Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

Why Do Grammar Mistakes Upset People?


Kazoo

Recommended Posts

I cannot stand the long blocks of text all clumped together.. Posts like that are so hard to read .. I used to do it myself without thinking, until someone on UM corrected me and told me it was hard to read. From that moment on, I spaced my posts out as much as possible

this happens so often here that i don't even read those bulky blocks of text. (i also don't read anything with tons of quoted material posted from other sites, or lists and lists of links)

i realize people are typing as they're thinking and not really paying attention to paragraphs and such, but they could easily put them in afterward...if they were proofreading what they typed before sending it...which brings us to the other problem of typos lol

Edited by JGirl
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

this happens so often here that i don't even read those bulky blocks of text. (i also don't read anything with tons of quoted material posted from other sites, or lists and lists of links)

i realize people are typing as they're thinking and not really paying attention to paragraphs and such, but they could easily put them in afterward...if they were proofreading what they typed before sending it...which brings us to the other problem of typos lol

When I used to post in big blocks of text, I did it without thinking. It took a slightly cheesed off UMer to tell me how hard it was to read my post I was about to lash out at him, but stopped, scrolled back, re-read it and thought You know what? he is right, it is hard to read darn it lol So I fixed it...

I used to do something else that others found annoying when posting.. I would have over done the smilies.. I would plant a smilie in every line or so, and I thought nothing of it.. It took a few UMers to tell me it was over the top... I scrolled back, and read over all.. That's when it hit me, they did look annoying... So from that day onwards, I found myself going back in to edit my posts, taking out the smilies .

I now post one or two at most... .. I guess when we scroll back and re-read some of our posts, we see what others see

Sometimes we tend to do things like that and it becomes a habit ... I prefer if people told me what looked bad and they were decent about it.. I take that one board and do what I can to fix it Sometimes it is really good to receive some constructive criticism...well I think it is for me lol :D

Edited by Beckys_Mom
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I used to post in big blocks of text, I did it without thinking. It took a slightly cheesed off UMer to tell me how hard it was to read my post I was about to lash out at him, but stopped, scrolled back, re-read it and thought You know what? he is right, it is hard to read darn it lol So I fixed it...

I used to do something else that others found annoying when posting.. I would have over done the smilies.. I would plant a smilie in every line or so, and I thought nothing of it.. It took a few UMers to tell me it was over the top... I scrolled back, and read over all.. That's when it hit me, they did look annoying... So from that day onwards, I found myself going back in to edit my posts, taking out the smilies .

I now post one or two at most... .. I guess when we scroll back and re-read some of our posts, we see what others see

Sometimes we tend to do things like that and it becomes a habit ... I prefer if people told me what looked bad and they were decent about it.. I take that one board and do what I can to fix it Sometimes it is really good to receive some constructive criticism...well I think it is for me lol :D

i remember when you used more smileys lol

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i remember when you used more smileys lol

I know..and at the time I never gave it any thought ... When people told me about it and I begun to fix that issue? I then began to get annoyed seeing others do it.. That's when I thought - Man that is annoying !!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know..and at the time I never gave it any thought ... When people told me about it and I begun to fix that issue? I then began to get annoyed seeing others do it.. That's when I thought - Man that is annoying !!

lately i'm getting a bit of flak for not using upper case letters. i'm holding fast to my habit though. i need an intervention maybe hahaha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

lately i'm getting a bit of flak for not using upper case letters. i'm holding fast to my habit though. i need an intervention maybe hahaha

I over look it, because your posts are still readable

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh it bothers me alright. But I would never correct anyone on it since:

1. English isn't my first language and I'm sensetive about my own spelling and typos.

2. You never know when the problem actually is dyslexia (unless it's really obvious).

3. You never know if the person has english as his/her first language.

4. I generally think the internet forums should be more polite and sensetive. Even though we all have an Alter Ego, we should still be polite to eachother.

5. Last, but not least, if your going to correct someone, you better make damn sure your own spelling is flawless.

That being said, I don't mind being corrected (to some extent) politely, as that makes my english better.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It sounds extremely uneducated, imo. The "at" is unecessary; it gives you no further information and is therefore redundant. Sometimes having a preposition at the end of a sentence may be necessary for clarification purposes, but not here. People should know how to correctly respond to "where are you?".

There are many unnecessary additional words used in everyday language, like here in Australia, someone may ask, "How are you going?", as opposed to, "How are you?". Or even one may ask, "Where are you going to?", instead of simply, "Where are you going?".

I believe the assumed response is taken into consideration and incorporated into te askers question. From an example before, you may ask someone, "Where are you going?", but most of the time you immediately know the highest chance of their response will be, "I'm going to...".

With that knowledge of predetermined partitions of answers. It could affect how people say things. Which could explain the additional unnecessary additions of words. Perhaps the person may just simply like making what they say as long winded as possible and add a word here and there whenever they can. Or may just simply find it rolls off the tongue easier. Or even simply prompt the recepient with a format of the response they would prefer.

On another note even a lot of my mistakes when using this forum are a result of my iTouch. The autocorrect and simply slip of the finger typos can be attributed to many mistakes.

Edited by Orcseeker
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On another note even a lot of my mistakes when using this forum are a result of my iTouch. The autocorrect and simply slip of the finger typos can be attributed to many mistakes.

Amen to that!

I will blame it all on my phone for the future :D

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amen to that!

I will blame it all on my phone for the future :D

Ever hear the saying - A bad workman always blames his tools ... :P

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lol! No I haven't :D

It's an old saying..

Check this

bad workman always blames his tools

Most of the times, the statement is true. The tools are the easiest to blame because they don’t answer back, don’t they? Sometimes, even the good workers blame their tools. But good workers always take care of their tools. - http://www.english-sayings.com/a-bad-workman-always-blames-his-tools/6

I was kidding with you, I know those itouch phones can be a bit of a handful... :D

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know about anybody else, but after I write out each post, I do a quick spell check because it literally only takes a few seconds to correct your spelling. I then hit "More Reply Options" so I can see exactly how it is going to look when posted. If something doesn't look right, I go back and change it.

I do this partly for myself (because I don't want to look like a fourth grader just learning), but mostly I just want it to be as easy to read as possible.

Also, there are certain UM users that are very boring and/or always off topic that I usually just skim over. Hopefully I'm not one of them..... :whistle:

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are always the obviouls mistakes, like the happy clappy finger jolt where you press the button next to the one you wanted, those are easy to identify, so do not cause to much interference to the reader, you just have to know your keyboard and what they have done and be aware that they did not read back their post before posting because of their excitement, I have done this numerous times.

There was one guy who did not use any form of punctuation, annoying? your damn right it was, so I decided instead of wasting 15mins trying to read a post in what should have taken 1 mins..... that I would move on and not read it.

As for those who constantly complain, well, they just have nothing of interest to add to the topic in question, so decide to bully with their "correction" routine....sad? oh yes! but they do give me a chuckle...please stop me if I ever become that sad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, there are certain UM users that are very boring and/or always off topic that I usually just skim over. Hopefully I'm not one of them..... :whistle:

Sorry, did you say something? s744.gif

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

watsaspelchek

I think he was a Polish General during WWII!

s0432.gif

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From my own observation

Examples of hard to read posts and the replies ...

Joe_Blogs - I realy hates pple who likes to eat them animals i think they are the worstest of all How would they likes it if animals ate your baby???? its as if your not human I was teached that animals where equeal YOUS PEOPLE ARE ABSURD!!!!!

*Someone comes along, and tries to read it *

Joe_Blogs post

I realy hates pple who likes to eat them animals i think they are the worstest of all How would they likes it if animals ate your baby???? its as if your not human I was teached that animals where equeal YOUS PEOPLE ARE ABSURD!!!!!

Sammy_tod - ( the response ) - I am a vegetarian myself, but I am finding what you have posted hard to read... I highlighted why it was hard to read.. Sorry mate, but the grammar and spelling is too much .

Joe_Blogs - TYPICAL freakin grammar nazis at it again dis is so annoying Wots your problem???? i new it would i would get attacked your so sad...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thing is, even though it is against rules to correct grammar and spelling...BUT if you look at Sammy, you will notice he would love to show Joe_Blogs the support being a fellow vegetarian, but it was too hard for Sammy to read..( and goodness knows how many others had the same trouble ) ... Sammy thought he could let Joe know what the problem was, in order to help... Maybe he felt that Joe Blogs had not paid it enough attention? Instead Sammy gets a mouthful lol

My point is, sometimes not everyone will want to act like the grammar nazi, they may want to help.. Sometimes constructive criticism can help ...Well it can in my own opinion I don't think everyone who gets a bit annoyed over grammar, is a grammar nazi Only a few who look as if they are loosing some argument, will look for a typo to nit pick.. That is obvious lol

Edited by Beckys_Mom
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joe_Blogs - I realy hates pple who likes to eat them animals i think they are the worstest of all How would they likes it if animals ate your baby???? its as if your not human I was teached that animals where equeal YOUS PEOPLE ARE ABSURD!!!!!

Joe_Blogs - TYPICAL freakin grammar nazis at it again dis is so annoying Wots your problem???? i new it would i would get attacked your so sad...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not sure if this is something you invented to illustrate your point or if it's a real dialogue! Assuming it's a real dialogue, I don't find the first comment particularly difficult to read and the second post simply shows someone with limited writing skills feeling really embarressed at having their limitations pointed out 'in public' ....... IMO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure if this is something you invented to illustrate your point or if it's a real dialogue! Assuming it's a real dialogue, I don't find the first comment particularly difficult to read and the second post simply shows someone with limited writing skills feeling really embarressed at having their limitations pointed out 'in public' ....... IMO

It was difficult to write, let alone read .. It is also a made up example to make a point.. So many will find bad grammar hard to read, and others won't.. Some may find it a bit embarrassing to have their mistakes pointed out, others might not, they may find it helpful, depending on the person and how it is delivered........... I am not saying it is right to point out anyone's poor grammar or spelling.. My point was - Not everyone will do it in order to bully ( act the grammar nazi )

Edited by Beckys_Mom
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is more annoying really? general bad grammar due to:

A: dyslexia.....but this could be avoided if you have your spell check on.

B: laziness.....we have all been there, when in a hurry to get that post through without checking, but editing is available on this site.

C: MY PET HATE!!! when someone writes the way they speak eg: dis and dat! please, what is that all about? When did spelling with an accent actually start?

D: The newly formed internet jargon of abrreviations, fine if you are using a phone, but how many of you have had to google what it means? I know I have to!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I find bad spelling and grammar really annoying. I'm a busy person and I don't get that much time to spend on the internet. A badly written forum post takes valuable time to decipher and comprehend. So, I skim over it and then move on.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.