Spelling Nazis...

in my langauge class we learned all about how "rules" of grammar are arbitrary and have no bearing on how people actually communicate. while i will agree that our president saying "irregardless" fifteen million times makes him look like an assclown, speech and language is more fluid than any standard ever could be.

Now we have two words with the correct meaning. Like it or not, the word exists. New words come. Some old ones go. Some become synonyms rich in meaning of their own. Who knows what the destiny of "irregardless" is?

Ignorance and slang will change language as long as there is language. Languages are living things that grow change and evolve. Just like biological evolution it's slow change over time. I would imagine that most of these changes aren't deliberate ones made by a linguistic elite. Most of them were probably due to changes and bastardizations of previously existing words. Like it or not, that's probably how we got here and it's likely where we're going.

Oh, and by "biological evolution" I meant the way that God created everything in seven days.

And one last point: unless you are Prince, or the artist formerly known as Prince, don't use "u" instead of "you." That last comment was not in answer to you, N8tvegrl. Just a general thing.

[Edited on May 05, 2004 by rickets]

Crap. I spent so much time typing my statement that Flux beat me to the punch.

I understand the concept but it irritates me to no end that the rules change because some people don't "get" it.

You know, if you go through and replace every instance of 'ignorant' with 'non-standard colloquial usage' in this thread, I think the poor spellers would feel like the grammarians were a little less chavaunist.

einstein could not spell

Find out for sure...

*ahem* errors

[Edited on May 05, 2004 by psychoholicagogo]

They say children are the greatest teachers.

I have yet to meet a 5 year old that can spell.

True, one reason he could not spell well was because he was dyslexic. That is why I think its important to remember that in situations, like newsboards and IM, when there isn't always a spell check on all your apps, that just because someone spells something wrong initially that it may be something like dyslexia or another learning disability, and not necessarily that he/she is a doof.


...how many have gone back and re-edited their entry in this topic to make sure your spelling and grammer was correct?

inside joke with me and stirfry...

and how do I get that, cause I need it.... and yes I have a Mac.

do you have OS X? in Safari, go to Edit > Spelling > Check Spelling As You Type

Too bad spellcheck programs aren't reliable. It won't catch its/it's, their/there/they're, two/to/too, etc.

My biggest annoyance (beside outright ridiculousness when it comes to spelling and grammar) is the random capitalization people like to include. Going over people's research papers in English, I'm really just befuddled... why do they Think this Is Okay?

It's from internet usage, like when someone says something is Very Cool.

Or maybe they were raised in a German household. Germans capitalize nouns (in their own language, of course).

I'd be more inclined to blame the internet. I had a paper handed to me that included something like, "Audrey lol'd at Jason." Never has my pen slashed so quickly...