Sorry, I know I shouldn't let it get to me but...

[rich p]

When do you start?

He's always lighting up!

 

[Debian]

I'm with you all the way Debian, I also hate the misuse of "of" instead of "have". It comes from ill-educated people not realising that the abbreviation "should've" actually means "should have" not "should of".

Presumably you wrote "typo's" as a plural above in irony instead of typos?

Another one that really annoys me is the Americanism "I just got...." in place of "I've just been...." or "work just got easier" instead of "work's just become easier". And yes, another common fault is "breaks" instead of "brakes".

There's no excuse for it; it's just sloppiness. It isn't contributing to an evolution of the English language, it's contributing to a degradation of one of the world's best languages, as spoken and learned by people all over the world. We should be setting an example, not murdering the language.

I agree with your comments. Those who employ the excuse that "language evolves" are doing just that, attempting to excuse errors, it's not evolution it's simply getting it wrong and degrading the language.

As to my experience of the coppers statement and his use of break instead of brake - I didn't really know what to say - so I said nothing

To those who say "lighten up, it doesn't matter", I beg to differ, it does matter. Maybe next time someone complains about something silly a motorist does I should say "lighten up, no harm was done" to that as well?

 

[rich p]

Hardly comparable!

You're allowed to fume by all means but it gets really tiresome when people get picky and miss the point of a post by coming over a bit puritan. The forum would ceast operate if we had to edit all our posts for the Lynn Truss brigade.

As has been pointed out, your OP contained some errors but we managed to debate the subject despite your mistakes.

 

[MacB]

When do you start?

This is light, I was really messed up before!

This makes me think of some of the disputes, my wife and I mediate, between the kids and their friends. Generally along the lines of, I want to play this way but the others don't, can you tell them they have to?

 

[Debian]

Hardly comparable!

You're allowed to fume by all means but it gets really tiresome when people get picky and miss the point of a post by coming over a bit puritan. The forum would ceast operate if we had to edit all our posts for the Lynn Truss brigade.

As has been pointed out, your OP contained some errors but we managed to debate the subject despite your mistakes.

Not trying to be puritan at all. I opened by specifically commenting on the obvious misuse of 'of'. This is a simple error and easily corrected, anyone can learn. For a contributor to say that such an error doesn't matter and that the contributor will continue to do it just seems a little crass. Some contributors have also mentioned that some posters suffer from dyslexia, or are not native English speakers, well in that case isn't it even more important to write correctly so as to assist those with a lesser understanding of the language?

I do not criticise any poster in particular, neither do I ever pick up a poster on a thread over a grammatical or spelling error. Nor have I ever claimed to be immune from typos, spelling errors or the odd grammatical faux-pas and to be criticised fro a couple of such errors by contributors is doing exactly what is stated shouldn't be done, i.e. to pick up a poster on a thread about his or her spelling or grammar. Some double standards there.

I'm just very surprised at the level of, well almost outrage aimed at me for having the temerity to wish to stand up for a good standard of written English! No one is looking for perfection and no one minds the odd misspelling and typo but fewer obvious misuses and a willingness to accept and learn would be nice.

 

[MacB]

Not trying to be puritan at all. I opened by specifically commenting on the obvious misuse of 'of'. This is a simple error and easily corrected, anyone can learn. For a contributor to say that such an error doesn't matter and that the contributor will continue to do it just seems a little crass. Some contributors have also mentioned that some posters suffer from dyslexia, or are not native English speakers, well in that case isn't it even more important to write correctly so as to assist those with a lesser understanding of the language?

I do not criticise any poster in particular, neither do I ever pick up a poster on a thread over a grammatical or spelling error. Nor have I ever claimed to be immune from typos, spelling errors or the odd grammatical faux-pas and to be criticised fro a couple of such errors by contributors is doing exactly what is stated shouldn't be done, i.e. to pick up a poster on a thread about his or her spelling or grammar. Some double standards there.

I'm just very surprised at the level of, well almost outrage aimed at me for having the temerity to wish to stand up for a good standard of written English! No one is looking for perfection and no one minds the odd misspelling and typo but fewer obvious misuses and a willingness to accept and learn would be nice.

That's a big drum you're beating there, do you need a bit of online therapy here? You only have to ask, there's no need to go all round the houses about it.

I suggest a little lie down to start with.

 

[I am Spartacus]

What bike do you ride, mate?

 

[Hilldodger]

Me really culdn't give a toss, innit.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I'm just very surprised at the level of, well almost outrage aimed at me for having the temerity to wish to stand up for a good standard of written English! No one is looking for perfection and no one minds the odd misspelling and typo but fewer obvious misuses and a willingness to accept and learn would be nice.

I agree. Each to their own, and all that: some of us think this stuff is important and others don't. Just like any other issue, really.

 

[Globalti]

Unfortunately Debian you seem to be in a minority here. The technique commonly used by people who are happy to stand by and watch standards eroded is to ridicule the person upholding those standards as old-fashioned and fuddy-duddy. The same technique is used to shame and bully people who try to uphold standards in all aspects of life and society so that in the end they just shut up and despair quietly.

As an aside, good clear English has an important commercial value. My job involves export selling a complex product to people for whom English is not their first language and for 30 years now I've watched commercial misunderstandings arising because one or both parties didn't express themselves clearly. Bad communication affects relationships and can cost companies a lot of money, as any lawyer will tell you.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

My pet hate is it's when not indicating contraction (or other improper use of apostrophe). I was scarred for life during a spelling test in my 4th year of school; never made that mistake again....

I think I'm with the OP on this one though, if you can spell it properly (or use the correct grammar) you should.

 

[rh100]

That's the point though isn't it? Correct grammar in it's place. In business or in formal documents or CV's or whatever then fine. But this is a forum, which attracts all kinds based on their interest in cycling, so you cannot assume any certain level of education. I have no problem with the original post, except making the self admitted wrong assumption that the writers of the posts being complained about are a bit thick. A display of good grammar may indicate intelligence, but certainly not wisdom.

If people are in a job where grammar has caused huge problems - then that's a problem with the recruitment process. I even had a spelling test for one job.

Make a post critisizing what you like, it's a free world, but please don't be upset if people argue back, everyone has an opinion.

 

[Slowgrind]

GRAND rh100!

 

[Over The Hill]

I am quite bad at spelling but on here it seems to only be picked up when someone else has lost the argument and cannot find anything else to get back at me on!
I have to put in quite a bit of effort at work to ensure all my written output is OK so I tend to not be so fussy here as I have had enough checking.

The one thing that annoyed me all the time was double negatives
Almost every song seems to use them, Cheryl Cole sings -"it aint gonna be no picinc" in her song Fight for the right. (I know you can pick a lot of other issues out of the six words quoted!).
I felt it was a slopy new trend. But then I heard an old Bill Haley song from 56 years ago Shake Rattle and Roll which has
"you won't do nothin' " in the lyric.
Somehow that made me calm down and accept it a bit.

 

[MacB]

Look also at the thread title, begins with an apology, then an admission of wrong and finally the 'butt''but'.

If you feel it's so wrong that you need to apologise in advance then don't be so crass, rude and vulgar as to continue to compound the situation.