Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOriginalMe
When I'm on the internet I generally don't worry too much about how other people write. I do get really irritated by colleagues who insist that spelling and grammar aren't important in the workplace. Good communication depends on accuracy and poor spelling and grammar can easily confuse the reader. I've noticed that my standards have been slipping recently and I've been using there instead of both they're and their and my to, too and twos have gone awry. However, one thing I won't apologise for is my English spelling, as in apologise and counsellor.
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It may very well be important in a business setting but... I know some very successful people whose grammar is poor despite the fact that they have degrees from fine schools. What they possess (in addition to business skills) is the ability to communicate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lovebird
I posted this same rant on my Facebook page. My daughter's boyfriend replied that grammar is the difference between "knowing your s***," and "knowing you're s***." I answered that the one I'd heard is, the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse, and.... (blush). Another friend offered "let's eat, Grandma" versus "let's eat Grandma."
To the Facebook friend who remarked that there's a right way and a wrong way to do things, I agreed, but I added that there can be more than one right way, and any right way is fine. British spelling as opposed to American is a good example. I also understand that there are different ways to pronounce words like "tomato" and "either." But... there are also wrong ways. When people are putting on airs, trying to come off like they're all educated and upper class, and then they pronounce the B in "subtle," and talk about "shammily" tea when they mean chamomile, do you find it hard not to laugh?
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That is funny
Affectations
are annoying but so are rants :P As for laughing at the way someone speaks.... I could never do that. I
might explain the correct pronunciation of a word but only to save them from possible hurt and embarrassment if they made that mistake in front of someone who would laugh at them. If they truly understand subtlety or nuance I'd just be impressed and want to hear more.
Quote:
Originally Posted by healingme4me
I hear you about airs of pretentiousness. If there are little grammatical and spelling errors, in an informal setting, yet, the point is made clear, it's informal, wasn't designed to be anything more than some back and forth live or semi-live banter. Formal letters, on the other hand, now that irks me.  |
I could have some fun grading that sentence
I have a cousin who teaches English at a school for exceptional students. We come from a poor white trash background. She never corrects nor makes fun of the way our relatives back home speak. I respect and admire her for that.
I have an eighth grade education. I have friends with advanced degrees including a couple of PhD's. I also have friends who didn't finish high school and wouldn't know a comma from an apostrophe... but they are intelligent and interesting conversationalists. Like I said before, communication and content are much more important to me than correct grammar and clean syntax. If I can understand what someone is saying, and what they are saying is interesting, I don't care how they say it.
Sorry but life is just too short to sweat the small stuff.