VENT-Poor grammar is making me nuts!

BrideBuddies

GAHHHHHH

What is wrong in our schools? Apparently no one knows proper grammar or spelling anymore?  Do people just not TRY anymore???

I was just over on another board I frequent and a poster asked if she SPELT something right.  WTH?  That's a variety of wheat, not a past-tense word for SPELLED.  And that's the third or fourth time I've seen that word used over there in recent weeks.

Why why why is this not a priority for people anymore?  Do they not care that they look so ignorant?  I sure-as-heck will make Charles know the difference between their/there/they're, two/to/too and all of the other commonly butchered English language rules.

 

racampbell1

Right there with you mama!  I get annoyed about your/you're screwups too.  I am a lawyer and proper use of words is really important to my business, so maybe I am more critical than most about this issue.      

stever

To be fair, English English spells spelled spellt. If an American spells it that way, however, they're either badly educated or just plain stupid.

brandenburdett

stever:

To be fair, English English spells spelled spellt. If an American spells it that way, however, they're either badly educated or just plain stupid.

I'm Australian, and we use both versions, depending on the context (and, no, I can't explain or justify it!). But sloppy word use does drive me insane - when I first got to the USA, I really had trouble understanding people because of their poor grammar (not just the accents!).  

brandenburdett

stever:

To be fair, English English spells spelled spellt. If an American spells it that way, however, they're either badly educated or just plain stupid.

I'm Australian, and we use both versions, depending on the context (and, no, I can't explain or justify it!). But sloppy word use does drive me insane - when I first got to the USA, I really had trouble understanding people because of their poor grammar (not just the accents!).  

shaindelr

I'm an English professor, and I've instituted a new grading policy. I just shared it on Working Moms a few days ago:

Grading Policy: I will grade your paper until I run into five major errors (fragments, run-ons, or comma splices) or ten minor errors (spelling, punctuation, or mechanics). At that point, I will draw a line where I stopped grading, and you will get an opportunity to rewrite. Your highest grade possible for your first rewrite is an 80% B-, and your highest grade possible for your second rewrite is a 70% C-. Please label rewrites by typing ?1^st Rewrite? or ?2^nd Rewrite? in the header of your paper. Rewrites must be turned in within one week of your paper being returned to you.

 

--------

Basically, I had a college-level English class last quarter to which I had to give a lecture on HOW to write sentences, subject-verb-object. I nearly went crazy. On one student's paper, I read to the second page before I got to a complete sentence, so I'm trying this out.

 

I've taught at the college level for thirteen years now, and I have definitely seen the use of the English language go downhill. I'm doing my part to bring it back in my little corner of the world!

BrideBuddies

Just looked up SPELT in the Merriam Webster online dictionary.  The only definition is for the variety of wheat.  So maybe you English/Aussie types are taking liberties here! HA!

I used to be a TV news producer and then a newsroom manager.  I had to supervise and approve news copy and scripts.  It was enough to make me go into a silent rage when a reporter couldn't put two words together to make a sentence.  And this happened every.single.day.

Twenty years ago when I first started out, that never happened.  People in the business knew the grammar and spelling rules and followed them.

That is one of the main reasons I am no longer in TV news.  Too many stupid lazy people who only want to be famous because they've been told by their helicopter parents that they're perfect and pretty.

Maggee206

I work at a college and have to read that cr.. all the time!!!! Glad to know my efforts to change their habits will not go unappreciated.

shaindelr

BrideBuddies:

Just looked up SPELT in the Merriam Webster online dictionary.  The only definition is for the variety of wheat.  So maybe you English/Aussie types are taking liberties here! HA!

I used to be a TV news producer and then a newsroom manager.  I had to supervise and approve news copy and scripts.  It was enough to make me go into a silent rage when a reporter couldn't put two words together to make a sentence.  And this happened every.single.day.

Twenty years ago when I first started out, that never happened.  People in the business knew the grammar and spelling rules and followed them.

That is one of the main reasons I am no longer in TV news.  Too many stupid lazy people who only want to be famous because they've been told by their helicopter parents that they're perfect and pretty.

I feel old and crotchety when I bring this up, but thirteen years ago, college students could write as well. And the helicopter parent thing is TOO true. Another professor and I both have grade appeals against us right now, and families have gotten involved--as far as calling professors/deans and demanding to know why their "child" got such and such grade. They're not children anymore in college. Let. Go.

gimmietimmies

Eff. I had a good response, then IE shut down. I'll be lazy and just add the quote I was going to post. "Grammar: The difference between knowing your $h!t and knowing you're $h!t".

stever

BrideBuddies:

Just looked up SPELT in the Merriam Webster online dictionary.  The only definition is for the variety of wheat.  So maybe you English/Aussie types are taking liberties here! HA!

I used to be a TV news producer and then a newsroom manager.  I had to supervise and approve news copy and scripts.  It was enough to make me go into a silent rage when a reporter couldn't put two words together to make a sentence.  And this happened every.single.day.

Twenty years ago when I first started out, that never happened.  People in the business knew the grammar and spelling rules and followed them.

That is one of the main reasons I am no longer in TV news.  Too many stupid lazy people who only want to be famous because they've been told by their helicopter parents that they're perfect and pretty.

Brits scoff at the MW. When DH and I were first dating he pulled out the Oxford Dictionary to prove aluminum was spelled aluminium and wouldn't be swayed by a non-British dictionary. And say THEY'RE taking liberties and they'll just say what you speak isn't really English. LOL.

stever

gimmietimmies:

Eff. I had a good response, then IE shut down. I'll be lazy and just add the quote I was going to post. "Grammar: The difference between knowing your $h!t and knowing you're $h!t".

mwd

At work today,  my co-worker was upset because another co-worker had forgotten to "minus"  the inventory. It took everything I had in me to stop from saying, " you mean subtract you idiot!"

Kristi1971

Ha!  I usually hang in the multiples section, but I decided to come over here since I am also over 35.  This is the first post that got me looking! I am with you, Bridebuddies.  I cannot stand the poor grammar and spelling that has plagued our young people.  Then it spills over to our not-so-young people.  I think there is too much text-speak, etc. everywhere.  What you don't use, you lose. 

LauraLynneC

I have teenagers in public school.  I'm appalled at the LACK of subjects they teach!!  My son's teachers have repeatedly told him "that's what spell check is for" and that it's not on the state wide standardized test.  They only teach a very limited spectrum:  if it's not going to be measured on the standardized test, they're not required to teach it. 

Grammar is a pet peeve of mine!  And spelling...don't get me started.

vanverth

I can not spell but really, if I am not sure, I pick another word (thank you Mrs. Phillps for the big vocabulary).  I am amazed at the kids who finish graduate school and have terrible grammer. 

Pearly609

I think FB and texting haven't help at all.  When my daughter sends me a text I have to ask for the English version.

ateytelb

I agree that the younger generation don't know their grammar anymore. I am not a native English speaker, and I had to proofread my 22 y.old's college essays, and she IS a native English speaker! I am now used to the fact that she ablosutely doesn't know the difference between there/their/it's/its etc. Doesn't matter how many times I explain this to her (with my Russian accent) - she just doesn't get it.

gimmietimmies

ateytelb:

I agree that the younger generation don't know their grammar anymore. I am not a native English speaker, and I had to proofread my 22 y.old's college essays, and she IS a native English speaker! I am now used to the fact that she ablosutely doesn't know the difference between there/their/it's/its etc. Doesn't matter how many times I explain this to her (with my Russian accent) - she just doesn't get it.

I can picture this! One of my coworkers is Russian, and his 16 year old son does this. He complains all the time about how poor his written language skills are all the time. And the lovely "whatever" response he gets in return.

sucredee

Lurker here and late to the post. I came to the US as a college freshman and took an English grammar class because I figured it would be helpful...not! I aced the class without any trouble and several of the other American students didn't know what a verb or subject was...and somehow they graduated from HS.  I spell better than most Americans (if I may say so myself) although I am not a great writer (but that goes for my native tongue as well) as far as writing great papers and such.

Our nieces live with us and neither of them can spell. I am sure texting is to blame for some of it but I suspect they don't teach it very well in school anymore. And spell check is helpful except for you still have to know the word more or less. My niece often gets the wrong word when using spell check.  When we call her on her spelling she'll say: oh that's my texting language but that is usually BS. One time she wrote out cabanet (for cabinet) and blamed it on texting language even though it was the same length of word. Her sister is 12 and spells very creatively and she will spell the same word 3 different ways on the same page. She just doesn't care.  

I think there was someone on  the bump who required her kiddo to use correct spelling and grammar when texting her. If she didn't her phone was taken away! Not a bad idea! 

When I text my niece I always use full sentences and correct spelling and grammar. Even with my friends I don't abbreviate much ("ur" drives me crazy) . My nieces' half sister never capitalizes anything on FB nor does she use punctuation. Half the time I can't even figure out what the heck she's trying to say.

 

AntiPrincessMom

nope I don't care. I notice some people clearly get bothered like you do. I honestly don't understand why you would let some thing so minor both you. I have an advanced degree. I'm very lazy about my spelling and I really don't care if someone thinks I'm ignorant because it's ignorant to use that as a measure. Misspellings happen all the time and actually there are words I misspell intentionally. 

The only time it matters to me is when I'm writing my book, posting a blog, dealing with editing a tech white paper or dealing with legal documents. Writing on a board, worried about some woman that doesn't know me personally thinking I'm ignorant. Who cares!