Correcting people's grammar - acceptable?

pathtofreedom

coolcait wrote: »

Yet how often does it actually happen that a post is 'picked apart' because the spelling wasn't perfect, or there were a few grammatical errors?


In the main, as the majority of posters on this thread have said, the replies will concentrate on the subject matter (give or take a tangent or two!).


The main exception to that rule seems to be those occasions where a post contains a large block of text without paragraphs. Those posts definitely attract negative comments about the poster's style.


Other than that, there doesn't seem to be an epidemic of post correction happening on MSE.


So, although I find this an interesting topic, it's one which - for me - is a hypothetical situation rather than a discussion of something which I have seen happening regularly on the MSE forum.

I see it a lot more on facebook, in comments for news posts for example, I haven't seen it on here often. I've seen people repost and OP post to make it more readable before, but that is kinder and to help the OP not picking holes in everything they have written.

Spidernick

I am someone with a surname occasionally spelled incorrectly (and irked by it, as the incorrect spelling is never the spelling of a surname - an equivalent would be 'Not' instead of the correct 'Knott'). Bearing this in mind, is it wrong to correct the 'Osbourne' spelling of The Chancellor of the Exchequer that is common on these boards (including on at least one tread tonight)? My personal feeling is that we should make an effort to spell someone's name correctly.

maman

Spidernick wrote: »

I am someone with a surname occasionally spelled incorrectly (and irked by it, as the incorrect spelling is never the spelling of a surname - an equivalent would be 'Not' instead of the correct 'Knott'). Bearing this in mind, is it wrong to correct the 'Osbourne' spelling of The Chancellor of the Exchequer that is common on these boards (including on at least one tread tonight)? My personal feeling is that we should make an effort to spell someone's name correctly.

I'm amused that you chose the Chancellor as an example as he changed his own forename name from Gideon to George. :rotfl:


I always notice when someone makes grammatical or spelling errors. It does make me form an opinion of the poster if I'm honest but I don't overtly pick them up on it. What I have done though is, when quoting, I correct the spelling and hope OP thinks I have a magic spell check.;)

Jagraf

When someone makes an unnecessary comment about another in any situation it is never forgotten. Just as an opinion may be formed by the grammar police, an opinion is also formed by the recipient.

It applies to anything in life generally. Correcting someone's grammar in a social situation is like going somewhere for dinner and telling the host they are providing the wrong wine glasses - very rude indeed.

Ironically, those who do have a go at correcting someone else don't see their own mistakes, as identified in this thread.

It would make a great comedy sketch - someone correcting someone's grammar to the detriment of other 'class' or 'educational' errors.

I remember someone in the office years ago coming round for dinner and laughing at the new apprentice for spelling 'drawer' as 'draw' while they ate their spag Bol with a knife and fork!

LittleMax

Draw is becoming very widely used instead of drawer, and another early contender for acceptance into the OED along with lose/loose.

I have lost count of the number of sets of chester draws I have seen advertised on sale sites. I find it amusing that in years to come this item of furniture will be known as such and people will be surprised when they learn that they did not originate in the town of Chester, but chester draws is in fact a contraction of chest of drawers!

prowla

LittleMax wrote: »

Draw is becoming very widely used instead of drawer, and another early contender for acceptance into the OED along with lose/loose.

I have lost count of the number of sets of chester draws I have seen advertised on sale sites. I find it amusing that in years to come this item of furniture will be known as such and people will be surprised when they learn that they did not originate in the town of Chester, but chester draws is in fact a contraction of chest of drawers!

Apparently Arthur Atkinson had an affair with Chester Drawers' wife.

Mupette

Newlyboughthouse wrote: »

The vast majority of people aren't living with MS/dyslexia, yet most people can't seem to get it right. I know there are some that are living with dyslexia/brain diseases and I wouldn't dream of correcting them if I did usually correct people, and wouldn't think anything of a grammatical error that they made.

I'm bringing this back up.

Until i said i had MS, you wouldn't have known.

Do i have to change my signature to tell everyone that i have MS?
It's almost as bad as feeling i should wear a t-shirt when i go out, a notice in my car for me to park in a disabled bay using my blue badge.

I have this disease, it makes me walk as if i am drunk, slurs my words as if i was drunk, grammar isn't my strong point never was. It's the least of my worries.

MS/dyslexia are quite common, most of us don't like to say unless outed like you outed us.

Just a word of advice those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones,
there (see i didn't put their) maybe a point in time that you will be pulled up on something, i hope you show more compassion now that this has been brought to you attention.

Horrible isn't it when the tables are turned, careful climbing off that high horse now.

Pollycat

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I'm not being pedantic, you used the wrong word and instead of saying "whoops, I made a mistake!", it's become somebody else's fault because they happened to notice it.

Much better to be the bigger person, accept that you're wrong , learn and move on. We all make mistakes, it's how we deal with them that matters.:D

It's not become anyone's fault.

Many posters on here write 'so are you saying.....'
and that is clearly wrong as posters aren't saying anything, they're writing.
And 'what does the letter say'? The letter doesn't say anything - does it?

Do you intend to correct every one of those posts?

It was very clear what I meant - if you were unable to understand the meaning that's up to you.

pollypenny

meritaten wrote: »

Polly - I have never seen you correct anyone's post. and I do KNOW not all English teachers are pedantic. I had some lovely ones.
buuutt - I cant help thinking when I see somebodies perfectly lucid post picked apart because the Spelling wasn't perfect, or there were a few grammatical errors, that the corrector was 'on a mission' to teach. and not on the forum to offer help and advice.
If the post is so badly written that I cannot understand it - I move on, or ask questions until I get the gist of it.

You know, I suspect that the pedantic ones, rude ones in fact, are not teachers at all, just show-offs. Teachers tend to know when to intervene or let things go.

hollydays

I'd only pick up on a posters spelling if they were being nasty to someone else on here. As in " people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".
Myself, I nowadays often post without capitals as I have a mobility issue that makes using the caps lock more effort than it's worth.

I like the saying "Good manners isn't about not spilling tomato sauce on the tablecloth, it's about pretending not to notice when others do".