Grammar Police

7.5k · October 26, 2012

Decades ago I realized that bboard posts are fleeting thoughts not worth careful editing, perhaps not even by the author, but certainly not by the reader.

On the other hand, I have to wonder about mistakes in cache descriptions. I have never tried to correct one -- other than my own, of course -- but I'm always struck when I see an obvious typo -- not merely a homophone or misspelling -- that's been in a cache description for years.

7.9k · October 26, 2012

However, over time, I learned that in order to properly communicate my thoughts, grammer and punctuation are important.

"Let's eat Grandpa!!"

vs.

"Let's eat, Grandpa!!"

Punctuation. It could save a life.

By the time we realized the difference, it was too late!

October 27, 2012

I have been known to criticize grammar and spelling on caches and logs, but I refrain from doing it on forums, even when I have to grit my teeth to read some of the posts. For one thing, it's a hopeless task correcting them, like trying to sweep back a rising tide. Second, it can hurt the poster's feelings. Third, it can derail the topic. But if it's really bad grammar and spelling, not just typos, and the poster is not ESL (you can virtually always tell, and I have sympathy for those folks) I won't help the person because I figure if they've made it to their teen years or beyond without paying attention in school or bothering to learn how to speak and write they are either not going to pay attention to any help or just aren't smart enough to understand it. It would be a waste of my time and theirs. On caches, and to a lesser extent logs, though, bad grammar and spelling can mislead or confuse future finders so I try to point out the mistakes, sometimes by private email, other times, on my own logs where I think it's necessary to help future geocachers.

2.4k · October 27, 2012

I've learned that it's important for me to be as grammatically correct as I can manage in order to be taken seriously in this world.

But at the same time, I've learned it's important to have tolerance because I really don't know the situation of the other guy.

Most often when someone posts on here using really bad grammar or spelling, it turns out that English is not their first language, they are very, very young, or they are deaf. We do have a person that is deaf who regularly posts on these forums who often gets it wrong, because ASL (American Sign Language) is really a different language.

Firefox is definitely my friend though.

When I get onto the internet using Firefox, it spell checks everything I write on any website, including this one.

There is of course still the age old problem, as the Dog notes... I missed the "n" in "friend" just now and it let "fried" go through just fine. :rolleyes:

1.3k · October 27, 2012

There is of course still the age old problem, as the Dog notes... I missed the "n" in "friend" just now and it let "fried" go through just fine.

This reminded me of my eternal spelling goof-up: the word "friend". Now, I know how to spell it and I'm constantly reminding myself to spell it correctly whenever I'm writing something out, but I still spell it as "freind" half the time. Heck, there are times when I use the word friend twice in a sentence and spell it "freind" at least once.

It's one of those spelling mistakes that no matter how hard I try to pound it out of my head, I just can't do it. I really don't even try anymore. I just accept that I'm going to spell it wrong half the time and live with it.

I also have the same issue with the word receive. I usually catch it after I first write it as recieve (as opposed to freind-sometimes I still don't see the error after proof-reading) and correct the spelling, but I still spell it as "recieve" almost 100% of the time the first time I type it out.

2.3k · October 27, 2012

This reminded me of my eternal spelling goof-up: the word "friend". Now, I know how to spell it and I'm constantly reminding myself to spell it correctly whenever I'm writing something out, but I still spell it as "freind" half the time. Heck, there are times when I use the word friend twice in a sentence and spell it "freind" at least once.

And this reminded me of the word that drove me crazy in my young school days: "hygiene". For some foolish reason, that soft "g" led me astray, and I wanted to spell it "hygeine". I was ahead of everybody else in my seventh-grade spelling bee, and was just one step away from representing my school in the district finals. I was given the word "hygiene" and I flubbed it.

I swore that day that I would never misspell that accursed word again.

--Larry

October 27, 2012

Just curious: Why do some people feel the need to comment on others' improper grammar, spelling and punctuation usage?

A thread gets begun on a caching topic and someone pipes in that perhaps they'd get a better answer if they were a better master of the

English language.

It boggles the mind.

sweetpea3

Indeed. Sometimes these are minor errors, and if you can understand the intent of the poster, you should just help with their questions, instead of derailing the whole thing. You could just quote them before you answer, and correct their message there...

19k · October 27, 2012

There is of course still the age old problem, as the Dog notes... I missed the "n" in "friend" just now and it let "fried" go through just fine.

This reminded me of my eternal spelling goof-up: the word "friend". Now, I know how to spell it and I'm constantly reminding myself to spell it correctly whenever I'm writing something out, but I still spell it as "freind" half the time. Heck, there are times when I use the word friend twice in a sentence and spell it "freind" at least once.

It's one of those spelling mistakes that no matter how hard I try to pound it out of my head, I just can't do it. I really don't even try anymore. I just accept that I'm going to spell it wrong half the time and live with it.

I also have the same issue with the word receive. I usually catch it after I first write it as recieve (as opposed to freind-sometimes I still don't see the error after proof-reading) and correct the spelling, but I still spell it as "recieve" almost 100% of the time the first time I type it out.

Yeah, that "i before e" rule is really weird.

19k · October 27, 2012

A bit off-topic, but I just had some take-out from Taco Bell. On the receipt, it says, "Drive Thru". This is a computer printout. There is plenty of room on the paper tape to print "Drive Through" but instead, we get the "Lite" version. Why? :blink: (<-- color me boggled)

3.7k · October 27, 2012

A bit off-topic, but I just had some take-out from Taco Bell. On the receipt, it says, "Drive Thru". This is a computer printout. There is plenty of room on the paper tape to print "Drive Through" but instead, we get the "Lite" version. Why? (<-- color me boggled)

Because it sounds cooler. Just like sometimes people spell 'night' as 'nite'.

Edited October 27, 2012 by The_Incredibles_

10.1k · October 27, 2012

I've learned that it's important for me to be as grammatically correct as I can manage in order to be taken seriously in this world.

But at the same time, I've learned it's important to have tolerance because I really don't know the situation of the other guy.

Most often when someone posts on here using really bad grammar or spelling, it turns out that English is not their first language, they are very, very young, or they are deaf. We do have a person that is deaf who regularly posts on these forums who often gets it wrong, because ASL (American Sign Language) is really a different language.

Firefox is definitely my friend though.

When I get onto the internet using Firefox, it spell checks everything I write on any website, including this one.

There is of course still the age old problem, as the Dog notes... I missed the "n" in "friend" just now and it let "fried" go through just fine.

Eye em nutt shore. Spiel Chuck just 'corrects' spelling to what is in it's dictionary. Even if it makes no cents. And does not accept perfectly acceptable words. I gave up on Spiel Chuck when it kept questioning my use of "Please advise." It insisted that I should say "Please advice."

19k · October 28, 2012

just curious y some ppl feel the knead to comment on others improper grammer spelling; and ' puncutation useage

a thred gets begun on a cashing topik and some1 pipes in that perhaps theyd git a better answer if they were a better master of dah

english langwij

bogglez da mynd

suh-wheat-pee-three

Like this?

October 28, 2012

I find that most spelling mistakes are due simply to bad typing.

In other words most spelling mistakes are in posts from men.

3.7k · October 28, 2012

Most often when someone posts on here using really bad grammar or spelling, it turns out that English is not their first language, they are very, very young, or they are deaf. We do have a person that is deaf who regularly posts on these forums who often gets it wrong, because ASL (American Sign Language) is really a different language.

I'm not so sure either. I know people IRL who write very badly and none of them are very young, deaf, or ESL. They also do not have any learning disabilities. In my opinion, laziness is 90% of the problem. I don't think anybody expects perfection, but writing a post without any capitals or periods is outrageous.

When this occurs on the forum, it's no big deal, really, to me, because I will simply skip reading their post. But when it occurs on a cache page, there's no excuse. If your writing is bad, you can, at the very least, ask someone close to you to correct it for you before you hit 'submit'. I have seen cache pages where there's a really obvious spelling error or the first sentence is not capitalized while the others are. This shows me the person responsible was too lazy to even check over what they wrote.

Edited October 28, 2012 by The_Incredibles_

19k · October 28, 2012

I find that most spelling mistakes are due simply to bad typing.

In other words most spelling mistakes are in posts from men.

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. I'm a man. How was that? :lol:

October 28, 2012

I find that most spelling mistakes are due simply to bad typing.

In other words most spelling mistakes are in posts from men.

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. I'm a man. How was that?

If you meant the first sentence to be the common pangram, it is “jumps”, not “jumped”.

Of course you did show you could find the “s” by typing “was”!

19k · October 28, 2012

I find that most spelling mistakes are due simply to bad typing.

In other words most spelling mistakes are in posts from men.

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. I'm a man. How was that?

If you meant the first sentence to be the common pangram, it is "jumps", not "jumped".

Of course you did show you could find the "s" by typing "was"!

I'm a man. Can I use that as my excuse?

8.3k · October 28, 2012

I find that most spelling mistakes are due simply to bad typing.

In other words most spelling mistakes are in posts from men.

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. I'm a man. How was that?

If you meant the first sentence to be the common pangram, it is "jumps", not "jumped".

Of course you did show you could find the "s" by typing "was"!

I'm a man. Can I use that as my excuse?

I would accept that you were never around the radio room in your Navy days as an excuse, other wise your out of luck.

6.1k · October 28, 2012

I would accept that you were never around the radio room in your Navy days as an excuse, other wise your out of luck.

Oh dear, hoisted by your own Petard !

Edit to add:

Oh and otherwise is one word!

Edited October 28, 2012 by MartyBartfast

2.7k · October 28, 2012

just curious y some ppl feel the knead to comment on others improper grammer spelling; and ' puncutation useage

a thred gets begun on a cashing topik and some1 pipes in that perhaps theyd git a better answer if they were a better master of dah

english langwij

bogglez da mynd

suh-wheat-pee-three

I promise not to be offended by your improper use of grammar and spelling as long you are not offended when I misinterpret what you are trying to say.

BTW: You really shouldn't say things like that about your mom in a public forum. I'm sure she is really a wonderful person.

5k · October 29, 2012

I would accept that you were never around the radio room in your Navy days as an excuse, other wise your out of luck.

Oh dear, hoisted by your own Petard !

Edit to add:

Oh and otherwise is one word!

Too funny. I learned long ago that it doesn't matter how many times I proofread it, if my post is critical of someone's spelling or grammar, it will have a spelling or grammatical error in it. I believe that it is a law.

I've been told more than once by those that know such things, that my IQ is higher than average. You wouldn't know it from my spelling, and my mind refuses to learn to type with more than three fingers, plus a thumb for the space bar. Spell check is not helping me become a better speller, but it does make my post readable, most of the time.

When someone can't take the few moments that it takes to spell check their cache listing, I can't imagine that they took any extra effort to hide the cache itself. I'm probably not going to take any extra effort to go look for it.

October 29, 2012

A bit off-topic, but I just had some take-out from Taco Bell. On the receipt, it says, "Drive Thru". This is a computer printout. There is plenty of room on the paper tape to print "Drive Through" but instead, we get the "Lite" version. Why? (<-- color me boggled)

Because it sounds cooler. Just like sometimes people spell 'night' as 'nite'.

For some, it might sound cooler but for my dime, it's just lazy.

October 29, 2012

A bit off-topic, but I just had some take-out from Taco Bell. On the receipt, it says, "Drive Thru". This is a computer printout. There is plenty of room on the paper tape to print "Drive Through" but instead, we get the "Lite" version. Why? (<-- color me boggled)

Because it sounds cooler. Just like sometimes people spell 'night' as 'nite'.

For some, it might sound cooler but for my dime, it's just lazy.

Because it's not a "Drive-Through" window. It's a "Drive-Thru" window. I bet no Drive-Thru in the entire U.S. has a "Drive-Through" sign. The sign says "Drive-Thru." In neon. Bright-colored neon. Right underneath the "Open Til Midnight" (not "until")

5k · October 29, 2012

A bit off-topic, but I just had some take-out from Taco Bell. On the receipt, it says, "Drive Thru". This is a computer printout. There is plenty of room on the paper tape to print "Drive Through" but instead, we get the "Lite" version. Why? (<-- color me boggled)

Because it sounds cooler. Just like sometimes people spell 'night' as 'nite'.

For some, it might sound cooler but for my dime, it's just lazy.

Because it's not a "Drive-Through" window. It's a "Drive-Thru" window. I bet no Drive-Thru in the entire U.S. has a "Drive-Through" sign. The sign says "Drive-Thru." In neon. Bright-colored neon. Right underneath the "Open Til Midnight" (not "until")

Yep. It's called marketing. Every knows that it takes less time to go through a drive thru than it does a drive through. Now, if I type, I was driving thru Atlanta, I probably don't know the proper spelling. Probably because I've driven through too many drive thrus.

7.5k · October 29, 2012

Yep. It's called marketing. Every knows that it takes less time to go through a drive thru than it does a drive through.

Actually, the sad fact is that too many people wouldn't know how to pronounce "through".

Anyway, "drive thru" is now the correct spelling, no matter how much you wish the old, archaic spelling of "through" had been used when this new term was invented. Sheesh, if we give you "through", you'll say it should be spelled "throvgh". Well, tuff.

October 29, 2012

A bit off-topic, but I just had some take-out from Taco Bell. On the receipt, it says, "Drive Thru". This is a computer printout. There is plenty of room on the paper tape to print "Drive Through" but instead, we get the "Lite" version. Why? (<-- color me boggled)

Mmm, caramel apple empanada....

October 29, 2012

just curious y some ppl feel the knead to comment on others improper grammer spelling; and ' puncutation useage

a thred gets begun on a cashing topik and some1 pipes in that perhaps theyd git a better answer if they were a better master of dah

english langwij

bogglez da mynd

suh-wheat-pee-three

Like this?

You're just trying to mix it up now, aintcha?

I find that most spelling mistakes are due simply to bad typing.

In other words most spelling mistakes are in posts from men.

Duh, men are to blame for everything.

October 29, 2012

Yep. It's called marketing. Every knows that it takes less time to go through a drive thru than it does a drive through.

Actually, the sad fact is that too many people wouldn't know how to pronounce "through".

Anyway, "drive thru" is now the correct spelling, no matter how much you wish the old, archaic spelling of "through" had been used when this new term was invented. Sheesh, if we give you "through", you'll say it should be spelled "throvgh". Well, tuff.

I would not like to come from another country and have to learn our crazy, immense language. Power to 'em!!

3.3k · October 29, 2012

I find that most spelling mistakes are due simply to bad typing.

In other words most spelling mistakes are in posts from men.

I find your bigotry and poor punctuation to be offensive.

19k · October 29, 2012

I've been told more than once by those that know such things, that my IQ is higher than average.

You're right up there with 50% of the population! :lol:

19k · October 29, 2012

Duh, men are to blame for everything.

True. But not generally at fault.

5k · October 29, 2012

I've been told more than once by those that know such things, that my IQ is higher than average.

You're right up there with 50% of the population!

I was trying to be modest...

October 31, 2012

I notice the really poor grammar and I consider commenting but I realize my flaws so I try to shut-the-poop up. I think it is great to encourage comments from all the players that come from "where ever" but are enthusiastic about the game. Please tolerate our short-comings.

I think there needs to be some distinction here between Grammar/spelling/punctuation and text speak.

I am not the best person at English, whether it be spelling, grammar or punctuation. I am also not the best at typing and sometimes make mistakes when I am using a keyboard that I would not make writing with a pen. However, most people reading one of my posts, no matter what age level, social background or even country they are from, will understand me... as long as they can read English of course.

What I struggle with is text speak: I think it is lazy and pretty much incomprehensible. I am 39 years old and I am from England. When I see posts written in text speak I won't usually bother to try and decipher them. If the person is asking for help, and cannot be bothered to write in proper sentences then why should I bother to try and understand the question?

When I used to work in a ten-pin bowling centre and we used to get job applications written in text speak we treated them in the same manner - they went in the bin. If you can't make an effort to get something you want then you are too lazy to waste time on. Text speak is not about a person's lack of understanding of the English language, that person has spent time and effort to learn text speak. I find if baffling so anyone that can learn it should find learning to write in English a breeze!

Everyone makes mistakes, when writing or typing - that is forgiveable: but to consciously make a decision to use text speak instead is not in my opinion.

The OP said that this was in response to people putting down a newbie on the board - maybe the newbie in question should have made a bit of an effort if they were asking for help on a forum where they were new and tried to make a good first impression???

November 4, 2012

Sometimes it's not about the spelling, punctuation or even grammar. It's how you write or express what you feel. Lemme tell you this you can't say if the person is good or bad if you'll only relying on how they speak or write.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even its hard to do, always do good things. value point distribution reviews

19k · November 4, 2012

One thing that I would like to point out (as one who generally does feel that forum posts should attempt to use proper forms of the language) is that language never has been and never will be a static thing. It evolves. Words that once were considered proper and in common use would sound extremely out of place if used today (the language geeks even invented a word for that... "archaic"). We in the U.S. don't bother with the "u" in "colour"... does that make us lazy? (Brits.. please keep your opinions to yourselves? :lol: ) Of course not! We universally agree that the "U" is superfluous. So, some younger people have come along and said, "why do u really need the "y" and the "o"? What are they really 4?" And to some extent... they make sense.

2.4k · November 5, 2012

I find that most spelling mistakes are due simply to bad typing.

In other words most spelling mistakes are in posts from men.

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. I'm a man. How was that?

You're a MAN???????

And all this time I thought you were a dog!!!!

Dang. And I was trying to get that cute little puppy to follow me home too.

:wub:

6.7k · November 6, 2012

Grammar and spelling nazis can kiss my semicolon.

19k · November 6, 2012

Grammar and spelling nazis can kiss my semicolon.

*

Fixed.

Edited November 6, 2012 by knowschad

6.7k · November 6, 2012

Yeah, figures.

November 6, 2012

You have got to love the English language, where phonetics isn't spelt fenetics.

2.7k · November 6, 2012

hukt en fonix werkt fur me.

2.6k · November 6, 2012

hukt en fonix werkt fur me.

Eye kan sea that.

November 6, 2012

I am a proud member of the apostrophe police... and of course i am pro oxford comma . ellipses and capitalization, however, I use with reckless abandon.

1.6k · November 6, 2012

Point of information; I have a friend who used to work for a publisher. One if their tasks was to periodically "update" one of the standard english language dictionaries. They would so this by tearing books and magazines in half horizontally (so the readers wouldn't involved in the stories) and read them, searching for new words and new/alternate spellings. If the same new word or alternate spelling was repeated a certain number of times, they would write a new entry for it. That means the correct spelling is informed by the social usage, not the reverse. Spellings like "thru" can and do become accepted alternate spellings. That's also why we do not speak with old english spelling and pronunciation. Try reading letters from the 18th century. To our ears there are so many differences in spelling that it's barely possible to grasp the meaning. {posted following two re-reads and 8 corrections)

Edited November 6, 2012 by ras_oscar

November 6, 2012

Thank you all SO much for keeping me entertained!! I needed the chuckles.

2.6k · November 6, 2012

Point of information; I have a friend who used to work for a publisher. One if their tasks was to periodically "update" one of the standard english language dictionaries. They would so this by tearing books and magazines in half horizontally (so the readers wouldn't involved in the stories) and read them, searching for new words and new/alternate spellings. If the same new word or alternate spelling was repeated a certain number of times, they would write a new entry for it. That means the correct spelling is informed by the social usage, not the reverse. Spellings like "thru" can and do become accepted alternate spellings. That's also why we do not speak with old english spelling and pronunciation. Try reading letters from the 18th century. To our ears there are so many differences in spelling that it's barely possible to grasp the meaning. {posted following two re-reads and 8 corrections)

Ain't that the truth.

While I getting my degree in American History of the West, I had to take a course on research sources. Part of the course was on how to read the old documents and 'edit' them to modern English. Try reading the unedited Lewis and Clark journals. They were pretty bad even by the standards of the time. They would drive the Grammar Police insane, but they are seen as priceless documentation of our heritage.

3.3k · November 6, 2012

Point of information; I have a friend who used to work for a publisher. One if their tasks was to periodically "update" one of the standard english language dictionaries. They would so this by tearing books and magazines in half horizontally (so the readers wouldn't involved in the stories) and read them, searching for new words and new/alternate spellings. If the same new word or alternate spelling was repeated a certain number of times, they would write a new entry for it. That means the correct spelling is informed by the social usage, not the reverse. Spellings like "thru" can and do become accepted alternate spellings. That's also why we do not speak with old english spelling and pronunciation. Try reading letters from the 18th century. To our ears there are so many differences in spelling that it's barely possible to grasp the meaning. {posted following two re-reads and 8 corrections)

I was recently reading some of the first English translation of the Bible (late 1300 by Wycliffe). I don't think I could have understood anything if I was not already familiar with the passage.

Here is John 3:16

For God louede so the world, that he ȝaf his oon bigetun sone, that ech man that bileueth in him perische not, but haue euerlastynge lijf.

For those not familiar with a modern traslation, the King James version (early 1600s, probably the most well known translation) sais

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Interesting how much the language evolved in just over 200 years.

19k · November 6, 2012

English. Try reading the unedited Lewis and Clark journals. They were pretty bad even by the standards of the time. They would drive the Grammar Police insane, but they are seen as priceless documentation of our heritage.

Case in point: http://www.pbs.org/l...ve/idx_jou.html

Because the journal writers did not use consistent spelling – the word "mosquito" is spelled in the journals at least 15 different ways – the journal excerpts are not searchable by keyword. However, you can search them by author, date and year. Or, if you'd simply like a good read, you can browse through them in their entirety.

Edit

On the other hand... that is EXACTLY why we have standards. Just because Lewis and Clark spelled "mosquito" 15 different ways means that we should. Hopefully we have progressed from those days.

Edited November 6, 2012 by knowschad

3.4k · November 6, 2012

. . . text speak: I think it is lazy and pretty much incomprehensible. . . . When I see posts written in text speak I won't usually bother to try and decipher them. If the person is asking for help, and cannot be bothered to write in proper sentences then why should I bother to try and understand the question?

. . . . Text speak is not about a person's lack of understanding of the English language, that person has spent time and effort to learn text speak. I find if baffling so anyone that can learn it should find learning to write in English a breeze!

Everyone makes mistakes, when writing or typing - that is forgiveable: but to consciously make a decision to use text speak instead is not in my opinion.

The OP said that this was in response to people putting down a newbie on the board - maybe the newbie in question should have made a bit of an effort if they were asking for help . . . .

I agree 100% -- especially the part I bolded. I have a lot of patience for people who are writing in English when it is not their first language, but none at all for people who run all their sentences together with no punctuation.

November 7, 2012

I find that most spelling mistakes are due simply to bad typing.

In other words most spelling mistakes are in posts from men.

I find your bigotry and poor punctuation to be offensive.

I believe you mean 'sexism' not 'bigotry'.

Grammar Police

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