by Terry 192 Replies latest jw friends
:::smile::: Fair enough, I admit to having misread the tone of your reply and apologize ;)
Jackie
Well, I seem to be asking for a drubbing here. I painted a huge target on my own ass. Why should I be surprised if my bending over invites response?
If we can't keep a sense of humor about life it is a long, uphill slog.
Cheers!
http://www.yourhtmlsource.com/starthere/netiquette.html (just the first google hit on "netiquette"):
Typos and grammatical errors are largely unavoidable. When writing for your website, these should always be eradicated using a spell-checker and, if possible, a manual check to find anything that your spell-checker didn't. There's no excuse for sending out a poorly-written page, as it wastes people's often valuable online time. In the cut-and-thrust world of the chat room where retorts have to be flung out as fast as possible you're not always able to catch mistakes before they happen. But you should give your message a quick once-over before clicking send; if only because once you say it there's no going back.
If someone else makes a spelling mistake, while it's undeniably annoying, you should refrain from pointing out their mistakes. That's never funny. Help someone out if they're in dire need of some intelligence (through private email if possible), but try not to go at someone for every example of idiocy. You'd wear yourself out.Final rule? Just don't be an ass.
Hey Terry,
Please take a look at the overall tone of my post back on page 3.
I'm sorry I was the one to invoke the "spelling Nazi" epithet. I'm a recovering "spelling Nazi" myself. I think a middle of the road approach is best for this forum. And I believe you've stated as much yourself. At least have the courtesy to take a quick look before posting. But to take it any further than that is to come across as superior or condescending. I think you are definitely a superior writer and thinker, and your work speaks for itself.
I've gotta run before I'm caught out by nosy kids looking over my shoulder.
I concur with what Nvr said in his last couple of posts.
(I don't have time to spell check this, but I'm probably good enough to risk it. ;-) )
Open Mind
Well, I seem to be asking for a drubbing here. I painted a huge target on my own ass. Why should I be surprised if my bending over invites response?
That right there is funny! I don't care who you are.
How did we go from spelling to Terry's ass?
Ahhhh. The wonderful world of JWD.
Well this thread was an interesting read!!
I am a good speller in general and like you, Terry, if I spot a mistake after posting, try to edit it. My biggest problem is the one a few posters such as Fe2O3girl have mentioned - I'm mildly dyslexic. It's not that I spell words wrong, I just type words in the wrong order and a spell checker won't pick that up for me. I can re-read a post three or four times and still not spot my mistake. It happens (usually on long posts!).
I can't really make much comment on our younger generation's spelling, except that I believe computer spellcheckers and cell phone predictive texting have a lot to answer for! Children don't seem to have to actually write much any more - with the possible knock-on effect that reading skills may be reduced also.
I do agree with you that there are some 'lazy' spellers out there - that's their loss and if they find themselves unemployable or in low-paid, 'unskilled' jobs, they only have themselves to blame. What do we do with a generation which seems to want everything handed to them on a plate?
I guess the mistake with your initial post which invited all the varied responses (and maybe what fifi is getting at too) was that you didn't appear to differentiate between the lazy spellers and those who do have genuine reasons for their errors - such as dyslexia, MS, English being their second language etc. They don't deserve the criticism if they're trying their best to get their point across.The problem is how do you differentiate on a discussion board? In that respect, it's better to criticise nobody for their spelling.
My opinion is that everyone should work at improving their ability to compose precise, neat, grammatical posts. My main differentiation from Terry, however, is that I think composing and speaking grammatically should not be sought in every place. The issue is not whether we are capable or incapable of using strict diction, but whether strict diction is always appropriate or even desirable.
On the other hand, I take great exception to the notion that excellence should not be complimented for fear of discouraging people who are not excellent. That's balderdash and reeks of Homer Simpsonism (how's that for a generation x term?). As Terry alluded, a negative undertone concerning the intellectual seems to be slowly pervading our culture, and I abhor such a movement. Such political "correctness" is counter productive in all aspects.
You mean, like playing the Werewolf game?
LOL!!! Kicking butts and taking names, aren't you Terry?
I, too, was a spelling champion in my school. I thought I was big and bad until I ventured into uncharted territory. I was soundly trounced, and had to return and lick my wounds. That experience taught me something; to wit, no matter how well you think you can do something, there is always someone who can do it better than you.
Peace and Love,
Snowbird
That experience taught me something; to wit, no matter how well you think you can do something, there is always someone who can do it better than you.
Unless you're John Doe. ;-)
If someone else makes a spelling mistake, while it's undeniably annoying, you should refrain from pointing out their mistakes. That's never funny. Help someone out if they're in dire need of some intelligence (through private email if possible), but try not to go at someone for every example of idiocy. You'd wear yourself out.Final rule? Just don't be an ass.
Thanks, Narkissos.
I thought I was being polite by not referencing BY NAME or by pointing to SPECIFIC topic headers which contained spelling errors. I left it anonymous and general. (See my original post)
But, then; you never know how people are going to react to things.
Thank you for taking the time to demonstrate your point.
T.
