something that's REALLY been bugging me!
Ok, what with all the hooplah about the "vegan" baby dying and all the angry letters on both side, plus all the normal "vegans are crazy" "no, they're not!" stuff that we all get involved with everyday, I've been noticing something that's driving me CRAZY. It's happened both on this site, and on the ppk and on a few others that have been linked to this site and the ppk.
People need to learn to WRITE.... and possibly SPELLCHECK!
Gah! I know this is the internet and there's a different and more informal code to writing online than in the real world, but I find it's a real detriment to a possibly worthwhile argument when it's poorly written and sloppily typed. It almost always implies that the concept behind the writing itself is poor.
Now obviously, we all make mistakes, and a couple mistypes here and there are to be expected, but it's often clear that someone has typed and posted without looking back over their writing at all.
I love it when some random meateater gets on their high horse and blurts out a response that makes it clear they were in a coma from Grade 5 onwards, but when we, Veg*ns, do it? This is not helping anyone! It makes us look as ignorant and misinformed as everyone else out there.
Please, especially if you've decided to respond to some moron's ridiculous statements out there on the world wide web, READ your post before you post it. Even amoungst us, when you're asking a question or responding to a thread.... CHECK your post. This is not disappearing into oblivion. Your words will exist online forever!
And make the effort to go back and fix it if it is wrong... that's what the edit button is there for!
Sorry for going on like this. But anyone who has been to school at ALL (and it's mandatory, nowadays, so I know you all have been) should be able to put together a decent sentence with minimal grammatical and spelling errors. It's not hard.
p.s. this obviously does not refer to posts written with satirical, humourous or otherwise non-serious intent, before anyone gets all up in my internetface.
Um... okay... I just responded to the toothpaste post and didn't proof read or spellcheck it and I'm outside on my laptop so I can hardly see the screen... but I did feel guilty about it. I went back and fixed some of it. :-[
I don't feel like I need to compose on here... it's kind of like a casual conversation... interruptions and random thoughts... yet, I do hope I am fully understood.
I just noticed that you replied to the toothpaste post right before you wrote this so I'm being defensive... ;) maybe my posts aren't grammar guru-rific but I don't feel that my posts are unintelligible.... there are some posts that I can't even understand though... and I'm thinking that maybe you're talking about those...?? If so, I agree. :)
Okay... your passion about the subject made it kind of funny... maybe because I can see a friend of mine writing the same thing.
I think she's talking about the posts that are written so badly that they are almost completely unintelligible. The one's where you're struggling to read them and then just sort of give up. People who can barely spell the word "cat."
I feel bad I said this now. I'm an a**hole. Lord knows, I'm not a perfect writer. And I'm constantly digressing and writing non sequiturs in threads, which no one wants to hear about. I'm going to take this thread as constructive criticism, instead of getting on my high horse. I don't have a horse to get high on anyway. ???? ::)
EDIT: Whoa. How did I do that? I created a reply and it replaced my original post with my new one. Weird. Now this post is really going to sound like a non sequitur.
There are those who don't speak English well and still want to attempt to get their point across.
There are those who don't speak English well and still want to attempt to get their point across.
That's an interesting point. I don't know where everybody is from, but on here I find the general rule is that the people who don't speak English well are fine writers. It's the regular English speakers who make more mistakes.
Jennifer, I know Rachandra is not talking about you. You write well.
I think all of us who can spell with any decency know who the people are that Rachandra is talking about.
(snipped)
But overall, I totally see where you're coming from, Rachandra. You do make a strong point about editing.
It's painful obviously that a certain poster who has a pair of skates needs a dictionary! (Love ya anyway, kid!) :D I teased her once about having discovered where the shift keys to make capital letters is. She seems to have lost it again. I think that overall most folks put effort into sounding educated and profound.
Jennifer, I know Rachandra is not talking about you. You write well.
I think all of us who can spell with any decency know who the people are that Rachandra is talking about.
I think she's talking about the posts that are written so badly that they are almost completely unintelligible. The one's where you're struggling to read them and then just sort of give up. People who can barely spell the word "cat."
I never assumed that these people just didn't take the time to edit. I just figured they didn't have any English skills to go on. It never bothers me, but it does sadden me, because like you said, they could have something highly intelligent and wise to share, but are not capable of communicating it.
But we all have our own personal strengths and weaknesses. I can write well at times, but if you got me up to a podium in front of a hundred people, not only would I stammer and sound like a total moron, I'd probably faint dead away. While the person who is writing that highly unintelligible post may be able to get up to that podium and speak far, far more articulately than I ever could.
But overall, I totally see where you're coming from, Rachandra. You do make a strong point about editing.
Oops, I thought the previous post hadn't gone through, so I reposted those thoughts, changing them slightly. I'd delete this one but I don't see that option.
Oh man I totally agree! Spelling is not something I'm fantastic at so I almost always spell check when I post, but the button is right under the text, it takes about 30 seconds to do and (hopefully) it makes my comments more legible! Misspelled words, run on sentences, putting apostrophes in the wrong words ("its" vs "it's") and mixing up homophones ("their" vs "there" vs "they're") all drive me a little crazy and can cause serious problems when you're trying to understand a post. Generally I'll just skip a post if it's too much of a struggle to get through which is unfortunate because I'm sure there are some interesting comments that I'm missing out on.
I'd never thought about how many ESL folks there might be on the board here, but I think that anyone posting in their second (or third, or whatever...) language would be even more meticulous about their grammar and spelling than a native speaker. I know I'm personally guilty of using abbreviations at times like "def" for "definitely".
Man this cracked me up and made me laugh out loud - I know what you mean, what also bugs me is when people don't appear to trawl through other people's posts, they just seem to want to say their piece, I try to read through each item - even if there's 4 pages of stuff - before maybe adding my 2 pence worth, sometimes I feel I've got nothing new to add to what other's have put, plus i like to think I'm getting to know people if I read their opinions, just a thought (or a grumble ;))
Without putting words into Rachandra's mouth, I think she'd say (and I agree) that it's not the "what's yer fav brnd of tofu?" that's getting to her, but it's when someone tries to make an argument as to the health benefits of a plant based diet and the cruelty of the animal production industry, etc... and doesn't bother to read back on their post to see if it makes any sense at all. Thus negating the whole argument and making veg*ns in general appear to be incapable of stringing together a coherent thought.
And Jennifer, your posts are never anything but clear.
I must admit, though that I just skip the posts of certain folks in lieu of trying to make sense of what they are trying to say. I'd make a lousy English teacher.
I feel the same way. I really do. I'm the only 17 year old I know that refuses to use an instant messenger. I just don't understand the abbreviations. :-\
I also think that switching homophones and doing other grade school mistakes cause you to sound completely uneducated on the internet. Think about it: the only way people can judge you is by looking at your spelling, grammar, and typing.
Rachandra- do you happen to own a copy of "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves"? I think you'd like it.
Rachandra- do you happen to own a copy of "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves"? I think you'd like it.
Fantastic, amazing, hilarious book!
And Jennifer, your posts are never anything but clear.
I must admit, though that I just skip the posts of certain folks in lieu of trying to make sense of what they are trying to say. I'd make a lousy English teacher.
There are some posts I find difficult to understand, so I just don't respond.
Yeah, I was doing the same for awhile and somehow got sucked in to those post anyway.
LOL, and I didn't think she was talking about me... but she posted while I was online, right after replying to a post that I had replied to... so I thought I'd tease her about it. ;)
BTW, Bill Bryson is hilarious!!
hahaha... I've caused a flurry of editing on vegweb today, haven't I!!
I wasn't actually responding to anything in particular that was posted today... it was mostly a response to some of the ridiculous arguments that have been floating around the web, reacting to the vegan baby story. I think it's just sad that veg*ns not only have to fight against unfair assumptions about their eating habits and lifestyle, they also have to put up with certain ignoramuses spouting off ridiculous, supposedly "pro-vegan" mumbo-jumbo. I guess all I'm saying is that we have to work twice as hard, not just to help people understand what we do, but be fairly legible while we do it.
p.s. I love that you guys are all so agreeable about this. I resisted posting on the site where i saw the worst offenses committed because i was pretty sure I'd get my head bitten off. I love you, vegwebbers!
and, for those posters who are ESL, or otherwise not on top of their writing game... I think it's usually pretty clear when it's pure laziness or impatience that's causing the issue. I'm an ESL teacher and most people are painfully aware that they're communicating in a foreign tongue and make some effort to acknowledge that. if someone has enough English ability to read and comprehend a thread, they are usually more than competent to put together a decent English sentence.
and, for those posters who are ESL, or otherwise not on top of their writing game... I think it's usually pretty clear when it's pure laziness or impatience that's causing the issue. I'm an ESL teacher and most people are painfully aware that they're communicating in a foreign tongue and make some effort to acknowledge that. if someone has enough English ability to read and comprehend a thread, they are usually more than competent to put together a decent English sentence.
They also tend to pay more attention, they are aware of their weak spots and so pay more attention. That's what spellcheck is for! Although of course you can't always trust it, esp. in Word for XP. Their Spanish "grammar check" is hysterical. If you don't know Spanish grammar you're not going to learn it from there!! ;D