Sorry, Scullion, but bad grammar and spelling is the sign of a lazy writer. People on here will disagree, but if a person can't be bothered to write properly, why should I, or anyone else, take any notice of what they write. No Scullion, people who correct your "gramma adn spelin" should not go into Room 101 especially your wife - take good notice of her; people who write bad grammar and can't spell should be locked in Room 101 with the key thrown away. My rant is now over..........
Sorry but I don't think a persons ideas are less relevant because of a few grammar mistakes. What is bad grammar or spelling - anything which deviates from Queen's English maybe ? Queen's English being originally little more than a regional accent (ie. from S.E. England), which became, through course of time, associated with power and prestige and was able, therefore, to designate all other dialects or grammatical forms as mere deviant dialects, such as eg. the different (and older !) grammatical forms of Somerset English. Would you disregard the ideas of someone writing in another language to their own, such as AK for example, simply because of a few grammatical mistakes ? Or those of myself because I've been writing mostly in German for the last 20 odd years and sometimes forget how some English words are spelt ? - which does happen if you're away for long enough. Anyway, counter rant over.
Language is constantly changing as I have learnt. Some French of fifty years ago is no longer regarded as correct, and much of the change comes about through the way that the younger people have used it and the media have altered it to suit their headlines and news reports. Some words that you find in the papers have not yet made the dictionaries. I have to agree that I am finding it harder now to think of correct English spellings especially with words that are similar, and that is after six years. Clearly the hard disk in my head is becoming full.
Please don't confuse accents with grammar. I am a fierce critic of so-called Queen's English or more correctly termed Received Pronounciation (RP or posh) - primarily because it is "put on" and usually designed to camouflage what the person is saying by how it is being said - as you put it Koln, "power & prestige". I have a regional accent, my wife has a different accent and I love any accent (even "deviant" ones!), so long as it conveys meaning clearly. I also have a healthy respect for dialect words. As for your point about someone writing in another language to their own, I have nothing but admiration for AK and folks like him. I can barely string a sentence together in French either written or especially spoken........There is a very valid reason for any errors in their spelling or grammar and it's not laziness. I believe also that there is no such thing as "Queen's English grammar". No, what annoys me is not the occasional typo but use of such expressions as "would of" and "could of". It's lazy speak and even lazier writing. Surely the clearer one conveys ideas in writing the easier it is for the recipient to understand. I would not "disregard" these ideas if they are badly expressed, just look on them with a great deal more suspicion. No wot i mene?
I find bad grammar very useful at times. I am reminded of a post on the BBC 606. Someone claimed to be a solicitor, when attempting to provide validity to an argument. This person then wrote 'would of', which immediately informed me that they were not a solicitor and that their argument was probably invalid. Similarly, when I get a student essay that correctly uses the past subjunctive, I automatically check for plagiarism, unless it is a German students who, generally, don't make those sorts of grammatical errors. Then there is the argument about ending a sentence with a preposition. That rule was introduced into English in the 19 th century by a prelate who was attempting to force the grammatical rules of Latin into English. Whilst I know that there is nothing wrong with breaking that rule, I prefer the way the language flows when adhering to it.
As Churchill quipped "Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put."
As much as I dislike bad spelling/grammar, there are often extenuating circumstances at to why it was made. I often re-read what I have typed on here and astonished at some things. Some are simply through just typing too quickly, so press keys in the wrong order (one I always seem to do is type 'like' as 'liek'). Fortunately Word/Outlook picks up most mistakes. Other times it is when my mind wanders while typing. What I would put in 'Room 101' is text speak. If my niece texts me, it sometimes takes 3 or 4 goes just to try and work out what she is trying to say.... Other entries; Reality shows - especially the new breed of them, like TOWIE People who interrupt while you are trying to talk, and often associated with this, the people who always have a 'bigger, better' story. Onions (I hate them, and are in everything) Men who don't like football - just something wrong with them! Leading on from that, men who support a team for no other reason than to support someone. I find glory-hunters frustrating but at least most know whats going on wihth their club. It's the ones who say "I'm a Man Utd fan" but then when you try and strike up a conversation, they haven'y got a clue what you're on about or anything about their 'club' Piers Morgan
One for the gamblers amongst you - people who cannot wait to tell you about all the winners they've picked (after the event of course - they wouldn't dare tell you in advance) and, funnily enough, never tell you about their losers. On the racing forum we call it after timing. Very annoying!
Ooh I have started a good debate here! The message/meaning is most important first & foremost. The spelling/grammer is a "technical" issue which can be fixed later if one has the knowledge/tools, which I would admit that I may be lacking in on occasion due to ability or education. I do like text to be spelt correctly and be grammatically correct, but with the latter I would not always know as I was not taught English grammer in school. Computers are a problem these days, my keyboard does not always produce on screen what I think my fingers have typed, and there is the American spell check, which drives me nuts. My wife is NOT going in room 101, she can correct my grammer and spelling, apart from having loads of other excellent qualities. I apologise in advance for any spelling and grammer mistakes.
2 more pet hates of mine are : 1. Yuppies with speedboats. 2. Militant anti smokers. Every time I come to England I come by train through the tunnel, and I've noticed that at German stations smokers have to stand in special areas (small yellow squares painted on the ground) - in Belgium they seem to be puffing away like the rest of Europe was years ago (At least at stations which are open ones) - Whereas in British stations it's forbidden completely even if standing on an open platform such as Watford junction. So, Europe's anti smoking laws are interpreted differently. There are still many pubs in Germany (Though no longer in Nordrheinwestfalen - the State where I live) which have rooms for smokers and, as long as they are effectively separated from non smokers - and, payed staff do not have to enter those areas then this seems ok. to me. This is still the situation in most of Belgium. To go further than this (as in Britain) is too much interference in people's lives - and reeks of victimization. I see absolutely no reason why I shouldn't be able to go to a designated area of a football ground at halftime for a cigarette if I want (as in most German stadiums).
Easily sorted - we'll just put American spelling into Room 101. I've never understood why the English let them get away with the liberties they have taken with the language.
