Do grammar and spelling matter on a message board?

[Tom Cashel]

For Your Enlightenment

THE PARABLE OF THE BITTER TEA

by Rev. Dr. Hypocrates Magoun, P.P. POEE PRIEST, Okinawa Cabal

When Hypoc was through meditating with St. Gulik, he went there into the kitchen where he busied himself with preparing the feast and in his endeavor, he found that there was some old tea in a pan left standing from the night before, when he had in his weakness forgot about its making and had let it sit steeping for 24 hours.

It was dark and murky and it was Hypoc's intention to use this old tea by diluting it with water. And again in his weakness, chose without further consideration and plunged into the physical labor of the preparations.

It was then when deeply immersed in the pleasure of that trip, he had a sudden loud clear voice in his head saying "it is bitter tea that involves you so." Hypoc heard the voice, but the struggle inside intensified, and the pattern, previously established with the physical laboring and the muscle messages coordinated and unified or perhaps coded, continued to exert their influence and Hypoc succumbed to the pressure and he denied the voice.

And again he plunged into the physical orgy and completed the task, and Lo as the voice had predicted, the tea was bitter.

 

[mythusmage]

I'd have read what you wrote, but the lousy grammar and spelling in your second sentence just put me off. So, I'll let a very widely-read poet answer this assertion:

You do know the difference between being clever and being 'arch'?

(I know there's a better word than 'arch', but danged if I can think of it.)

 

[alsih2o]

You do know the difference between being clever and being 'arch'?

(I know there's a better word than 'arch', but danged if I can think of it.)

so, grammar and spelling matter, but vocabulary doesn't?

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

so, grammar and spelling matter, but vocabulary doesn't?

*LMAO*

 

[Umbran]

If I'm not interested in reading someone's message, then it's his fault for not working hard enough to earn my attention.

Hey, if you don't want to pay attention to good ideas due to what you think is poor presentation, that's your loss. Conversation is a two way street. It is cooperative. It is not simply the speaker vying for your precious attention.

Casual conversation is just that - casual. At a casual dinner party, does one need to wear a suit to gain respect? No. So, in casual conversation, one should not need to use the full formalities of language to get notice.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

So, in casual conversation, one should not need to use the full formalities of language to get notice.

Indeed. As a technical writer I can tell you that just the opposite is true. You don't dress up your language and expect the audience to come along with you. You should speak to your audience in the most effective manner to communicate your message. It's as simple as that. Folks on both ends of the spectrum here need to come to grips with that.

 

[Mark Chance]

You do know the difference between being clever and being 'arch'?

(I know there's a better word than 'arch', but danged if I can think of it.)

Yeah, I know the diff. I also cannot help but gape at the irony of someone who says, "Spelling and grammar matter, period. A person can't be bothered to use correct spelling and garmmar, other people won't be bothered to read him.," while at the same time misspelling "grammar" and joining two independent clauses with a comma.

And now for another favorite:

Me up at does

out of the floor
quietly Stare

a poisoned mouse

still who alive

is asking What
have i done that

You wouldn't have

 

[BVB]

Hey, if you don't want to pay attention to good ideas due to what you think is poor presentation, that's your loss. Conversation is a two way street. It is cooperative. It is not simply the speaker vying for your precious attention.

Casual conversation is just that - casual. At a casual dinner party, does one need to wear a suit to gain respect? No. So, in casual conversation, one should not need to use the full formalities of language to get notice.

Hit a nerve, eh?

You're somehow drawing a parallel between language and clothing. Interesting. If you'd like to be a little more complete, however, it would be helpful to clarify just what "casual" means to you, and build the scene more: Is the suit in your allusion a tuxedo or just a matching sweatshirt and pants? Is the party BYOB-And-Get-Wasted affair or an annual company formal affair? While you're talking to the lovely lady across the dinner table later, are your elbows resting on the table as you spew bits of food with every sentence?

Because, yeah, appearances DO matter. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and on the Internet, every message is someone's first impression of who you are.

When I see a slob at the "party," I don't care if he's quoting Shakespeare or spinning drunken limmericks -- if he doesn't care enough to clean up his act, my attention is going to be spent elsewhere.

Anyone who can't grasp that is doing himself a disservice.

 

[Monster Manuel]

Hit a nerve, eh?

You're somehow drawing a parallel between language and clothing. Interesting. If you'd like to be a little more complete, however, it would be helpful to clarify just what "casual" means to you, and build the scene more: Is the suit in your allusion a tuxedo or just a matching sweatshirt and pants? Is the party BYOB-And-Get-Wasted affair or an annual company formal affair? While you're talking to the lovely lady across the dinner table later, are your elbows resting on the table as you spew bits of food with every sentence?

Because, yeah, appearances DO matter. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and on the Internet, every message is someone's first impression of who you are.

When I see a slob at the "party," I don't care if he's quoting Shakespeare or spinning drunken limmericks -- if he doesn't care enough to clean up his act, my attention is going to be spent elsewhere.

Anyone who can't grasp that is doing himself a disservice.

I'm not implying anything when I say this, but I'd take converstion with a brilliant slob over a well-dressed boor any day. Certainly I understand the value of keeping one's self up, and making the best impression, but if you write people off just because of presentation, you're the one who's doing himself a disservice. I've learned things from the homeless people I've met on a daily basis. Conversely, my millionaire ex-boss was the most ignorant person I've ever met.

 

[Henry]

Presentation vs. content, as in all things, is a matter of moderation. Mild grammar mistakes do not cause most readers to "jump ship;" readers understand that to err is human, and therefore do not push the issue. In addition, not all posters post in their native tongue; grammar is not easy for even native posters, so why should we give extra grief to those who were not born speaking the language they post in!?!?!

(Incidental side note: If you are going to correct someone on spelling and grammar in a post, YOU HAD BETTER BE 100% ACCURATE in your own; nothing trumps sanctimoniousness worse than hypocrisy.)

However, there is such a thing as grammar that interferes with one's ability to comprehend so badly that it is horrible to even attempt to decipher.

Two things that I abhor on message boards:

--One long paragraph. Posts which contain NO line breaks absolutely drive me nuts to read. I often skip over them, no matter HOW good a point the author makes.

--Spelling so poor that it makes the intent of the post illegible. A psto ttha si os dlegrab ti ssemes thwi rouy dnim. I skim past these after a sentence or two: There are only so many hours in a day.