Tired of the Grammar Nazi.

Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Popinski

Joined
Jul 3, 2008
Messages
1,706
Location
Ohio, USA
This is an mechanical/oil forum. There are hundreds of talented people on BITOG. So many people helped me because of this manly site and I am so happy that I got the help. My rant here is that people are ignorant enough to post about people's English grammar and vocab even if they're talented on another subject.

Just because a person's post has many grammar errors, how can you judge him while he's helping you with your car problems?

I'd rather have someone help me in poorly written English than perfect Spanish.
 
The only time I'll ever comment or "fix" someone's post is when it's all one giant run-on sentence, there are too many spelling errors that make it confusing, or when it just doesn't make any sense what so ever. This is only when some one posts a question, and comprehension is the key to answering it. There's a difference between helping clarify someone who's first language may not be English, and just being snarky.

As far as some one correcting another user's spelling and grammar in a helpful post; I haven't seen it here.
 
Popinski,
as a technical professional, I am increasingly becoming stuck with new professionals who cannot get even the simplest concept across in any comprehensible form.

The texting generation have eliminated spelling and grammar from their skills set.

Their one liner instant messaging has them in a mindset that standing behind someone who doesn't even know that you are there, and grunting "(I) need to go to Bankstown" implies content, relation to their employment activities, and indeed the implication that for the benefit of the above they need to go to Bankstown.

They can create a CFD model (that gives the wrong answer, and not know that it's wrong), and not be able to sketch even a guestimate of the system.

Communication needs at least a semi solid foundation.
 
Those people are tools. It's an internet forum. It's supposed to be informal and conversational. Nobody is impressed by your 'perfect' grammar and spelling. This is not technical writing class. Nobody thinks you're more intelligent or educated, either. Everybody else could understand the 'flawed' post, too, despite it's non-standard grammar and spelling. Your 'clarification' is unnecessary and makes you look insecure. Your ability to understand what was being said is no greater than anyone else on this site.

Most of these guys playing grammar police need to remove the plank of poor content and tone from their own hand before looking to aid another man with his splinter.
 
I agree that correcting another's post for grammer and spelling does not help or encourage participation in this blog. BITOG has become a global site with contributions of many in which English is not their native language. This is not a site for scholarly discourse or exchange of academic post doctorate debating; it is a platform for all who have an interest in automotive related topics to post questions, answers, findings, and thoughts. Over the past couple years self proclaimed experts have discredited other members posts and therefore the attacked members are no longer active members. I have encountered another member who presents themself as "know-it-all" with thousands of posts in their short tenure on BITOG. Their posts were easliy recongnized that their contributions were soley based on opinion and not on experience, technical findings, or formal training.

Instead of criticizing and discrediting a members typing and spelling, suggest that they use Mozilla Firefox that has a built-in spell check. Typos do occur and I've corrected the correcters many times for their mistakes to show them that they are not perfect.

BITOG is different today than when I started reading posts and when I became a member several years ago.
 
Interesting that all the above posts have excellent spelling and grammar, so it's clearly important to some of us!

Personally, I consider attention to details such as spelling is the same as conducting polite conversation rather than just mumbling.
 
Yes it is very important!Please visit one of the German websites and someone will be more than happy to correct your German if its not university level high German.

This is a global site,if you choose to restrict this to only grammatically correct English posters then so be it.
Fact is even well educated non native English speakers have difficulty not only with translation but with sentence restructure.

The attitude of polite persons would be "they are doing better with my language than i probably could in theirs" then do their best to overcome the language barrier.

In typical English speaking nation fashion you choose to believe that others should conform to your standards.
They possibly cant but that is irrelevant,you will correct them I'm sure.
 
Honestly, I have only seen a few people correct grammar. Maybe i just have not been paying attention but i can only recall one time where someone corrected something and i thought to myself, who cares. Do you guys see this regularly?
 
Sometimes grammer is so bad it needs addressing.Spelling on the other hand to me is not that big of a deal.BUT it does amaze me that so few use SPELL CHECK.Its easy to download and use.It will also make you a BETTER speller.
 
Quote:
as a technical professional, I am increasingly becoming stuck with new professionals who cannot get even the simplest concept across in any comprehensible form.


Send him down to the Sevateem. That will make him appreciate being among the Tesh.
56.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Popinski
This is an mechanical/oil forum. There are hundreds of talented people on BITOG. So many people helped me because of this manly site and I am so happy that I got the help. My rant here is that people are ignorant enough to post about people's English grammar and vocab even if they're talented on another subject.

Just because a person's post has many grammar errors, how can you judge him while he's helping you with your car problems?

I'd rather have someone help me in poorly written English than perfect Spanish.


+1. you would have loved mori the grammar Nazi
lol.gif
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Popinski,
as a technical professional, I am increasingly becoming stuck with new professionals who cannot get even the simplest concept across in any comprehensible form.

The texting generation have eliminated spelling and grammar from their skills set.

Their one liner instant messaging has them in a mindset that standing behind someone who doesn't even know that you are there...

Communication needs at least a semi solid foundation.


Amen. I'm not picking on the guy with the occasional spelling error, or the guy from another country who is obviously trying his best, but rather the people whose posts look like they were written by a first grader. When I read a post like all, any credibility it may have had is gone.
 
Last edited:
Quote:
Sometimes grammer is so bad it needs addressing.Spelling on the other hand to me is not that big of a deal.BUT it does amaze me that so few use SPELL CHECK.Its easy to download and use.It will also make you a BETTER speller.


Quote:
I agree that correcting another's post for grammer and spelling........


Mori!!!!!!!!!!!

All the years I've been here, I've never actually seen anyone poke fun at a non-native English speaking person. Is this a recent phenomena? Maybe I missed it.

In the past I have started threads about the topic, and corrected people born and raised in countries (USA) where English is the language, mainly when the writer's point gets absolutely mired in terrible spelling and grammar. It's one thing to make a typo - we ALL do it. And yes some folks have disabilities. And no one other than THE GERMAN is looking total perfection in grammar. But to make zero effort? Meh, lazy and uneducated, I'm sorry but that is the way it comes across.

Who ist deese Grammar Nazi?
 
Originally Posted By: hounddog
Sometimes grammer is so bad

Quote:
BUT it does amaze me that so few use SPELL CHECK.

So, why don't you use it?
56.gif
 
Small errors in grammar and spelling can and do cause major misunderstandings. I see it all the time. If the correction improves clarity, and is made politely, and in a constructive spirit, then I'm all for it.

I can't remember where I saw this. But I remember once seeing a photo of a sign on the door of a restaurant, the owners of which obviously prided themselves on their hospitality. It said:

"Come in! Let us hospitalize you!"
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: jstutz

Honestly, I have only seen a few people correct grammar. Maybe i just have not been paying attention but i can only recall one time where someone corrected something and i thought to myself, who cares. Do you guys see this regularly?


Honestly I don't see it very often here. Most people here do a pretty good job making an attempt to follow common sentence structure, spelling, capitalization rules, etc. Much, MUCH better than some other forums I've seen. And as such, I don't see many "Nazi" posts here either.

Originally Posted By: zrxkawboy

Amen. I'm not picking on the guy with the occasional spelling error, or the guy from another country who is obviously trying his best, but rather the people whose posts look like they were written by a first grader. When I read a post like all, any credibility it may have had is gone.


I agree. I'm reading these forums on a regular monitor, not on my phone. I don't want to read anything in "txt". Once again, the following are NOT words: "r", "u", "c", "b/c", "ne", "ne1", "dat", etc.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
Strange customer dilemma regarding lawn service
3 4 5
Replies
81
Views
4K
Jdeere562
P
Modern-day parenting and the effect on kids
Replies
19
Views
3K
Owen Lucas
R
2025 -- (up to 4/30/2025) YTD Totals: "Post your latest oil change"
Replies
5
Views
1K
perkz
R
  • Locked
Another xW20 vs xW30 thread
Replies
18
Views
1K
dnewton3
Brons2
Making oil with a Peugeot 3008 in Spain (Rental Car Review)
Replies
13
Views
1K
Brons2
Back
Top Bottom