Why do people have the need to correct others??

coolcait

Ilovecubbage wrote: »

Hello,
I have some wiered conversations with my friends now and then and wanted to ask the wide audience for feedback, if you like.
What is wrong with English people who have the need to constantly correct other peoples grammar in written English??? Can they not read between the lines if the sentence is too complicated for them?

Little background, English is my third language in writing and fluent speaking. I went to learn English in Uk school for 4 month in total and the reast had to learn myself on my own listening the natives. :-) although have been here for donkeys years now.
I have a few friends who will lutch on any word I pronounce or write wrongly. To be honest I don`t normaly care as I think it`s pathetick unless it is complete mess and You can`t make up what you about. Life is too short to worry about that , me thinks. :-)
I see a lot of sad people on MSE picking on others trying to highlight the fact that they are wrong and they`ve spoted it.
If you peeps don`t mind I would love to know what you think this sort of people are?
Just a research for myself so I can rest a bit easier,:-)
All the people I know of who usualy do this are quite sad and dissatisfied with their little lifes, perhaps that could be the problem, them to trying to teach some one a lesson.
Right any more ideas???
Or perhaps I live in denial and should really brush up on grammar?? or I woun`t anyway.
Although this doesn`t happen in any other language only in English.
Anyway , please don`t point where my spelling is wrong, I woun`t fix it. :-)

Actually, your post sounds more like a native English speaker deliberately trying to write English badly. And occasionally remembering that you're trying to sound like a foreign person writing English. (Even allowing for the fact that you might not have known that 'cubbage' has a number of definitions in the urban dictionary).

I've had mistakes corrected in more than one language, so I can't agree with your claim that "this doesn't happen in any other language only in English".

Sometimes the correction is subtle - the person repeats what you said, but uses the correct word/grammar. For example, "So you've had some weird conversations with your friends now and then - I can see that they upset you".

Sometimes it's very direct. For example, "Why are you using a grave accent instead of an apostrophe in contractions like "don`t", "can`t", "it`s"? That takes a special effort to get wrong".

Although the 'very direct' commentators are often the ones who will give praise where it's due - "But, well done for using a kind of apostrophe in "it's", when you mean "it is" - not everyone gets that right."

Why do people correct mistakes in spelling and grammar? There are probably lots of reasons! You have chosen to assume the worst - only you know why you took that approach.

I tend to think that people are trying to help. For example, if no one ever corrects my mistakes in English or any other language, how will I know that I got it wrong? It's up to me whether or not I change what I'm saying - but at least I've had the choice.

Errors like 'should of/would of/could of' instead of 'should have/etc' grate on me, but don't change the meaning. It's still worth trying to get it right. Errors with apostrophes are generally still understandable, even when you mix up "its" and "it's".

Mixing up "lose" and "loose", or "except" and "accept" can change the meaning of what you were trying to say.

And if you ask "Do you like cubbage?" when you actually mean "Do you like cabbage?" you could find yourself in a very odd conversation...

KiKi

coolcait wrote: »

And if you ask "Do you like cubbage?" when you actually mean "Do you like cabbage?" you could find yourself in a very odd conversation...

:rotfl: :rotfl:

System

I'd make a guess that anyone who uses the word "peeps" and can spell "dissatisfied" and uses the term "me thinks" has English as their first language lol.

coolcait

*max* wrote: »

"defiantly/defanatly",

I agree with everything you said, but I've picked out this bit because it's another example of an error which can change the meaning.

Everytime I see a poster say "I will defiantly tell them what I think!", my mind conjures up a range of images. From a petulant toddler throwing a tantrum, to a Britannia donning her helmet, and picking up her shield and spear, before heading into battle.

And then I realise that they meant 'definitely'. Which is probably a more sensible approach than defiance.

(But not quite so rich in imagery ).

lessonlearned

Purbeck wrote: »

I'd make a guess that anyone who uses the word "peeps" and can spell "dissatisfied" and uses the term "me thinks" has English as their first language lol.

This was my thought too.

Me thinks she doth protest too much. :rotfl:

sashadesade

Purbeck wrote: »

I'd make a guess that anyone who uses the word "peeps" and can spell "dissatisfied" and uses the term "me thinks" has English as their first language lol.

My first thought was troll, but looking at the OPs history they seem to make the same spelling and grammar mistakes in past posts as they do in this one. OP did say that s/he had lived here for donkey's years, they might have just picked up some slang.

*max*

sashadesade wrote: »

My first thought was troll, but looking at the OPs history they seem to make the same spelling and grammar mistakes in past posts as they do in this one. OP did say that s/he had lived here for donkey's years, they might have just picked up some slang.

I've lived in the UK for years too, and I've definitely picked up slang, much to my mates' dismay! It's not particularly revealing, even if paired with grammatical or spelling mistakes.

kiwi_fruit

English isn't my first language either but I massively encourage my other half and close friends to correct me if I say something daft, I certainly take everything on board and still feel like I'm improving even though I've lived in the UK for years and only use my first language for talking to my mother on a phone a few times a month, infact that's the one I should probably worry about more now as I'm starting to "lose" some words.
I still make mistakes though, of course I do, but I must say it never fails to amaze me to see gems like "would of" instead of "would've", brought instead of bought, their vs there etc being written by native speakers.

pollypenny

Methinks the lady is Student Phil!

MessyMare

Personally, it annoys me when people don't care what they sound like and cannot be bothered to write their posts in a way that makes sense to others. Even dyslexics- it takes more time, but it is still possible. I'm not the type to leap on every little typo, but then I don't make corrections on here because I've seen people who do get verbally attacked for it. I welcome corrections on my grammar, spelling and pronunciation- I would rather be corrected than go through my life doing something wrong and looking like an utter a$$!