Whatever happened to grammar and spelling?

DD is eleven. She sure as hell knows the difference between text speak and good written English. Why? Because she has been taught at school. She also knows the difference between how she speaks to her friends and how I want to her to speak to me. Why? Because I tell her.

It's utter rubbish to say that kids aren't taught any grammar or spelling.

They are also encouraged to read, which helps with both.

So I'm joining the FedUpWithPeopleMoaningAboutTheYoungerGeneration'sCommunications Gang.

Pish, I say. Just Pish!

I bet that if samples of written work were taken from a cross section of large numbers of The Moaning Generation and similarly large numbers from a cross section of Kids/Young Adults, the resulting proportions of bad and good spelling and grammar would be quite revealing and surprising.

I am joining your gang, Bags.
And I am starting one that says BeingAnallyRetentiveAboutSpellingAndGrammarOnForumsMakesThreadsReallyLabouredAndBoring.
Pish squared!

Great! I'll join your gang too, mamie. Is that Pish to the Power Four?

Pish to the Fourth.

Pish to the Forth.

Piss in the Forth.

There's a song in there somewhere.

Ahoy! GranSongWriters!

I am willing to bet that people who complain about textspeak would be hard-pushed to write three not sentences in it.
I challenge them.
Is the song Harry Lauder or McGonagall? No, that was the Silvery Tay...

i'm most definitely joining both gangs. Hurrah!

I agree. I think I have a good grasp of grammar and spelling which was drummed into me at an early age. I am very particular about my use of both when I am writing reports at work or important correspondence. However, I choose not to be pedantic on here because I see it as chatting with friends and I think it's what we say that matters, not how we say it.

Can't write a song I'm afraid but I would like to join the gang

Both gangs

U must B gr8 at this b4 U join..
Paralinguistic and prosodic features
Prosodic features in SMS language aim to provide added semantic and syntactic information and context from which recipients can use to deduce a more contextually-relevant and accurate interpretation. These may aim to convey the textual equivalent of verbal prosodic features such as facial expression and tone of voice. Indeed, even though SMS language exists in the format of written text, it closely resembles normal speech in that it does not have a complicated structure and that its meaning is greatly contextualised. (from wiki)

After consultations (yes! we did, mamie! ), we are amalgamating both gangs and their combined name is Pish to the Fourth.

Oe even Pish2the4th.

That's or, natch. It's my computer wot cant spell 4 toffy.

I pish on apostrophes. How elegant is your SMS prosody in Pedant's Corner?

wot??duhhhhh! fink im 2 fik 4 ur gang : (

Hang on. I need to look up prosody in the Dikshunry....

DD says I don't say duh right. Not enough tone and attitude apparently. Sob.

The sign on the blog page.

Does it suggest the police might be just a little bit plebby?

All hre 4 U no swet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_language

Sorry
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_language

"the minister and me – or should that be I…?" That is unwarranted criticism. It can't be easy, when you are speaking publicy, to quickly sort out if it should be "I" or "me". That is unnecessary pedantry.

I didn't read the rest of the blog. Too boring. And I don't like pedantry.

I have never corrected any member's grammar or spelling on any forum as I think it would be the height of bad manners. However, I still think that teachers should not make spelling mistakes on reports! If that makes me a pedant, so be it.
Surely there is no dichotomy between good creative writing and correct spelling? O.K. I know that many of our greatest writers were idiosyncratic spellers but many were writing at a time when spelling had not been formalised and many people were illiterate. I think bad grammar and spelling in letters of application could give prospective employers a bad impression. Children should be given the tools to demonstrate their understanding of their native tongue.

Of course I don't understand textspeak - why should I? I have managed to get through 72 years without it and I don't want to 'get down with the kids'.

I never compare today's students unfavourably with those of earlier generations - I think the quality of education has improved immeasurably and I don't think I could tackle some of the A-level papers that my grandchildren have shown me. I agree that many older people left school barely literate - I was a volunteer on the Adult Literacy Scheme in the 1970s when it was estimated that two million UK adults were functionally illiterate. However, I think it is unfair to accept poor spelling and grammar because it puts the students at a disadvantage in later life.

I am sticking to my guns - there is no place for criticism of other members on forums, but good spelling and grammar should still be taught - we all know how the people at the top of the pile look down on the 'plebs' and ungrammatical speech gives them a chance to sneer.

Oh yes. There's no excuse for teachers.

Did anyone else out there notice the error in Gransnet's own report on this subject?

"We should be proving that using good and clear English can be liberating and expressive, and that there is be more to life and literature than a rushed-off email and textspeak."

Oops!!!

My English teacher taught me perhaps a little too well and I have become quite the pedant on this subject - much to the irritation of some - and frequently have the urge to correct signs, etc. (much like salbristol)! Amongst my pet hates are: apostrophes in plurals and other places where they are not needed, spelling mistakes and something which is becoming more and more commonplace, (even with newsreaders) - the use of "of" instead of "have", for example, I could of (I could have). Grrr!

I don't use text speak. I tend to include punctuation. Well, I do want them to be able to read it!

Good spelling and grammar are still taught and taught much better than they have been for many years. Have a look at the literacy framework, I think you will be amazed.
Textspeak is different and used for a specific context, it doesn't make it inferior, just fit for purpose.
Of course there shouldn't be spelling mistakes on reports, that is formal writing.