as I was learning it late, certain things like 'comma' etc, aren't always in the best place. I tend to place them when I get lost for what I'm meant to be typing next.

In case you care English commas are (as a rule of thumb) placed where a natural break if you had spoken the words instead occours. =)

---------- Post added 2011-01-19 at 01:36 PM ----------

Giant panda eats, shoots, and leaves.

vs

Giant panda eats shoots and leaves.

I don't like the first panda, he's mean =(

[Seldirion]

Whinging about grammar is essentially complaining that you learned things one way, and now, the nasty children have overturned it all and created a different way of doing it with which you are not familiar and therefore feel annoyed and threatened.

As long as the individual's communication is clear — and perhaps we're just different people, but even stuff like l33t5p34k and txtng abrv is perfectly clear to me after a short period of observation to learn the rules and format — I don't see the point of throwing a fit about it. Even "improper" systems still have an underlying set of rules that can be violated, as is the esoteric nature of language.

Language, and the methods of expressing it, change and evolve all the time. It's one of the most fundamental and fluid aspects of humanity, and attempts to rigidly standardize it constantly erode and change over time and with each generation. "Proper" grammar really means "prescriptive" grammar; that is, "Do things the way we tell you to, because... well, just because, damn it."

To each their own, but I don't see the big deal. In fact, I think it's silly. Let communication evolve — it always does, and it will without your approval anyway.

You are wrong. The written language has a set of rules that should be followed. If you don't, you're either lazy or just stupid.
Each language has a strict set of rules you are prohibited to take into consideration when writing.
13375p34k etc. are just "codes" for individuals in certain groups. A way to identify or show your affiliation.
Texting(txtng), is just a way to cram as much info as possible into a SMS - max 160 characters.
The oral language, on the other hand, has no strict rules, only norms.
If you use 13375p34k, txtng etc. when it's not natural, or in a setting that craves a more serious tone, you will lose credibility. Suit yourself!
So you want the language to evolve in a negative, dumbed-down direction?

[Toho]

Typical response. Why do you feel you need two sets of "English" to write in? Why not just use the one and use it everywhere? It astounds me.

well think of it this way, do you speak to your boss the same way you speak to your friends? no you don't. its the same here, why? because it requires my attention and energy to make well constructed sentences and words which i frankly don't care very much about.

[Sarcasm]

well think of it this way, do you speak to your boss the same way you speak to your friends? no you don't. its the same here, why? because it requires my attention and energy to make well constructed sentences and words which i frankly don't care very much about.

Do I speak to my boss the same way I speak to my friends? No, I use different words with my friends. Do I follow the same rules of English grammar? Yes I do. Whether I'm speaking or typing, my English is fine, I just use less formal words with friends.

Needing energy and attention to form well-constructed sentences is a result of being lazy and uneducated.