It is time to STOP with the typing errors criticism!

Up Youres wrote:

You folks are a bunch of elitist bastards!

Essentially, you are right. The immature jerks who advocate this time of behavior actually WANT you to get fired-up like that.

One of the things that adds fuel to the fire is that the LetsRun message boards don't require mandatory screen name registration in order to post. As a result, clowns like Kids are weak these days, Whoops, and Picking Nits can post their childish corrections, and THEN change to a different screen name so that they don't get crucified when they author a grammatical error of their own!

separation wrote:

Now, i is very possible that he has heard the word "myriad" used on multiple occasion, and he clearly knows the intent of the word. But it is also very possible that he has never SEEN the word before - so how is he supposed to spell it correctly?.

Separation, your point is well taken. And your post is intelligent. But, it also proves a point on its own. You wrote "now i is very possible..." and you wrote "...on multiple occasion..." Both of these were simply errors, not an indictment against your education, command of English, or intelligence. Nor am I quick to suppose that you haven't seen these words before to have improperly written. It was simply an error, absent minded or otherwise.

The greater context of your point is what is worth discussing. BTW I have seen the word "myriad," but had an absent minded moment since I don't make it a point with every writting to produce a doctoral dissertation.

Thanks for the great comments.

Touche. Absent-mindedness is not an excuse, but it is not an example of laziness or apathy in this situation. Nor is it a benchmark for the IQ of the poster or the quality of the idea presented by the statement. It is simply a mistake, which everybody makes.

Since this has turned into an English language thread, can somebody please explain clearly and concisely the difference between "effect" and "affect" and when to use them? I have read about it many times, but always seem to be caught off guard when needing to use them.

separation wrote:

Since this has turned into an English language thread, can somebody please explain clearly and concisely the difference between "effect" and "affect" and when to use them?

I think this is a pretty good summary:

separation wrote:

Touche. Absent-mindedness is not an excuse, but it is not an example of laziness or apathy in this situation. Nor is it a benchmark for the IQ of the poster or the quality of the idea presented by the statement. It is simply a mistake, which everybody makes.

Since this has turned into an English language thread, can somebody please explain clearly and concisely the difference between "effect" and "affect" and when to use them? I have read about it many times, but always seem to be caught off guard when needing to use them.

Friends??? An experience helpedclarify it for me. In high school, maybe Junior year, I commented "Look at the wind!" A school counselor said "No. Look at the effects of the wind. The trees are affected by the wind." It may not help much, but I rarely misuse the two words.

Cheers!

So I could say:

"The trees are affected by the wind. The wind effects the trees."

?

Haha, another simple aspect of the English language.

separation wrote:

So I could say:

"The trees are affected by the wind. The wind effects the trees."

Nope, "the wind affects the trees." The two sentences are equivalent (one passive voice, one active voice), so the verb (to affect) is the same.

Oops, except that was your point, right? Okay, ya got me.

Well, I have mixed feelings about all this. Naturally I love to see such interest in ensuring grammatical correctness.

But could these would-be editors comprise a plot to prevent management from hiring paid editors? Are these would-be editors really migrant workers from third world countries paid pennies a day while being forced to drink Red Bull?

Editors, do you want your jobs shipped overseas? It's to take a stand to EFFECT change. ("Effect" can be used as a verb in this context, btw. However, one could not say "affects of change," unless discussing the feelings generated by change.)

Demand fair wages--and real coffee!

I still disagree. You mean to tell me you people can not CONTROL yourself on these boards and must correct grammar and such! Einstein was notorious for poor grammar. So was Galileo. This is letsrun. I don't know who is posting. Maybe its Lagat. I know attorneys that are the worst at grammar and punctuation. They scored in the top 2% in the country on the LSAT and are now worth millions. Hell George Foreman is worth 200 million he can hardly write at all. I will just say I have much more respect for a man who controls himself. I have to ask myself what is wrong with my character that I must correct grammar and upset so many on these boards. The man who is quiet and deliberate I respect. You say so much about YOURSELF when you must correct these posters. No there are millions who are much greater than I and successful even though they write poorly. I'll wait to see who they really are. Even then I will keep my thoughts to myself.

I'm not sure where you are disagreeing - I believe we are presenting the same case just in two ways. I simply mentioned that by posting on this message board and engaging in discussion makes you more than just a "stranger" in order to present the oppositions possible disagreement. I in no way meant to take away from your argument. In fact, I agree with you. Many people would not correct even their friends and family in the same situations as they correct some people here.

I simply am ALSO pointing out that this argument (by those who feel that correcting spelling and grammar is o.k.) about a poster opening themselves to further criticism (including spelling and grammar) is not sufficient. It still goes back to the meaning and message being communicated and if it is communicated correctly. If not, then correction is o.k. and, in fact, is necessary in order to communicate correctly.

I wasn't really responding to any one person. I think I just hit a reply when I was on your post. Yes I think you open yourself to this correction by writing. However, I think if you know you will upset someone why do it. This is such a minor thing. People have made it clear it upsets them. I understand perfectly well the message. I can hold my correction and say to myself silently "geez get your grammar down man". I just ask that the correction people correct the same way face to face. So if some adult male walks by them at a fast food establishment and says "this food aint no kind a good!" I want the correction artists on here to correct that man. If they do not correct him...WHY NOT!

Lots to disagree about but, can we at least agree that we have an overwhelming rhetorical reason for the liberal use of "prolly" and "pwned"? E.g., "If he only ran faster he prolly would have pwned that guy!" They are my two favorite takeaways from the letsrun.com lexicon and should be used without fear of castigation.Whose with me?

What gets me. wrote:

I still disagree.

Who is the whose who is with you? You meant "who's with me," of course. :-)(I suspect a set-up there).

What I've read since I first posted is a lot of excuses as to why people refuse to use good grammar. It ranges from "this is just a message board and who cares" to "it is possible their education was poor and they really don't know." I go back to what I say: you are judged by how you present yourself. If you want a job but do not the difference between its and it's, and use the wrong term in your application, you just seriously hurt your chance at getting that job. Good grammar cannot always be turned on and off- and I hold that presenting yourself well helps people to hear what you are saying- there are no distractions which people can latch on to.

I teach scientific writing to master's level students. I spent 2 decades as a medical editor, wrote over 100 papers and 14 texts and have to feel that it matters how we communicate. Good grammar and proper spelling are part of communication, and communication is all about getting people to hear what you are saying. Upthread there was a comment where the poster called those who felt grammar was important "elitist bastards." Why? This is a good argument? People listen better when they get called names? It feels good to vent? Make a case, and act like an adult. People hear better that way and are more likely to give thought to what you are saying.

A significant endorsement wrote:

Wejo himself not only feels that this type of post is inappropriate, he thinks that the authors should actually be banned!

No, moron, he doesn't.

A significant endorsement wrote:

Wejo himself not only feels that this type of post is inappropriate, he thinks that the authors should actually be banned!

no vacancy wrote:

No, moron, he doesn't.

Yes, he does. Next time, you should ensure that you actually click on that hyperlink before you shove your own Pegasus that far into your mouth...

Greenliner,

Man I love it when people defend the fact that proper grammar should be used and don't actually use it in their post. I believe you meant to say do no know the difference. See but really there is no reason for me to post this because everyone knows what you meant and even though this actually does add something to this thread it wouldn't to any other. I think that this has just proven the argument though. We do not need to correct grammar.

Also though you talk about how you are judged by how you present yourself. Well I say you present yourself as an elitist bastard when you correct grammar. Posting all of you accomplishments doesn't really change that much either.

blown away wrote:

Greenliner,

Man I love it when people defend the fact that proper grammar should be used and don't actually use it in their post. I believe you meant to say do no know the difference.

First of all, I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to say "do no know".

Second of all, in this instance, leaving out a word was not a grammatical mistake, it is a typo. There is a difference.

Third of all, you a complete retard.

carry on...

oh, my dear lord wrote:

Second of all, in this instance, leaving out a word was not a grammatical mistake, it is a typo.

Yes, there is. But the fact of the matter is that several of the childish corrections on these boards address typos as well, so the difference is irrelevant.

Greenliner is a classic example of the proverbial "people who live in glass houses." By his own standards, he obviously did NOT present himself well. Perhaps that should disqualify him from submitting his own childish corrections in the future?

Personally, what is genuinely amusing about this entire argument is that I have been told by my co-workers that I am too retentive regarding spelling and grammar issues. I have also had articles published in nationwide magazines before. However, I'm not a technically perfect author either and I still have the common sense to realize that this is a casual message board. It's not the right type of environment for condescending, holier-than-thou grammar propaganda.

james the baker wrote:

So, stop crticising and go back under your bridge and troll your life away.

If you intended for your handle to be a reference to prominent presidential advisor and GHW Bush cabinet member James Baker, there should be no "the" in the middle.