Most powerful Country in Europe in History

posted on May 8th, 2011, 5:51 pm

Speaking for myself i overlook mistakes in grammar and spelling most of the time (although i do correct them if i quote a post )

I do prefer proper grammar and spelling though since it makes things easier for non native speakers (myself included) to understand what's being said.

E.g. you're from America or the UK and had an idea to do a Dutch course. Even if you passed the course with flying colors you probably wouldn't be able to understand the slang/dialect used in some of the larger cities and remote areas.

To avoid misunderstanding i prefer proper grammar, interpunction and spelling. The few times i make comments about those are those times at which i am forced to read a text multiple times and am still left wondering exactly what was being said.

posted on May 8th, 2011, 5:53 pm

Also, text speak saves characters which, in text messages or forums with word limits on posts, can be important (since texts can cost money to send, so obviously you'd try to make it as short as possible so it doesn't spill over into 2 texts)

posted on May 8th, 2011, 5:55 pm

these standards you call "high" are YOUR standards, most others dont share them. and you do look down on other people, which is wrong. we speak different to you, accept it, dont try get us to speak like you.

Well the standard is high, there's no need to quote it. Perhaps you're right that most others don't share this standard. If so, that's a depressing reflection of the state of the West. I can assure you that Asians, for example, don't share your view that achievement doesn't matter.

It's actually quite laughable that you carry on using "lol" and skipping capitals even after this whole discussion. By the way, I'm not trying to get you to speak like me, I'm trying to get you to put in the miniscule effort required to communicate properly. I'm doing you a favour.

Like I said, thoroughly depresssing this is.

posted on May 8th, 2011, 5:58 pm

Also, text speak saves characters which, in text messages or forums with word limits on posts, can be important (since texts can cost money to send, so obviously you'd try to make it as short as possible so it doesn't spill over into 2 texts)

hey you're in my group for tourney again, get online if u can. im starting a 1v1 now.

Well the standard is high, there's no need to quote it. Perhaps you're right that most others don't share this standard. If so, that's a depressing reflection of the state of the West. I can assure you that Asians, for example, don't share your view that it doesn't matter.

It's actually quite laughable that you carry on using "lol" and skipping capitals even after this whole discussion. By the way, I'm not trying to get you to speak like me, I'm trying to get you to put in the miniscule effort required to communicate properly. I'm doing you a favour.

Like I said, thoroughly depresssing this is.

what you call "proper" i call unnecessary, and i keep talking like i always do because, you guessed it, thats me, i talk like this, im not gonna change how i behave to match your values. you shouldnt try make me. how arrogant are you that you think by getting me to behave like you that you're doing me a favour?

posted on May 8th, 2011, 5:58 pm

On a slightly lighter tone:

posted on May 8th, 2011, 6:02 pm

how arrogant are you that you think by getting me to behave like you that you're doing me a favour?

So helping others, when you can do something they can't, is arrogant? Would you prefer it if you lived in a self-indulgent wonderland where everyone pats you on the back and tells you that you're doing a good job even when you're not? Sounds like the British school system under the Labour party.

I don't think I've ever encountered such a pathetic, wet viewpoint in my life.

posted on May 8th, 2011, 6:07 pm

Just out of curiosity, are you both young attractive women? If you are, can you get into a bikini and video that cat fight for posterity...

Shall we try and keep this civil?

posted on May 8th, 2011, 6:09 pm

Heh, I don't think a bikini cat fight will work... besides, I think Myles is a guy.

posted on May 8th, 2011, 6:09 pm

I'm amazed that I have to fight with anyone over this.

posted on May 8th, 2011, 6:16 pm

It's the internet, people will fight over anything....

Regardless, people can spell how they want. It's not illegal, and trying to impose your viewpoint on anyone unwilling to hear it is always a bad idea, history has proven this over and over again. At the end of the day, this is a discussion board - as long as the people who are discussing things can understand each other, is there really an issue?

posted on May 8th, 2011, 6:22 pm

Regardless, people can spell how they want. It's not illegal

No it's not illegal, just crushingly disappointing, and easily correctable.

and trying to impose your viewpoint on anyone unwilling to hear it is always a bad idea, history has proven this over and over again.

It is not MY viewpoint. How many times do I need to say this? It is a standard we are all supposedly taught in school, starting from right after we finish toilet training.

At the end of the day, this is a discussion board - as long as the people who are discussing things can understand each other, is there really an issue?

Well as others have pointed out, many non-native speakers find it hard to understand txt spk and badly constructed sentences. I myself struggle to understand it sometimes - it is a myth that it is clear and unambiguous. The reason we have a language standard is for clarity and understanding. So yes, there is an issue. Understanding another person is all the more important on a forum.

posted on May 8th, 2011, 6:24 pm

For the record, i am still rooting for that bikini cat fight.

posted on May 8th, 2011, 6:27 pm

I'm still rooting for Myles to repeat his accusation that I'm imposing my own "viewpoint", as though how you spell is as subjective as your favourite colour (British differences notwithstanding).

posted on May 8th, 2011, 6:38 pm

No it's not illegal, just crushingly disappointing, and easily correctable.

Disappointing to you. Not everyone is required to share your views.

It is not MY viewpoint. How many times do I need to say this? It is a standard we are all supposedly taught in school, starting from right after we finish toilet training.

Clearly it is a viewpoint you share, therefore technically yes it is your viewpoint, however I was using 'your' in a general sense - my apologies, I probably should have said 'a viewpoint'. And just because it was taught in school, doesn't automatically make it right. I was taught in school that Jesus was the son of God, and I don't believe that. Languages and grammar are constantly changing, some changes stick and some don't, but they're constantly happening regardless. If new words and new ways to speak weren't being invented constantly, then the language we speak now would be no different than that spoken 500, 1000, 2000 years ago, yet a speaker of modern English would find a section of text written in Old English to be pretty hard to read.

Well as others have pointed out, many non-native speakers find it hard to understand txt spk and badly constructed sentences. I myself struggle to understand it sometimes - it is a myth that it is clear and unambiguous.

Okay this is a fair point, but it's not restricted to text speak - English itself, and most other languages for that matter, are complex. Words with the same spelling can have pronunciations and meanings that are completely different, even the same words can differ in meaning depending on context, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. So no, text speech may not be clear and unambiguous, but then neither is the formal English that spawned it.

[Dr. Lazarus]

posted on May 8th, 2011, 6:43 pm

Last edited by Dr. Lazarus on May 8th, 2011, 6:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

And just because it was taught in school, doesn't automatically make it right.

You must be joking.

English class is not the same as religious education. And to be honest, I was never taught in school that Jesus was the son of god. We had lessons called religious education where we learned about the world's religions and about moral and ethical issues, but we were not indoctrinated in any way.

Languages and grammar are constantly changing, some changes stick and some don't, but they're constantly happening regardless. If new words and new ways to speak weren't being invented constantly, then the language we speak now would be no different than that spoken 500, 1000, 2000 years ago, yet a speaker of modern English would find a section of text written in Old English to be pretty hard to read.

There's a big difference between accepting language changes and defending mistakes. You can't just define all people's spelling mistakes as part of language evolution. This is excuse making. The English standard will change in the following centuries. If people can't get the current standard right, how will they get the new one right?