Correcting people's grammar - acceptable?

x_raphael_xx

I can forgive the odd spelling error, but can't stand bad grammar, it surprises me that people my age who have been through a similar education system write so badly. I read a lot of books as a child (mainly due to being a bit of a loner) so I guess that has helped.
I work in a taxi office and I always remember a colleague who was particularly bad...
On a fax (back in the day lol) to a corporate client "Your taxi our booked for you" and my personal favourite..."Train jew in at 12:15"

coolcait

There's a little corner of my soul which weeps bitter tears of pain over the loss of the past participle, the abuse of the apostrophe, and the ubiquity of the 'would of/should of/could of' triumvirate.


To mention a few... :-)


However, if I see them in an internet post, I generally just autocorrect them in my head, and look at what the person is trying to say.


I take the same approach to most 'mixed up' word pairs, like 'pacifically/specifically'; 'cue/queue'; 'pore/pour', as the meaning of the posts is usually clear.


Sometimes, however, the wrong word actually changes the meaning.


Like me saying that I'm going to loose my inner demon about grammar/spelling issues, when I'm actually trying to 'lose' it.


Or saying that I always except the points being made in posts with errors, when I actually 'accept' them (although I may not always agree with them!).


I defiantly believe that. Definitely.


:-)

Sam_Fallow

I don't like it when I read that people have 'brought' things.

For example...

Them, 'I brought a new car.'
My reply, 'Really? where did you bruy it from?'

Also, this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StJ-OK4jiSY

yellowbear

'Allot' is starting to get on my pip. It's been on several posts on MSE.

Alikay

It's acceptable to correct the grammar of a child or young person in your care, and if proof reading a business report or letter, but other than that, especially in social situations, I think it's plain rude. Up there with critiquing another person's appearance or dress sense, IMO.

Thomas_The_Tank_Top

Correct away. It's the only way people will learn.

coolcait

yellowbear wrote: »

'Allot' is starting to get on my pip. It's been on several posts on MSE.

But, but, but....

Come New Year's Day dinner, if I don't allot portions of steak pie, it'll be finished before the weaker members of the family even reach the table!

If I didn't allot household tasks to the children, they'd still expect the mum-fairy to do everything.

I like 'allot'! I like it...












very much :-)

SailorSam

On a forum such as this i think you're wrong to correct people. Although i must admit i've occasionally been guilty of it.
Writing in a thread here isn't like sending a job application or doing your English 'A' level, so long as the post can be understood i think we've got to accept it. There have probably been lots of posts that i've just turned off and stopped reading when they've been all lower case (even worse when it's all upper case) and without any punctuation. Is it that hard to get things right ? We've all got spellcheck.
The important thing i think you need to remember on a Forum like this is, you don't know the other person. Ok maybe they're just to lazy to put some thought into what they're writing, but maybe they left school at 14 with very little education; maybe they have some sort of disability, whether it be mental or physical; maybe English is not their first language ................ or maybe it's someone like me, a thick Scoucer.
So Op i agree it's annoying but i think you need to bite-your-tongue and accept it.

CathA

scooby088 wrote: »

It's ok to correct grammar if you are a school teacher, any other time especially on forums such as this I find it unacceptable as we are all anonymous and in all honesty I don't care how I come across over the internet or it's many forums. Plus on here especially it's a sign of someone losing an argument.

I had an issue with the local high school kids, and wanted to contact the school. Reading their website, I found that a school that prides itself on 'excellence, good exam results etc' had a glaring error that has since been corrected. (I imagine it was due to me pointing it out, though I've not been thanked for it!)

This is what I put at the end of my e mail.

PS- Below I have copied a section from your web site regarding contacting ******* School. Please note it should say ADVICE, not advise. Thank you.

"The following advise will help you to know who to contact and when."

It drives me mad when people get their, there and they're wrong, or too, two and to, so I feel the OP's pain. I usually bite my tongue but occasionally, like, when I speak to some people they, like, keep saying like, and I, like, point it out, like. Now THAT is the annoyance of this age!!

[Deleted User]

Whilst I know that people here reply of their own goodwill, I always think, of the supposed professionals, well would you correct a customer? in such trival matters. Of course not. Refusing to help is for nobs because of one's grammar, though I'll admit I have got into a lather over some swear type of words I believed have been uttered at myself on that note.

I was preparing to be corrected in the estate agency job when it came to writing up the home adverts, ...oh yes!
Had the possibility of getting a bit red faced there I reckon!