How nerdy are you about English?

[Jon_Dahl]

I can tell you that mostly I have problems with English "r" because it's the kind of sound that make when you die. I don't like dying, so I don't like the English "r" either. Saying something like "error" or "word" is uncomfortable. I like using strong r, like the Scots. I have also noticed that my compatriots have problems with the word "word".

 

[GandalfMithrandir]

Pronunciation speak:

bahgel or baigel as the pronunciation for Bagel

vahgue or vaigue for vague

These are both discussions that very frequently come up during lunch.

 

[thastygliax]

I shouldn't have mentioned this, and I don't mean to be offensive, but I wouldn't claim any expertise or experience in being able to critique others English by stating I was a proofreader for RPGs. They typically have terrible grammar and english, with even the best putting out errata to correct their English.

You generalize far too much here. Some of us take a great deal of pride in our work, and in the companies we do that work for.

Also, you should be thankful that the better RPG companies take the time and effort (usually unpaid) to release any errata at all, much less be thorough about it.

 

[RainOfSteel]

I am strongly irritated by most English errors. However, I am strongly inclined to make odd slips resulting in typographical errors, especially by adding or omitting suffixes inappropriately, or repeating words, and so am guilty mysef. I always preview my posts and things still slip through, making me edit them. I have been known to edit out typos from posts that are six or seven years old when I ran across them again for whatever reason.

Because of these things, I restrain myself from most commentary regarding online post language errors, especially those that appear to result from basic mistakes.

However, when a poster's written words become unintelligible, I can't stop myself. I have to ask what they really meant and this, regrettably, often requires pointing out what it was that caused the issues.

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Beyond errors, though, is the realm of obnoxious laziness. People who can't be bothered to even try to use basic capitalization and punctuation. When I come across this, I skip over it. If the first post of a topic is like that, I just skip the whole topic.

 

[Styxs]

I only correct people's spelling and grammar when they're pissing me off or trying to act smart but failing miserably.

 

[Fifth Element]

Ending sentences in prepositions, writing, never speaking I can't help it, it's how I was taught to speak.

English has no rule against ending sentences in prepositions, of course. That's a Latin rule that scholars attempted to impose on English, since Latin was the only language worth writing in.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I only correct people's spelling and grammar when they're pissing me off or trying to act smart but failing miserably.

To that I add "or when they do something that completely messes with their intended message"...which, depending upon the circumstances, could be done out of constructive criticism OR to tick them off.

 

[Thunderfoot]

English has no rule against ending sentences in prepositions, of course. That's a Latin rule that scholars attempted to impose on English, since Latin was the only language worth writing in.

Tell that to my English teachers over the years.

 

[Fifth Element]

Tell that to my English teachers over the years.

I'd love to. It's not something I learned until after being done with public school.