I'm mean, and I know that we've all had this conversation before, but...
Posted by Tkitty96 on Nov 25, 2007 · Member since May 2006 · 1789 posts
When you make a post... to the right of the "Post" button, there is a "Preview" button. To the right of that, there is <gasp> a "Spell Check" button. Please, please, make an effort to click it! My inner English teacher begs you!
And, yes, I realize that typos happen, and we all goof up sometimes. But I am so tired of seeing "werid".
Laziness may eventually contribute the odd improvement here and there but I do not think it is something that should be promoted or encouraged for the evolutionary benefits it may eventually bring.
Hear, here, Kbone. I've been reading this post with interest, and think you've struck it on the nose.
Dear Cephi, I used to teach 7th grade grammar and tried to help the students understand the excitement that they were creating new words and adapting the language every day. When those students were in the 2nd grade, "text" was not a verb! That is exciting.
What's not exciting though, is that without knowledge of the "rules," one can not clearly convey one's message. The example I used for my students is that because George Bush does not always follow the rules of grammar, and an international audience bases his content on those rules of grammar, he represents our country as a place where the English language is not properly taught. Okay, so maybe that actually is a clear communication, but it's not likely that's the message he wanted to communicate.
IMO, most grammar rules don't make any logical sense. Knowing them, however, shows that you're educated about a socially accepted body of knowledge and gives you an intelligent image. Whether or not that's right is a different argument, but that's the way of reality and those that choose to ignore it look unintelligent. Period.
postscript: Kbone, I love that you indent your paragraphs. :)
postscript: Kbone, I love that you indent your paragraphs. :)
I just indent because I know girls always fall for it. My wife yells at me whenever I indent because it makes me so darned irresistable. ;)
By the way, speaking of word evolution- what is the etymology of the name "Dinkfeet"?
I'm a sucker for indents and commas. Sigh. ::)
Dinkfeet etymology: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=13109.msg134063#msg134063
I'm a sucker for indents and commas. Sigh. ::)
I find that that is universally true of all women. I laugh at all the fools that try to impress them with fancy cars, good looks and bloated bank accounts. My nimble keyboard skills have always made the girls putty in my hands.
Thank you. Finally, I will be able to sleep again at night. :)
EDIT:
Why didn't my smiley show up??? :)
Nice. Thank you! :)
RTGDSM (Read the G.D. Smiley Manual) :D
I've really been struggling on whether to say anything...but I have to say it.
Some people here ARE mean. There's no delicate way to put it. There is no need for certain things to be said. This should be a safe place for veg*ns to come and be supportive of each other. The world is horrible enough toward veg*ns. We shouldn't have to put up with it here.
I even found it a little upsetting for some to refer to GotSkates as a "sweet kid." I found that to be so condescending. GotSkates is a person, period. Her age should be irrelevant. I know it probably wasn't intended to be condescending, but it just further illustrates how our word choices can be taken the wrong way by others.
For the record, I could care less how well GotSkates (or anyone else, for that matter) spells, or whether they use spell check or not. This isn't a board for English composition. Why is it so hard to see around the misspellings and get to the heart of what the person is trying to say? Isn't that the most important thing?
I find it disheartening, and dare I say it, hypocritical, for veg*ns to say they are all about compassion for animals, and then be so damn critical of fellow human beings (and veg*ns, no less!)
One more thing - a while back, there was a thread about rosacea. I posted on that thread about how I struggled with finding good products for it. People were very gracious in that thread about providing me some info and websites. However, GotSkates took the time to send me a PM detailing a skin care line and regimen that she has found very helpful. She then followed up several times to see if I had any questions or to see if I'd tried it. I thought that was so kind of her to do that. She didn't have to do it. We'd never communicated before. But she went out of her way to do that for me. That is kindness, compassion, and thoughtfulness. I just wanted to say something nice about GS because if this thread were about me, I'd be crying my eyes out. Seriously. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - things that are said on this board hurt just as much as if they were said in "real" life. Please, please take a moment to reflect on your posts before you submit them, and imagine if someone were saying those things to you. It may help you to see that some things are unkind and just don't need to be said.
For the record, I could care less how well GotSkates (or anyone else, for that matter) spells, or whether they use spell check or not. This isn't a board for English composition. Why is it so hard to see around the misspellings and get to the heart of what the person is trying to say? Isn't that the most important thing?
First, I don't know if you thought that my particular postings were in any way "mean" or not. I certainly didn't intend them to be and I made it a point to say that while I agreed with the original poster's lamentation about the sad state of much of the written communication on the internet I didn't feel it was appropriate to name names.
That said, I'd just like to comment briefly on what you said in the quote block above.
Sometimes a poorly written post can be difficult to understand. While I will make the effort usually to try to "see around" a poster's mangling of the English language I fail to see why I shouldn't be able to point out that that person is not doing any service to himself or herself by not bothering to develop their written communication skills to a greater degree. Part of being a responsible member of a community is to exhort your fellow members to improve themselves. A community should not be expected to dumb its discourse down to the level of the language skills of its least accomplished members (and I say this with no particular members of this community in mind).
I don't expect everyone to write like Shakespeare. I'm human and certainly make my share of mistakes like anyone else. However, I think it's fairly obvious when reading some content on this forum that there are people that really don't seem to put forth much effort at all to communicate effectively. This forum is certainly not unique in that regard. The attitude seems to be that the reader should scratch their head and try to figure out what is being said rather than the community placing the onus on the writer to at least make the effort to communicate clearly according to widely accepted standards.
Let us encourage one another in every way to improve. To be better writers, better vegans, better members of the community. We do each other no service when we condone mediocrity or worse because it is perceived as easier or "kinder" to keep silent when constructive criticism might benefit our peers.
EDIT:
Why didn't my smiley show up??? :)
Nice. Thank you! :)
RTGDSM (Read the G.D. Smiley Manual) :D
I believe my warning symbol is proof that I forgot to RTFM. Of vegweb etiquette ;)
I believe my warning symbol is proof that I forgot to RTFM. Of vegweb etiquette ;)
You certainly are proud of your badge of "bad to the bone". Such a nouveaute bad girl you are!
I believe my warning symbol is proof that I forgot to RTFM. Of vegweb etiquette ;)
Such a nouveaute bad girl you are!
Only on vegweb... in real life I've been plenty bad. ;)
Kbone... thank you. You said what I was thinking much more calmly than I could have put it. And I'd just like to add:
Other than your personal testimony about the kindness and goodness of Gotskates's personality... you didn't add anything to this thread. All you did was bring the topic back up. And I fail to see how the help that Gotskates gave you negates my frustration that I have to DECIPHER many of her posts.
I also don't see how it's unkind of me to say that I don't bother with posts that are hard to understand. I value everyone's input here, but I prefer not having "to see around the misspellings" to understand that input.
What we post here is public... and that means that people will read it and interpret it according to how they view the world and according to their impressions of the poster. When I make a comment, I understand that, and I'm fine with it. Everybody has a right to respond to it (or not) in a way they find appropriate. I'm not going to censor myself because of how someone might take it.
Only on vegweb... in real life I've been plenty bad. ;)
I'm sure you're a veritable Meggsy Siegel, known hither and yon as public enemy number one. :D
Kbone... thank you. You said what I was thinking much more calmly than I could have put it.
My pleasure.
By the way, I must admit that I was a little disappointed that I didn't get the slightest rise out of you after using you in the sample simile I offered back in post #130. :(
Kbone... thank you. You said what I was thinking much more calmly than I could have put it.
My pleasure.
By the way, I must admit that I was a little disappointed that I didn't get the slightest rise out of you after using you in the sample simile I offered back in post #130. :(
I knew what you were doing. You should totally be warned for baiting on that one.
But I said before... I'm proud of my small breasts.
I'm just here to wave my Meanie Flag while wearing my Pro-Grammar T-Shirt!
;D *GO TEAM NERD! WE RULE!* ;D
I agree with Cephi about linguistic evolution. As Yabbit mentioned about "laughter" and "water" rhyming that an evolution that has nothing to do with new words, just changes. Evolved doesn't mean better, merely different. Sure there are other aspects, as Kbone mentioned but Cephi's totally right.
Lastly, I think this entire thread isn't about spelling but as some have mentioned: effort. It's respectful to other users to make your post readable. I don't ask for perfection, nor do I supply it. But if you want some advice from VegWeb try to look at what you're asking for. Just make an effort. You know, try your best. That's not hard. As my mommy says, "Your best is good enough." ;) But you do have to TRY.
I knew what you were doing. You should totally be warned for baiting on that one.
But I said before... I'm proud of my small breats.
May I remind you that if I'm not mistaken I was the first person ever to get warned on this forum? That makes me the paradigm of all badboys here.
I won't call you on misspelling "breasts" in a thread about spelling. Oops, I guess I just did. ;)
I figured the subject was fair game (the size thing) since you posted on it yourself in another thread a while back. Couldn't resist the opportunity to use that great old New England simile.
Haha! See, this is why spellcheck is so important! And look, I can EDIT my goof, too!
Lastly, I think this entire thread isn't about spelling but as some have mentioned: effort. It's respectful to other users to make your post readable. I don't ask for perfection, nor do I supply it. But if you want some advice from VegWeb try to look at what you're asking for. Just make an effort. You know, try your best. That's not hard. As my mommy says, "Your best is good enough." ;) But you do have to TRY.
Good points.
Haha! See, this is why spellcheck is so important! And look, I can EDIT my goof, too!
Yes you can- but it lives on for all to see in the quote block of my post!
That's fine... I never said I was perfect... but I do make an effort.
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