Gransnet forums

Pedants' corner

Does no-one care?

(68 Posts)
GabriellaG54 Tue 08-Oct-19 19:06:54

The level of spelling and punctuation in many GN posts, is abysmal.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 08-Oct-19 19:10:28

Nope I couldn’t care less. I’m more interested in the content.

The tone of this OP is judgemental, and set up to be confrontational.

So sod off I say

kircubbin2000 Tue 08-Oct-19 19:13:03

Poor education standards all round.Its really annoying.

janeainsworth Tue 08-Oct-19 19:14:43

What is it you care about, Gabriella?

The mistakes themselves, or the fact that people make them? There’s a difference.

Personally, it doesn’t bother me on an Internet forum. Anyone can post, and that’s all to the good.
But if I received an official letter, or a letter from a medical practice, say, or a solicitor with a spelling mistake it would make me wonder whether the person sending it was actually up to the job.
What does irritate me on GN are the stream of consciousness posts, without paragraphs and/or punctuation, because reading them is so laborious.

Septimia Tue 08-Oct-19 19:16:40

As an ex-teacher and proofreader, I care a lot about good grammar and spelling - where appropriate, such as in printed material.

On GN the important thing is communication, not education.

What's more, most of us are plagued with predictive text, automatic spelling correction and good old typos.

Alima Tue 08-Oct-19 19:17:26

Should there be a comma after “posts” Gabriella54?
Shouldn’t there be two spaces after a full stop kircubbin2000?
The trouble with thinking you know best is not knowing best.

Riverwalk Tue 08-Oct-19 19:20:21

There are three errors in your post kircubbin grin

Gransooz Tue 08-Oct-19 19:27:27

Oh it really grates with me! Wrong spelling and wrong words in people’s posts. Recently, brought instead of bought, draw instead of drawer, lots of others. I can forgive the predictive text mistakes - they can happen easily. I suppose that we are all different and that what is glaringly obvious to me isn’t to others. Maybe it’s a kind of ocd with words! ?

LullyDully Tue 08-Oct-19 19:28:22

I am sure I am not the only one plagued by the demon spell corrector on my kindle.

CanadianGran Tue 08-Oct-19 19:28:36

Touché Alima.

As far as I'm concerned this forum is for lively discussion, advise and a sense of community. I would not want others to feel judged.

I agree with Septimia. While I care, communication takes priority over perfection.

annodomini Tue 08-Oct-19 20:04:18

I've ceased to be shocked or surprised at the proliferation of errors in Gransnet posts. I'm rather sad that a generation, brought up on spelling and punctuation tests, now seems to fall short on both. Of course, we're probably not all of the same generation. There are some grans here who are young enough to be my daughters, and I know that my sons' education was lacking in what is now known as SPAG in Year 6 SATS.

MissAdventure Tue 08-Oct-19 20:16:54

No, I don't care.
As long as I can read what someone is trying to convey, I'm happy.

wildswan16 Tue 08-Oct-19 20:20:51

Gabriella - have you ever tried to post on a forum whilst on a small phone keyboard, or ipad. Or with arthritic fingers. Or with failing eyesight. Or when you are distraught about a situation. Or if you were not fortunate enough to have the obviously high class education you had.

What a bizarre comment to make. I can only assume it is attention-seeking.

sodapop Tue 08-Oct-19 20:24:35

I notice some of the errors GabriellaG54 but I understand that there could be several reasons for them. Typing error, distress, dyslexia and so on. We all have different skills, I can spell but I am hopeless with numbers. I think we should avoid being critical over this as it could stop people seeking support and advice.

grapefruitpip Tue 08-Oct-19 20:31:45

No, because people who express themselves from the heart are the most genuine and kind.

KatyK Tue 08-Oct-19 20:32:32

Sometimes I press post before I've read it through.

grapefruitpip Tue 08-Oct-19 20:32:59

G , has no need for attention. She is supremely confident in all she says and does. I assume boredom has set in.

KatyK Tue 08-Oct-19 20:33:24

Meant to add, no it doesn't bother me.

Greenfinch Tue 08-Oct-19 20:37:14

Poor but not abysmal and it really does not matter.There are more important things IMO to be concerned about eg people's attitude to one another.

Namsnanny Tue 08-Oct-19 20:46:32

Not a very original observation or comment GG, but care to your hearts content, this is pedants' corner after all! smile

Now, if you were complaining on the main forum, it would seem a little bit arrogant.

Lovey retort Alima!! grin

Namsnanny Tue 08-Oct-19 20:49:24

grapefruitpipe….My thoughts exactly! grin

GabriellaG54 Tue 08-Oct-19 20:52:45

janeainsworth
I was prompted to post on this forum after reading a fairly long post on another thread which had no punctuation at all, besides the usual brought and leant (bought, lent)
Some, I grant you, are typos but the same typos appear time and again from the same people.

I thought this was pedant's corner, thus one is able to make the sort of comment I posted without being vilified.

GabriellaG54 Tue 08-Oct-19 21:04:46

wildswan16
Yes indeed I have.
I use a Samsung S7 Edge, not the largest mobile phone screen by a long chalk. I never use my laptop or tablet and haven't for at least 3 years.
I agree, some on GN may have 'issues' or arthritic fingers etc but why can't anyone recognise that some just can't spell or have any concept of punctuation.
The same old reasons are trotted out without so much as a nod to the fact that literacy and grammar is often absent in the written word, without any medical excuse.

GabriellaG54 Tue 08-Oct-19 21:07:21

Alima
Yes, there should be and is.

SirChenjin Tue 08-Oct-19 21:26:23

Not really - I think that some of the views expressed on certain topics warrant more concern. If a post doesn’t interest me then I move on, but if it does then I take a deep breath, steel myself and plough on <sarcasm alert> irrespective of the missing commas.