Is it too much to ask native English speakers to write proper English ?

Question

Also stop pissing off others who are learning the language at school? How many of you native English speakers have the ability to write in a foreign language? Be fair.

Answer 1

Well said.

Answer 2

Moi, je parle francais avec une forte competence, mais ma langue maternelle est anglais.

Yes, with some people it is too hard for them to write proper English. Some people are lazy. Due to English being very widely used at the moment, English speakers have this arrogant attitude that speakers of other tongues will automatically learn English, so we don't have to bother. Sad really, but true.

We could at least make some effort. I have been to places where the local people speak neither English or French, but always try to at least have a go at their language. I always take a good phrasebook and see if I can use some of the words and expressions found inside.

If I am speaking English with a non-native English speaker, I always try to speak clearly. I figure that if someone is making an effort to speak my language, they very least I can do is make it easier for them to understand me.

Answer 3

I think it's too much to expect everyone's English (native or not) to be flawless. I don't think it's too much to ask for someone who's asking a help to ask in such a way that people who can read English can understand the question.

I am a native speaker of English who can write comprehensibly in French--however none of the answers I have given in the French Y!A have been chosen as Best Answer--and I think at least two of them were clearly the best answer, although perhaps not the best-written. I do find the French Y!A has just about as many incomprehensible bits as the US one.

Answer 4

Apparently it is asking too much! There is some appaling English on here, not just the odd human mistake but incomprehnsible language! I always try to encourage those who are learning English, it costs me nothing and may help them to develop and boost their confidence. Quite a few of the learners use better English than the native speakers!

Answer 5

Yes it is too much. The English language is always changing. New slang words, regional slang words, taking already used words and putting new meaning to them i.e gay is nolonger to be happy, but a statement about ones sexuality- others may be able to think of more recent ones.
When i was at school it was incorrect to use :don't..... it must be written: do not.
The english language isnt some sort of BASIC.... its a live language and as the years go on, it will contiunue to change by people taking words and miss-spelling, missusing and miss-writing them.
When i was in language classes the foriegn students took the piss of my inability to use french.

Answer 6

It has long been understood by students of linguistics that language it a transiant thing and always in a state of flux. As a degree level english student, I am fascinated by this process.

To find examples of this, you can consider, that the word F**K, now seems to have evolved, where it was once used only to describe sex acts, it is now commonly used as punctuation.

As a result it is no longer seen as such a shocking word, which has lead to it's use on the BBC, in late night shows such as 'Friday Night with Jonathan Ross' and a reduction of censorship used in reality shows such as 'Big Brother'.
Or, anyone who watches a period drama based on (or reads) an 18th centuary novel, would be aware that we no longer speak like that.

From the Victorian Era, right up to the1960's (and see other answers for proof that right up to the present day) there has been a desperate atempt to impede the progress of the English language based on archaic view of 'what is right', mainly lead by the growth in education .

Thankfully, this period is ending and Oxford University has done studies to show that the movement of the modern language is towards what is refered to by other answerers as 'TXT speak'.

As you may have gathered from my answer, I just can't do 'txt speak' myself, but I am always interested by it's continual flux. But, whether we like it or not it's the future of the language, simultaniously saving writing, typing and reading time. (So, some of us can get back to studying language as it used to be!)

Answer 7

yeah, that is often the case. we think because we speak english by birth we have no reason to read and know it much further than that, why bother when we know it already?
it really is the wrong attitude because more often than not having been to different schools in different countries you find the immigrants that speak another language do better at english.
i think this is also because they are the ones that have to make an effort to learn and see that english is not simple

Answer 8

Escribo en espanol, pero mi lingua primero es ingles.

I agree. Use the spell checker. Each of you should have a word processing program on your computer. Paste your message in it and check the grammar.

Being able to write clearly and concisely in proper grammar is a skill employers look for when hiring. Practice now.

Answer 9

I can write proper English, but this is a web site where you get people of all ages, and backgrounds.

While I do understand it's annoying to see people not using proper punctuation and grammar, it's an evil that's not going to disappear.

Answer 10

I agree, I'm sick of all this ******* text speak. And people's spelling is appauling, I can't even understand some people's questions. I accept some people are not writing in their first language and I respect that, but the rest of you have no excuse!

Answer 11

am a native english speaker am a scouser born and bread in liverpool so what the problem dont you have different accents were you come from and different ways of spelling things