Ok, feel free to flame away at me for this. But am I the only one who is driven nuts by common grammar tragedies that plague the forums?
Yes, I know this is a photography site as opposed to an English course, and there are some folks here that don't use English as their native language, but still. I find myself reading comments that sound reasonably intelligent, then I'll see a grammar sin that makes me want to mentally discard whatever valid information appears in the post.
I'm sure I make a typo here and there, and I'm not claiming to be a literary genius by any means, but there are a few things here that just drive me batty.
First, why on Earth do so many people insist on sticking apostrophes where they don't belong? For example:
"Take a look at my photo's." THERE IS NO NEED FOR AN APOSTROPHE THERE! STOP IT! An apostrophe in that case indicates ownership.
And for heaven's sake (note the proper use of an apostrophe), PLEASE learn the difference between "your" and "you're." If you can substitute the words "you are," then you should use "you're."
Wrong: "Your a wonderful photographer."
Right: "You're a wonderful photographer."
Wrong: "You're picture stunk this week."
Right: "Your picture stunk this week."
Sorry for posting this message, but I'm trying to get inducted into the Anal Retentive Hall of Fame.
I've noticed a tendency in myself to shorten everything when I write online. You're lucky I'm still using capitals and punctuation here because I don't always. A big one for me lately is writing "tho".
As you admitted, English isn't everyone's native tongue. I'm guessing that Americans screw those things up as often as anyone else tho.
Of course, their is no reason for anyone to get they're panties in a bunch over grammar when there only here to look at pretty pictures. ;P
I also go nuts trying to read some comments in the forums, and at the same time, I figure that maybe indeed the person is not a person who was taught english at a young age.
I try and understand what most people are writing, but sometimes, I really do have to skip a comment because it just doesn't make sense, and my brain refuses to comprehend what the person has written!
Just like the voting, I don't think you can change people's grammar habits either!
-Da
Hey.. I've seen a lot worse travelling around the world! You have to keep in mind that this is an international site and people try the best they can. :-) Wir koenen Deutsch sprenchien, parlare in italiano ou encore en français. But not many people would understand the coments. ;-)
I think these are small mental mistakes. The problem I think is that a lot of people are taught to use contractions but when we have to write term papers we're not allowed to use them. Why bother teaching contractions if we're not supposed to use them? I think people just forget there meanings. I make the your you're mistake often. I guess I'll burn in grammar hell for that one.
**Now is it there or their, I bet I'll burn in hell for that one too.
You have to keep in mind that this is an international site and people try the best they can. :-)
Very true... but the VAST majority of the mistakes I see are honestly from people who speak English as their native tongue. It seems like foreign folks often do an incredible job of speaking and writing the language. We're the ones who are butchering it!
Geez, I really did get up on the wrong side of the bed today... :)
Very true... but the VAST majority of the mistakes I see are honestly from people who speak English as their native tongue.
Yeah, that's the truth. And as long as alansfreed brought the whole thing up, all those people wondering why commenters can't just have some "tack," it's TACT!
Alan, I can understand your pain, but I think you need to check and see what was poured over your cheerios next time before you eat them. :-)
I am an English teacher (or is that english teacher?), and most of my mistakes are simply typing too fast. Heck, most of the time, I sign my name kamrat instead of karmat. And don't even mention teh, adn, and fo. I may not be the brightest bulb in the box, but if you rate my overall intelligence based on what is usually a typo, I don't guess it really matters what I have to say.
My pet peeve is its and it's, but I figure since I am not being paid to correct your grammar and spelling, I'll leave that in the classroom.
:-)
Oh yea, and not only has your application been accepted, I have placed my vote for you!
DISCLAIMOR -- This entire post has been written with a smile on my face, and with good humor. I am not being critical of anyone, just playing around.
edit to add stuff at end
2nd edit was to correct a typo!
I invite the Grammar Police to come live in Eastern Kentucky for one year.
You will be educated and will be able to read anything posted.
Ohh!!! Ya As a former hairdresser it really bugs me, to see anyone with their hair sticking up. I hope everyone has their hair in place today. lol
Oh yea, and not only has your application been accepted, I have placed my vote for you!
Woo hoo! I should be a shoe-in! I agree with virtually everything stated here. I mean, typos happen. I type over 100 wpm, and that easily lends itself to some funky stuff from time to time. Heck, I made a typo on the first sentence of my first rant (which I just knew I'd do, so that I could make a fool of myself)!
I guess my pet peeve is the overall epidemic of grammar sins. And some folks are just too lazy to locate the "backspace" key -- imagine the old days when you had to grab the White Out bottle every time you goofed!
Hey guess what? English is not everyone's first language, you darn Yankee. lol
I'm a French Canadian so I have all the excuses in the world. My biggest problem is typos, especially while doing comments on photos. I'd rather do more comments and typos, than be anal retentive and do a few perfectly typed and spelled comments.
My father was an English teacher. He always maintained that language was invented to communicate ideas, not to look pretty.
Anyhow, thats' all I half to seh aboot that for now. I likes taking photos' and shearing dem with my fellow photographers'. ;)
Got it?
