Does Grammar Matter?

[Lauren Hynde]

Says the girl littering the thread with little green grins.

Don't imagine that exact thought didn't cross my mind several times as I was doing it!

(I use the Aria Chlorophyll skin, so one green grin at a time doesn't offend my personal aesthetic sense that much. Better than a dancing banana. )

 

[Liar]

Don't imagine that exact thought didn't cross my mind several times as I was doing it!

(I use the Aria Chlorophyll skin, so one green grin at a time doesn't offend my personal aesthetic sense that much. Better than a dancing banana. )

http://www.zuhaus-einkaufen.de/1/smilie/viele_smileys.gif

 

[Aurora Black]

Oops. I mistook this for a writing thread. Mea culpa.

 

[Weird Harold]

Oops. I mistook this for a writing thread. Mea culpa.

We can turn it into one.

My tolerance for bad grammar and bad spelling is a lot lower for stories than it is for posts. Any bad grammar in a story should be deliberate and serve some literary purpose; there's a big difference between writing an ungramatical character and just being ungrammattical.

 

[Guest]

 

[Liar]

Grammar and spelling do matter to some extent. I can overlook the occasional typo or incomplete sentences, but readability matters.

The worst kind is when there ARE complete sentences and perfect spelling, and the readability is still a train wreck. I think people are often too occupied with spelling proper words and fusing them together into working sentences, that they forget that the sentences have to fuse together into working paragraphs, and paragraphs into working text.

Something like atoms and molecules. It's nice that they do their part of the job, but if they are not arranged properly, it still won't be a ham sandwich I'm eating.

 

[R. Richard]

I would certainly like to always use correct grammar. By correct grammar, I mean grammar that ALWAYS follows the rules that define the English language.

Perhaps one of my fellow Literotica authors would be so kind as to tell me where I might find the "official rules" that define the English language. I have searched and searched, alas in vain. TIA!

 

[impressive]

It depends.

I have a low tolerance for "chat speak" but a high tolerance for fragments, ellipses, etc.

I have a low tolerance for vagaries of capitalization (such as the D/s conventions), but a high tolerance for the complete omission of capital letters.

I have a low tolerance for the misuse of words (your/you're, than/then, loose/lose), but a high tolerance -- even a fondness -- for invented words (a la vella-isms ).

There is neither rhyme nor reason to my punctuation pet peeves. I'll leave it at that.

 

[Liar]

When I IM , it lokks like this lots of ficking typos all overh thwe place. Because the nspeed is paramount and I dom't really care ehough to have a finger permentently on th e backspaqce key .

Annoying? Some think so, but they all seem to agree that it's more annoying to wait half a minute more for a reply.

 

[WARNINGWARNING]

English Lady and Wired (intential dyslexia) Harold spoke to my sentiments.

Contextualness.

On a bulletin board I am more forgiving, than in a letter or story. I am probably the most offensive (in many ways), in that I am a poor typist and not a good spellist compounded by a mild dyslexicness. I RARELY proof my posts prior to "submit reply".

I enjoy abusing conventional punctuation. My capitalization of proper nouns varies with the speed and sloppiness of my posts. Often I will get a bonus CApital < due to a synapse lag.

Being a hypocrite, I do make an initial judgement on posts based on typos, grammar etc.

I think Lauren Hynde noted that eventualy we will sort out the slobs from the dunderheads.

I hope that lilredjammies was being just a bit selfeffacing:
"On the other side of the equation, though, over-use of polysyllabic words and correct-but-convoluted grammatical instructions gives me the impression of someone who wants to make him- or herself look more important. In other words, pedagogical puffery impresses me not."


Liar, has a good point about speed vs. polish.

 

[hollyocks]

I would certainly like to always use correct grammar. By correct grammar, I mean grammar that ALWAYS follows the rules that define the English language.

Perhaps one of my fellow Literotica authors would be so kind as to tell me where I might find the "official rules" that define the English language. I have searched and searched, alas in vain. TIA!

there are none that's why it's all made up, some 'expert' who thinks he/she knows better than everyone else usually has a go at it.... i read somewhere recently that according to one of the 'experts', english is an ever evolving language, always has been and always will be..... that's why they have to re-write the oxford dictionary every couple of years, so he's given up 'experting'

perfect 100% spelling doesn't matter to the average brain anyway, as long as the word is in the right place in the sentence, and contains some of the right letters, your brain will read it no matter how it's written.

 

[WARNINGWARNING]

Seems that the answer is "yes", grammar matters.
It matters not to some, a little to others and a great deal to still others.

I'd say, wear your grammar accordingly.

Does it matter to you?

 

[R. Richard]

there are none that's why it's all made up, some 'expert' who thinks he/she knows better than everyone else usually has a go at it.... i read somewhere recently that according to one of the 'experts', english is an ever evolving language, always has been and always will be..... that's why they have to re-write the oxford dictionary every couple of years, so he's given up 'experting'

perfect 100% spelling doesn't matter to the average brain anyway, as long as the word is in the right place in the sentence, and contains some of the right letters, your brain will read it no matter how it's written.

I am not really concerned with spelling. I have this magical device called a spell checker.

I was frogmarched into a school class where they could judge my use of so-called English grammar and assign one of 13 grades, based upon their judgement of how I had done. Surely there must have been an "offical English grammar" upon which they based said grades.

 

[hollyocks]

of course having jumped to the defence of the illiterate and the lazy flirting tart's of the world.... i must add that 100% bad spelling and grammar really does piss me off. hell, even ms word does a reasonable job with the spelling, even though it doesn't know its grammar from its grandpar and that fuckin paper clip.... oh sorry i digress.

here's a little schoolgirl challenge for anyone who wants to play, (hey come on, i am still a schoolgirl) i remember back when i was 14 the english teacher challenged the class to write a short sentence of less that 10 words, the sentence must contain all three of the bogey words, there's/there/their/they're, and must make some sense and be in some correct context.... i did it in 7 and got the prize

 

[hollyocks]

I am not really concerned with spelling. I have this magical device called a spell checker.

I was frogmarched into a school class where they could judge my use of so-called English grammar and assign one of 13 grades, based upon their judgement of how I had done. Surely there must have been an "offical English grammar" upon which they based said grades.

all in their heads i'd guess, well they were experts

 

[R. Richard]

of course having jumped to the defence of the illiterate and the lazy flirting tart's of the world.... i must add that 100% bad spelling and grammar really does piss me off. hell, even ms word does a reasonable job with the spelling, even though it doesn't know its grammar from its grandpar and that fuckin paper clip.... oh sorry i digress.

here's a little schoolgirl challenge for anyone who wants to play, (hey come on, i am still a schoolgirl) i remember back when i was 14 the english teacher challenged the class to write a short sentence of less that 10 words, the sentence must contain all three of the bogey words, there's/there/their/they're, and must make some sense and be in some correct context.... i did it in 7 and got the prize

Note: You specify three bogey words and then list four. [Tsk, tsk, tsk!] I therefore selected the three homophones. [If I turned my correct effort in for my English class, the fat, stupid, ugly bitch would have given me another 'F' grade. The fat, stupid. ugly, mentally retarded bitch had something against me.]

Crude motherfuckers misuse the homophones there/their/they’re.

 

[hollyocks]

Note: You specify three bogey words and then list four. [Tsk, tsk, tsk!] I therefore selected the three homophones. [If I turned my correct effort in for my English class, the fat, stupid, ugly bitch would have given me another 'F' grade. The fat, stupid. ugly, mentally retarded bitch had something against me.]

Crude motherfuckers misuse the homophones there/their/they’re.

i take it you and your english teacher didn't really hit it off then

sorry dear about my crime, i was really treating there & there's as one, being the same term in singular and plural.... do i stand in the corner with a dunces hat on ? or do you want me in the store cupboard for punishment

 

[Guest]

 

[R. Richard]

i take it you and your english teacher didn't really hit it off then

Actually I never really paid any attention to the mentally retarded bitch. My real problems were with the Dean of Boys.

"R. Richard, we are not going to stand for your attitude here!"

"Dean of Boys? Are you calling me boy? You are the damn boy here. I don't need your insults, troublemaker. If you have something to say to me, tell it to the Coach. Ol' Coach likes guys who 'Plays the kinda defense you likes to hear!'"

"That's it R. Richard, you are expelled!"

"The week before the the big game with our traditional rivals? I don't think so fuckup, talk to ol' Coach first."

 

[WARNINGWARNING]

Jammies,
As I had hoped. Based on limited observations.

 

[WARNINGWARNING]

yikes! who pulled that "cork"!?


The one which had been holding back the torrent of unresolved issues.

 

[Carnevil9]

Being a hypocrite, I do make an initial judgement on posts based on typos, grammar etc.

There is nothing wrong with being a hypocrite. The nice thing about hypocrisy is that once you've accepted it in yourself, you can still condemn it in other people!......Carney

 

[BlackSnake]

There is nothing wrong with being a hypocrite. The nice thing about hypocrisy is that once you've accepted it in yourself, you can still condemn it in other people!......Carney

If you are nice to people, one day someone will be nice to you. If you go around selling wolf tickets, sooner or later someone will buy one.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

You never know. I got feedback from Anon telling me my characters had shitty grammar in dialogue. That's just stupid.

 

[McKenna]

I'm a grammar snob, I admit it.*

In the internet-world where our only mode of communication is the written word, I think grammar says as much about us as anything. Trying to communicate with someone who uses bad grammar is like trying to hold a conversation with someone who has foul breath and body odor; it's not impossible, it's just unpleasant. I'm less likely to be distracted by a clean body and mouth than a dirty one, therefore, I can concentrate on the points being made instead of the stench.




*Exceptions are made for non-native speakers.