Why do so few people use proper spelling/grammar online?
 

Is it because they never learned proper spelling and grammar? Is it because they just don't read books? (Real books, not fluff) Is it because they just don't care? Is grammar dying out? Is spelling irrelevant? Am I just an old fuddy-duddy who needs to get with the times?

Does anyone else give a shit or am I alone here?

i just dont give a fuck,
me dont give a flying fuck hehehe
i just want good pussy and weeed

Do you have problems with writers?

On forums I don't think it matters much to most people. If they can peck out their 'u's and '2's and 'r's and save a bunch of typing whilst still making themselves understood they're happy. But anyone professing to be a writer really ought to make the effort to keep their posts grammatically correct I think.

Emails and business texts are another matter. Even if you're not claiming to be an actual writer, are you in business? It takes a few extra moments to clean up an email and make sure it's more professional than your average "hey man r u their wut up?" before sending it, but that's too much to ask for with a lot of people.

So to answer your question yes, I give a shit.

Online most write like they talk ...

English is not my native language. So it can happen that I make mistakes, but as long everyone can read what I write it's not really something I care about.

Well there's bad formal grammar that really has no relevance here because we are not writing term papers while posting. Then there is people who's grammar is so bad it inhibits communication and that is inexcusable if you are using your native language. Example below...

*whose

insert irony meter pic here

I used to try to use good grammar, spelling and punctuation. Since i started posting on forums more with my phone i just got lazy and now i don't give a shit. My eyes are getting so bad i can hardly read the text on my phone anyway. If i'm using a desktop then i take some actual care in my posts.

name 1 good reason why grammer is important on gfy.

Spelling/grammar change and evolve over time. Years ago if you wrote something that ended with ?! as punctuation you would be entirely incorrect. Now asking a question emphatically like: 'Who seriously cares how other people choose to write forum posts?!' is colloquially correct and perfectly understood by nearly anyone speaking English online.

Usage dictates validity when it comes to language or any of the other subjective arts. If most people start writing &*%^d9! when they feel frustrated, Qbert-speak would quickly be found in any worthwhile Dictionary. When you write you are quietly voting for the way all people should write... and in the history of humanity you will find very few 3rd grade grammar teachers with perfect punctuation that have ever managed to write something worth reading.

The world needs more Jackson Pollock creativity and less color-by-numbers rule followers.

Don't think people using is instead of are or who's instead of whose are jackson pollock-esque, just stupid or uneducated.

Creativity is great. ee cummings springs to mind as someone who broke rules for a reason. Breaking rules because you're just fucking stupid (you're/your) just makes you look like you either don't care or are stupid. More than likely the latter.

On forums or in personal emails, I can let it slip, except in cases where people are moaning about grammar whilst making a mistake themselves. On 'proper' websites, in marketing copy, in marketing emails etc I think it is inexcusable.

That depends deeply on the site and the target audience. As an example, if you are building a site and want to jump-start the comments section... using proper grammar in every post is marketing suicide. If you are selling vaporizers you'd want a different voice (and often a less grammatically savvy one) than you would want selling pacemakers online. Matching your voice to your subject-matter and intended audience is what matters most.

On things like forums and emails many people are speaking English as a 2nd or 3rd language. What they say matters more than their phrasing. If they want proper text they can always hire www.enginefood.com to take care of it, if they want to just get a quick message out to people on a board they are counting on those with better command of English to overlook small errors in syntax.

One thing is for sure. If you want to market anything to GFY webmasters, it would make sense to do so with impeccable grammar, as in this community grammar often matters more than the actual subject of the post to many in the intended audience. :winkwink:

Insert irony meter picture here.

*are people

It is impossible to do wrong spelling with Firefox as it is immediately shown if you write a word wrong.

Making long, well punctuated, and overall well written posts makes you right.

Incorrect: I went to the mall yesterday. (even though I had no money)

Correct: I went to the mall yesterday (even though I had no money).

http://i.imgur.com/fyDN8WR.gif

Pretty convenient how you clipped out the part where I explained how worthless it is to edit for formal forms of grammar on a message board isn't it dipshit?

you are truly pathetic...

Maybe, but I can spell at a level above an eight year old. Who's. Lol.

I honestly thought for a second that you were being purposely ironic with that and is instead of are. Then I rememberef it was you. And you obviously weren't.

Did you finish grade school?

It matters to me, but I wasn't good in school after my accident. Now 41 years of age, I try to use correct grammar and spelling. It's very hard for me though, to be honest.

Tom

:-)

Not just on a message board, in general. Humans take articulate writing more seriously and give it more credit, even when the content is absolutely ridiculous.

Something to think about when writing. Play the game.

:2 cents::2 cents::2 cents:

not sure if i can agree since your answer is clear and concise.

I think people from Europe who do not speak English as their first should have someone read their stuff.... I see silly grammar issues daily in porn.

I did not learn proper selling and grammar.. I read all the time and l always have but I don't spellcheck as I read nor do I dissect sentence structure

i see smart ppl that know the dif between your and you're type your for both

maybe their spell check changes it to your when they type youre (without ')


edit:
:):) selling is spelled correctly though

Because the schools in the USA SUCK ass.

Honestly I slept through English class. My spelling is usually good but grammar not so much. If I really concentrated I could do better but considering I just come here to fuck off between work don't really care. Non grammar mofo still clocking 6 figures, ya heard. :1orglaugh