When the Grammar Nazi's strike!

[JarodRussell]

Since high standards are important to me, I'd appreciate it if someone pointed out any errors I might make (unless they're being a jerk about it).

Unfortunately, we currently live in a cultural climate where people are not only dismissive of standards but hostile toward any attempt to improve them, so correcting somebody's mistakes usually creates an unpleasant situation. As a result, standards continue to fall. I'm constantly amazed at the memos and emails I get from allegedly college-educated people who don't know how to punctuate, spell or form a complete sentence.

The problem is, on message boards, those people ignore the entire point of your posts, and just tell you that you spelled one word wrong. And that's just stupid.

 

[Deckerd]

Most of the time, language is only a means to an end in terms of giving an idea to another, and that doesn't require perfect grammar. Communication isn't a formalism; it's an expression, which doesn't have strict rules. What's most important (and often all that is important) is that a person is understood.

To digress from that purpose with grammatical pedantry can appear as though effort is being directed into the wrong thing, and that can be a little insulting to the speaker because you should be thinking about what they're telling you, not getting caught up with the immediate irrelevancy of their spellings and the like.

It's called register. Everyone moderates their language according to whom they are addressing. This is different for written language but only in the levels of register. There are fewer in written English but if Textspeak is the barest minimum then the formal English of government documents, for instance, has to be the other extreme.

 

[trekkiedane]

I've been wondering what it would take to get all the grammar nazis to strike - and whether there would be any scabs!

 

[ThankQ]

Since high standards are important to me, I'd appreciate it if someone pointed out any errors I might make (unless they're being a jerk about it).

Unfortunately, we currently live in a cultural climate where people are not only dismissive of standards but hostile toward any attempt to improve them, so correcting somebody's mistakes usually creates an unpleasant situation. As a result, standards continue to fall. I'm constantly amazed at the memos and emails I get from allegedly college-educated people who don't know how to punctuate, spell or form a complete sentence.

The problem is, on message boards, those people ignore the entire point of your posts, and just tell you that you spelled one word wrong. And that's just stupid.

Well, just ignore that dude. He's a doof. Shit happens. I just noticed I typed a few posts up, "I'm was just being difficult". That was not a deliberate mistake. That was the result of quick, sloppy, in-the-head editing. I was going to type, "I'm just being difficult," then realized I was abandoning the ineffable state of "difficult", so I edited it to "I was just being difficult". Only my editor didn't do his job. He's so fired.

My point is, mistakes happen. As I said, I can't spell to save my life. Doesn't mean I'm stupid. It makes me look stupid, sometimes, but I know it's just an expected result of large amounts of acid.

Next time that goober comes along, just ignore it. It ain't no thing.

I've been wondering what it would take to get all the grammar nazis to strike - and whether there would be any scabs!

GRAMMAR NAZI UNION! GRAMMAR NAZIS UNITE! UNION! UNION! UNION!

 

[Count Zero]

I've never been corrected as far as my native language is concerned. I probably was as a child but I can't remember. It has only happened to me once when a French waiter corrected me and I thought that was a little rude. It would definetely depend on how it was done, whether it would break the flow of the conversation and whether it was really a mistake or just misspeaking. I think I speak my native language well enough for that not to happen. I wouldn't mind corrections in foreign languages like English and even more in French (my French is really bad).
I'm a bit of a grammar nazi myself and have a number of pet peeves I find really annoying, both in German and English, though I've mellowed somewhat recently. I don't really correct people, though.

 

[Deckerd]

I thought it was part of a French waiter's job description to be rude.

 

[Franklin]

I'm upfront about being a terrible speller for someone in my position (I have a PhD), so I don't mind being corrected. Further, I'm not at all embarrassed to ask someone how to spell a word. Any word. A preemptive strike, if you will.

As far as grammar goes, I don't mind my blatant errors being pointed out to me. I do it all the time in papers I grade, so I better be able to take it. However, when things get to the level of critiquing my style, I'm more prickly (prickley? prickely? Damn!) about it.

 

[Deckerd]

Well those shoes definitely don't go with that jacket.

 

[Count Zero]

I thought it was part of a French waiter's job description to be rude.

Well, true. I think he actually tried to be nice to us, though.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I'm a spelling Nazi, but not a grammar Nazi. A lot of folks posting on the Net appear to be trying to replicate the rhythms and patterns of colloquial speech, and nitpicking sentence structure and composition is not much more appropriate in that context than it would be in regard to spoken dialogue in a play or story.

 

[AstroSmurf]

My spelling is absolutely atrocious. I also can never remember what to do with my commas. But other than those two items I tend to be okay with grammar. People also need to realize that I will make errors on purpose to be amusing.

As for the original question... it depends on circumstances and context. If someone politely points out a large error, I am fine with it. I don't mind being wrong from time to time. I would rather learn from a mistake then look like a fool. But if you point out something small, silly or stupid then expect to be verbally bitch slapped. And if you are rude or arrogant while doing it... just run. I will be polite enough to give you a small head start before I try to rip your head off.

 

[Franklin]

My spelling is absolutely atrocious. I also can never remember what to do with my commas. But other than those two items I tend to be okay with grammar. People also need to realize that I will make errors on purpose to be amusing.

As for the original question... it depends on circumstances and context. If someone politely points out a large error, I am fine with it. I don't mind being wrong from time to time. I would rather learn from a mistake then look like a fool. But if you point out something small, silly or stupid then expect to be verbally bitch slapped. And if you are rude or arrogant while doing it... just run. I will be polite enough to give you a small head start before I try to rip your head off.

Um, ellipses should only be used if necessary words are omitted from a sentence that are not needed to understand the sentence. In your case, I think you should have either used dashes (--) if you wanted a poignant pause, or just a comma. At least that's what my Hodges' Harbrace College Handbook says. You're welcome.

 

[Switch]

My spelling is absolutely atrocious. I also can never remember what to do with my commas. But other than those two items I tend to be okay with grammar. People also need to realize that I will make errors on purpose to be amusing.

As for the original question... it depends on circumstances and context. If someone politely points out a large error, I am fine with it. I don't mind being wrong from time to time. I would rather learn from a mistake then look like a fool. But if you point out something small, silly or stupid then expect to be verbally bitch slapped. And if you are rude or arrogant while doing it... just run. I will be polite enough to give you a small head start before I try to rip your head off.

Um, ellipses should only be used if necessary words are omitted from a sentence that are not needed to understand the sentence. In your case, I think you should have either used dashes (--) if you wanted a poignant pause, or just a comma. At least that's what my Hodges' Harbrace College Handbook says. You're welcome.

.... w/e.

 

[RoJoHen]

I think ellipses have evolved a bit. You can use them to indicate a longer-than-normal pause or to kind of show that a sentence is trailing off....

I think it has a lot to do with the style of writing. You might not use ellipses in a formal paper, and you probably wouldn't use dashes if you're writing dialogue.

 

[Franklin]

I think ellipses have evolved a bit. You can use them to indicate a longer-than-normal pause or to kind of show that a sentence is trailing off....

I think it has a lot to do with the style of writing. You might not use ellipses in a formal paper, and you probably wouldn't use dashes if you're writing dialogue.

Actually, you're right. My copy of the Harbrace College Handbook (which is still on my desk) is the 8th edition (1977). I think it's in it's 15th edition, now. Things have changed.
I only had a little fun with it because my Freshman English professor and a professor I took in a short stories class both bristled when ellipses were used as pauses or to break off a sentence. THEY were the Nazis. I WAS ONLY FOLLOWING ORDERS!

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have posted this before but I will again because it is a perfect example of grammar (and spelling) at its very worst.

okay dean my (cousin) has been caught right thats a great please do not attack cousin crystal deans sister my female cousin when she not on this websight to defend herself as for somone posting that i should say sorry to pam the answear to that is no way cos dean is not martin bryant. okay i will state this if dean when he and two other acompanying him at the attack of bashing macro to his brain leaked and macro died he would be classed as a killer dean is not a violent person now think about it dean wasent the only one invoved in the attacking of macro its ws two otheres at the scence with dean all the mecury has done is posted my cousin dean pics all over the mecury why mecury wasent the other two invoved at the attack mentioned regardless of them being in jail as well as when dean escape he escaped with two other jail mates why wasent there pics of the other two invoved in the bashing of macro mention or there pics next to deans in your newspaper the mecury is it cos the others where abbos why wasent the others mention one is a cousin thats a abbo and the other abbo is the uncle of my abbo cousin two there pics werent posted discremanantion

It is a comment that appeared on the wesite of my local newspaper.

 

[trekkiedane]

^I still love that sample Miss C

 

[RoJoHen]

I think ellipses have evolved a bit. You can use them to indicate a longer-than-normal pause or to kind of show that a sentence is trailing off....

I think it has a lot to do with the style of writing. You might not use ellipses in a formal paper, and you probably wouldn't use dashes if you're writing dialogue.

Actually, you're right. My copy of the Harbrace College Handbook (which is still on my desk) is the 8th edition (1977). I think it's in it's 15th edition, now. Things have changed.
I only had a little fun with it because my Freshman English professor and a professor I took in a short stories class both bristled when ellipses were used as pauses or to break off a sentence. THEY were the Nazis. I WAS ONLY FOLLOWING ORDERS!

Irregardless.......its true that ellipses.....are one of the most over and mis-used bits of punctuation out their.

 

[Franklin]

I think ellipses have evolved a bit. You can use them to indicate a longer-than-normal pause or to kind of show that a sentence is trailing off....

I think it has a lot to do with the style of writing. You might not use ellipses in a formal paper, and you probably wouldn't use dashes if you're writing dialogue.

Actually, you're right. My copy of the Harbrace College Handbook (which is still on my desk) is the 8th edition (1977). I think it's in it's 15th edition, now. Things have changed.
I only had a little fun with it because my Freshman English professor and a professor I took in a short stories class both bristled when ellipses were used as pauses or to break off a sentence. THEY were the Nazis. I WAS ONLY FOLLOWING ORDERS!

Irregardless.......its true that ellipses.....are one of the most over and mis-used bits of punctuation out their.

And, you quoted me before I could edit "it's" to "its." Well, it's a typo, I tells ya. Yeah. A typo.

 

[Mr Awe]

Yes, the title of this thread as written is ironic.

And nobody ever corrects my grammar, spelling or usage because I’m perfect.

Psst. You're missing commas in both sentences.