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Thread ID: 79409	2007-05-19 03:54:00	The grammar thread	roddy_boy (4115)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
551027	2007-05-20 19:47:00	The point has been made before but I will do it again: Aoccidrng to reserach at an elgnish uvineisrty, it deosn't mttaer in waht oedrr the letters in a wrod are, the olny imropnatt tihng is taht the fsrit and lsat lteetr is at the rhgit pcale. The rset can be a tatol mses and you can stlil read it wtiohut pborlem. This is beuacse we do not raed eevry lteetr by it slef but the word as a wohle. And if one were to fix the grammar in that post, I would guess it would be something like: Aoccidrng to reserach at an elgnish uvineisrty, it deosn't mttaer in waht oedrr the letters in a wrod are, the olny imropnatt tihng is taht the fsrit and lsat lteerts are in the rhgit pcale. The rset can be a tatol mses and you can stlil read it wtiohut pborlem. This is beuacse we do not raed eevry lteetr by it slef but the word as a wohle. :p I'm usually quite pedantic about peoples spelling, but when you're in a situation such as this (forum), you have to realise that not everyone can spell 100%, and that I too make the occassional error. Grammar is harder to police, as some areas talk specific ways (ever listen to a yuppie and a farmer in the same convo?) .. you would notice the sentence structure each one uses is slightly different. Which to them is the correct way. IN the end, to err is human, and each to their own	Myth (110)
551028	2007-05-20 21:55:00	Please, let me know where I went wrong, I can't for the life of me find my mistake . Perhaps it's something I don't know I've done wrong, in which case I'd be very appreciative if you would be so kind as to point it out for me . Oh dear! :blush: Where you went wrong was in becoming wool-blinded by your own thread . That comment referred to the appalling gibberish posted by some users, principally because they don't take the time to read what they enter . I can't call it typing or writing because frequently it doesn't reach that threshold . Fortunately your embarrassment is easily relieved! Banging your head against a brick wall for several minutes will erase such feelings without any adverse side effects . I'm with GF here, I gave up answering illiterate threads (apart from those for whom English is clearly a second language) for the same reasons he espouses . Cheers Billy 8-{) :D	Billy T (70)
551029	2007-05-20 23:14:00	I take a few wild swings at the English language pretty much 'cos I feel most OTHER ANGLOS believe Americans speak that way anywhot . Youse guys shouldda knowed that I is greenin' youse just fer the fun . Friendly elucidation requires elan (def: enthusiastic and assured vigor and liveliness) and grace . . . things not taught in the socially-graduated schools of the day . ie: "Spend some time in your seat, answer to the role call and you can get outta there after you amass the requisite time . Your final exam topic will be:' What was the birth weight of Angelina Jolie's baby ( . wordpress . com/tag/baby/" target="_blank">alljolie . wordpress . com)?' " Socially responsible persons do NOT make fun of other's lack of linguistic or scriptural capacities . . but there are always exceptions to that rule . Among friends, it's always permitted to shoulder-chuck the other fellow (or fellow-ette) if they are indeed friends and can collectively relish the humor in the encounter . Socially responsible persons also do not talk down to an audience, rather they raise the audience to a newer or heightened level by educating the crowd with their abilities and prowess . Using new words or words not indigenous to the fray is a helpful and kindly attribute that everyone should incorporate in their daily lives . We DO, however sneer at people who know the answer to the final exam and yet cannot put the answer in the form of a sentence on paper . I feel (here come da flames!) that accidental misuse of language is a crime, as the person doing so should pointedly be made known . Elevation to new levels of communicative skills should ALWAYS be an article of achievement by all concerned and not be belittled by naysayers and those who refuse to conform . Verbal offal is offensive . Texted offal is worse . Written offal is semi-permanent and seems to become acceptable by license because of it's very existence . Sadly (but rightly so) you are judged by your ability to speak and write well . That's the way it is and it separates those with prehensile appendages from those who have lost theirs . Now, I too can and do roil (def: make turbid by stirring up the sediments) around in the common grounds of slaughtering the language, but one thing that must be remembered is: "Dance with a pig and you get really dirty, but the pig enjoys it" . :D	SurferJoe46 (51)
551030	2007-05-22 03:51:00	zwerty] . . . Aoccidrng to reserach at an elgnish uvineisrty, . . . . I have a strong idea that anyone writing an essay in a university English department, even in that "elgnish uvineistry" using this non-spelling rule would receive very low marks . In a science department, even a computer science department, you might find that the scientific names of things are considered to be quite important . In CS, you'll find that compilers are very intolerant of variant spellings and poor syntax . In the "real" world, there are still some positions which require some language skills . We can't all serve chips . The purpose of a written message is communication, on this site either to describe a problem with a computer, or a possible fix to a problem . Anything which gets in the way of communication is a bad thing . If someone gives a garbled representation of an error message, they are not helping people to help them . The exact spelling and wording matter . If someone jumbles the hexadecimal digits in one of MS's helpful error messages, it's not the same even if it does contain all the letters and digits . It's rubbish . Leave deliberate obfuscation to politicians and marketing/advertising drones .	Graham L (2)
551031	2007-05-22 04:54:00	Here's what one US university says about writing (web.mit.edu/tll/teaching-materials/rubrics/TLL-Writing-Rubrics.doc ).	Graham L (2)
551032	2007-05-22 09:43:00	While I agree - somewhat, with Roddy_boys comments, i wood of thort their kood have been more tolerance 2wards the langwage off twoday! R we being less than onest when we 'Old F#rts' remember our parents and Grandparents lack of ability in gramma & speling - dos it matter orl that much? We only need to compare the 70 year old writing stiles of Nevil Shute and W.E. Johns (Biggles) with those of modern orthas. Our language is ever changing, probly for the best - as many rules of grammar are ridiculous and inconsistent. Must we return to ye olde days when thou, thy and begat were in vogue or accept this natural progression? Yeah, no mate - like, whaddya reckon eh? As much as I agree with you I also disagree. Syntax on computers is very important. This is because if a person here gives a run command it has to be correct. If not then the hard drive may not have an operating system. Thou means "You" "Thy" means belonging to. Begat means born or sired by or mothered by. AFAIK. I think. Did not Google that one. To me it is a communication issue. If I do not understand the question then there is a fair chance I can not give an answer that will help.	Sweep (90)
551033	2007-05-22 14:12:00	And if one were to fix the grammar in that post, I would guess it would be something like: Aoccidrng to reserach at an elgnish uvineisrty, it deosn't mttaer in waht oedrr the letters in a wrod are, the olny imropnatt tihng is taht the fsrit and lsat lteerts are in the rhgit pcale. The rset can be a tatol mses and you can stlil read it wtiohut pborlem. This is beuacse we do not raed eevry lteetr by it slef but the word as a wohle. :p I'm usually quite pedantic about peoples spelling, but when you're in a situation such as this (forum), you have to realise that not everyone can spell 100%, and that I too make the occassional error. Grammar is harder to police, as some areas talk specific ways (ever listen to a yuppie and a farmer in the same convo?) .. you would notice the sentence structure each one uses is slightly different. Which to them is the correct way. IN the end, to err is human, and each to their own I can forgive typos as it were. I do it myself. The purpose of language is to communicate. No matter whether Latin, French, Chinese or etcetera. Forgive the last word please. Latin again. It is Human to invent new words for a new object or concept. Your post contains one spelling mistake. But just because "occassional" may not be correct I can comprehend. As to the "Yuppie and the farmer having a convo "Now I know what a Farmer is. I take it that a "convo" means a conversation. Now a Yuppie started with "Young Upcoming Professional" Where is the extra "pie" in there unless that is what they eat? This is the chat thread but I feel that this started with the help section. A little like children. What part of NO do you not understand?	Sweep (90)
551034	2007-05-22 16:24:00	yeh just try using bad syntax, grammar, spelling when typing commands on a computer you'll have a LOT of 'fun'...... and I HATE txt spk.........it to me seems that the people who use it to type up posts put in a lot of time and effort to get that result ......seems damn silly to me	drcspy (146)
551035	2007-05-23 05:41:00	And while we're here, since zqwerty has made (again) his favourite "point" from "research" that spelling doen't matter ... Although his latest copy of it says "enlgsh" (he has previously used a different version with "Cmabrigde"), I became a bit curious, seeing that it as dubious, at best, and had a look around the Cambridge University sites. This "research" has been seen by people there, too, and one of them has done a bit of study (www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/~mattd/Cmabrigde) on it. Read it all. There's also a mention on the snopes.com (www.snopes.com/language/apocryph/cambridge.asp) "urban legends" site. Don't believe everything you read on the Internet. Don't quote that "research" as your reason for ignoring spelling and grammar in a job application.	Graham L (2)
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