Correcting people's grammar - acceptable?

Gloomendoom

NotBothered wrote: »

Please believe me when I say that I die a little bit more on the inside when I am mocked, ridiculed or assumed stupid because of this.

I point out spelling and grammar errors as part of my job. I appreciate it when mine are brought to my attention too.

There is no mockery, ridicule or assumptions of stupidity involved. Nobody is perfect.

meritaten

[QUOTE=Gloomendoom;69900494]I point out spelling and grammar errors as part of my job. I appreciate it when mine are brought to my attention too.

There is no mockery, ridicule or assumptions of stupidity involved. Nobody is perfect.[/QUOTE]

But you are not at WORK on here are you?

Gloomendoom

meritaten wrote: »

But you are not at WORK on here are you?

The point I was making was that there is not automatically any malice intended behind spelling and grammar correction, as some on here seem to assume, merely a desire to help.

Jagraf

Gloomendoom wrote: »

The point I was making was that there is not automatically any malice intended behind spelling and grammar correction, as some on here seem to assume, merely a desire to help.

Why service your desire at the expense of someone else's humiliation? I don't get it. People attending their own needs to make themselves feel good by making someone else feel bad. And then furthermore expecting them to not be offended as if it's wrong to feel offended.

Peter333

Gloomendoom wrote: »

The point I was making was that there is not automatically any malice intended behind spelling and grammar correction, as some on here seem to assume, merely a desire to help.

Yes, you keep telling yourself that.

coolcait

Jagraf wrote: »

Why service your desire at the expense of someone else's humiliation? I don't get it. People attending their own needs to make themselves feel good by making someone else feel bad. And then furthermore expecting them to not be offended as if it's wrong to feel offended.

That's definitely not how I read Gloomendoom's post!

Gloomendoom mentioned a situation where people are sometimes expected, or asked, to correct another's spelling, grammar etc.

Those corrections can be done without any malice on one side, or humiliation on another.

Just as it is possible to correct someone's maths errors without any malice on one side, or humiliation on another.

Those general points may not be widely applicable, or at all applicable, in specific situations - such as on an internet forum.

But they are still valid points.

Georgiegirl256

Jagraf wrote: »

Why service your desire at the expense of someone else's humiliation? I don't get it. People attending their own needs to make themselves feel good by making someone else feel bad. And then furthermore expecting them to not be offended as if it's wrong to feel offended.

It's part of his job to do so! I don't know why everyone's turning on him for making a very valid point?

Jagraf

Gloomendoom - I apologise if I have misunderstood and you are only stating what you are expected to do as part of your job. My bad sorry.

Pollycat

meritaten wrote: »

But you are not at WORK on here are you?

coolcait wrote: »

Those general points may not be widely applicable, or at all applicable, in specific situations - such as on an internet forum.

2 very sensible comments (imho).

Gloomendoom

I suppose my opinion is heavily influenced by my working environment where criticism is generally welcomed and expected.

If I make any glaring schoolboy spelling and grammar errors I would prefer to have them pointed out as soon as possible so that they can be corrected before too many people read whatever it is that I have written.

A bit like somebody pointing out to me that my flies are undone when I first arrive at work (it has happened). Slightly embarrassing, it's true, but a whole lot less embarrassing than realising when I get home that I have been walking around all day in a state of undress.

That said, it does depend on the context and, in most cases, pointing out spelling and grammar errors on an internet forum, particularly where people are upset or in distress, is not appropriate. I have done it, and I may do it again if, in my opinion, the circumstances dictate that it is appropriate to do so.