Poll: grammar in forums

[Hakushi]

I always try to respect the grammar rules as much as I can when I type something and I will capitalize and use punctuation. I think it's important and helps a lot for reading comprehension, and it makes a huge difference when people without english as their main language try to read what we write.

 

[justnotcricket]

Hm...I am a big fan of correct grammar and spelling, if only because when I read a particularly muddled post it just smacks of laziness, and the author's point (however valid or interesting) is lost in a sea of 'alot', 'your' (for you're) and misplaced commas and apostrophes.

Having said that, it's up to the individual to make the effort to improve themselves and show people the courtesy of communicating clearly - I'm not going to police it.

Having said that, although I might personally capitalise my I's, I think the Internet has desensitised me to that one a little bit, so I don't tend to notice it so much. But 'your' for 'you're' makes me feel funny. =P

 

[Fists]

I like a moderate degree of aptitude in language when reading forum posts although I am quite inconsistent, I wont always capitalise or spell correctly but there are some thing I cant stand seeing: confusing then and than for starters, here are some examples of proper use.

"I need to connect the cables then I can play my PS3"
and
"I honestly believe that the PS3 is better than the 360"

Also there, their and they're are very different, dont mix them up.

"....over there..."

"....it's their choice....."

"....they're stupid if they dont comprehend these basic differences."

Beyond these I am fairly lenient

 

[fletch_talon]

Grammar and spelling are unimportant, provided your post is coherent enough and is worth posting.

The people that make a big deal out of these things are those who seem to take life and forums too seriously.
The saying "do not judge a book by its cover" comes to mind. Whether its a book with a crappy cover, a game with non-HD graphics or a poster without the motivation to take the time over rather unimportant factors such as capitalisation and the like. None of these things necessarily reflect their content.

Obviously things like paragraphs are necessary for people to read things without straining something. Capitalisation is just nit-picking however, if you can't already tell that a new sentence starts after a full stop, or that africa is the name of a country, you're the one that needs help.

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

It's not completely important, but it makes reading a lot easier for everyone else. Punctuation especially helps. At least break up your sentences into lines (like how you did for the first part of your post). I don't care so long as it's not a strain to read.

 

[jboking]

i'm really tired of grammar nazis.
capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and fragmentization are all second hand to content.
judge a man for the quality of his thoughts and opinions not for how well he obeys a few highly artificial rules and regulations.

A quick question, how am I supposed to see your thought or opinion as something of great quality if you don't see it that way? Also, if you do see your opinion as something important or well thought out, why would you not structure it properly? It shows a lack of care, as fixing your grammar isn't that hard. Understand, I'm not asking that your posts be flawless, everyone makes a mistake, but at least try to make a conscious effort to care about it. Maybe if you care about your post, I will too.

if you know what i'm saying what does it matter how i punctuated or spelled it?

<color=black>YES IT DOES.

i helped my uncle jack off a horse

VS

I helped my Uncle Jack off a horse.

Very different, eh?

You deserve a medal for that. I think I'm going to have to use that little example in the future.

 

[QuirkyTambourine]

I hate horrible run on sentences and ridiculous short hand typing on the internet. Not limited to forums, hell I'll post a status from a girl that I know that she left on facebook. I finally told it to hide all updates from her because the awfulness of her grammar was too much for me to take.

Spoiler: I'm not even kidding, this was an actual status update a few days ago

"Matter a Fact I Dont Owe Ne1 an Explanation.. So Fuk How u Feel...4Real =0"

 

[FROGGEman2]

Yes. It is the most important thing in ANY situation.

I think the poll speaks for itself.

 

[Kilo24]

Its similar to instinctive hatred of people with Southern Accents.

That's far from instinctive. It's cultural; certainly few southerners spurn other people for having a southern accent.

The main thing with good grammar, punctuation and such is that people online typically have a sentence to a paragraph to judge your statement's merit, and, lacking in a number of other cues (such as tone or body language) tend to rely on that to help them understand your post. Having poor grammar is a simple and easy way to show that you thought long enough about your message to at least proofread it.

Of course, at its heart it is a cultural expectation too like a number of other activities. As such, its real purpose is to just make people more comfortable around you.

 

[T-Bone24]

So long as it's readable, it's fine. iff its to difculy too reed thne no thknas!

 

[Scooter789]

The issue with grammar in forums, and on the internet in general, is that we primarily communicate through text. Using incorrect grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. is the equivalent of using words such as "ain't" in spoken communication. It makes you look uneducated, and more often than not, it distracts the reader from the point you are trying to make.

I'm no grammar Nazi, nor am I an English professor, but when I see the word "then" being used where it should be the word "than", I notice it, and the flow of whatever I was reading is broken. I know that I'm probably part of a minority in this regard, and that most people don't even know the difference. However, I don't care. These supposedly arbitrary rules are in place for a reason, and in reality, they are far from arbitrary. They are in place so that written words can be understood (hopefully) as clearly as spoken words.

Also, this:

if you know what i'm saying what does it matter how i punctuated or spelled it?

<color=black>YES IT DOES.

i helped my uncle jack off a horse

VS

I helped my Uncle Jack off a horse.

Very different, eh?

 

[Scooter789]

You complain too much.
If you lax up on the grammer, then eventually it be about as legibal (I know I misspelled that, can someone please correct me) ...

"grammar"

"legible"

You're welcome.

 

[CrysisMcGee]

Spelling and Capitilization are not important if it still reads the same. If I read a misspelled word, and I read it correctly, then I don't care. Same with Capital letters.

As for the rest, as long as you don't slaughter the English language, I don't care. As long as you get the point across clearly.

Most of this comes from playing WoW, where grammar sometimes is so bad you have no idea what the hell what they are talking about.

 

[Eleuthera]

Being a non English speaker myself, I take pride in my English (more so than I do in my Dutch). Errors will always occur, both in spelling and grammar, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't at least try to get it right.

There are a few "standard" mistakes I still make quite often, but mostly they are a result of me getting confused (and never their/there/they're, if you're over 12 and get these wrong get help) and not a result of being too lazy or disinterested to get them right.

P.S.
I would have gone for: I helped my uncle, Jack, off a horse.

 

[LooK iTz Jinjo]

Especially on such a forum as the Escapist grammar is quiet important. People don't take seriously the man who can't spell even if what he has to say could bring them eternal riches or life.

 

[Superior Mind]

If a person's thoughts are impenetrable due to the quality of their grammar and spelling then you have a problem. Also I have to say that if somoene's spelling and grammar is noticably poor it does take away from what they're trying to say. It makes them look lazy and uneducated.

A post doesn't need to be perfect by any means, the rules of grammar and spelling in the English language are so complicated that no-one's going to get it perfect all of the time but I do like to see an effort being made. I don't like the excuse "omg stop being a grammer nazi i writ lik this to save time i dont need to be neat its only a forum" etc. etc.

I mean fuck it, if that's your opinion than why the Hell should I be bothered to read what you have to say?

 

[MattyJ]

Grammar should be used correctly, to an extent. People who think typo's are inexcusable should go take a hike.

 

[Icehearted]

I think it can literal make or break a point, argument, etc. Spelling is also a must, because you can't really 'pwn' someone in a war of words when you confuse "you're" with "your", "through" with "threw", or my personal favorite; those clever abbreviations or phonetic wordplay that make a grown person appear to be about as literarily gifted as The Little Rascals. Nothing suggests profound intellectual prowess a "plz poast linx thx".

I shudder whenever I think back to my WoW days.