Have you ever answered a question by insulting a persons use of the english language?

Question

I have noticed that many questions seem to come from people who are new to using the english language, and that answerers tend to insult and ridicule them for it. Have you ever done this? have you ever taken a moment to realize that this is probably the second or third language they have learned, and then compared it to the number of languages you know? I want to know who else feels bad for this, because i did it a time or two. Ive mended my ways though.

Answer 1

No, I never have. If I don't feel that I can answer an honest question with something that I am knowledgeable about, I won't answer it at all.

Answer 2

Yeah. I am trying to let up as I have come to realize this may not always be an issue of laziness or intelligence, but someone posting on yahoo US from another country. I do think if someone wants to post on an English language site, they should have some command of the English language, but I realize my earlier comments may have been insensitive. Now, I merely point out that I feel their translation may be off.

I still am a little flip if someone is just being lazy and typing something in an intentional dumb manner, such as "MY BF be chetin me, wut u shud do, hook up wit othe bf or kick nuts?" Then I'll be flippant.

Answer 3

Only once, when a peculiar fellow was speaking in Middle English and confused a dost with a doth. But I don't see the point in correcting people here- it's the content of the question or answer that matters, and as long as it makes some degree of sense, it's valid. I'd take a horribly written but relevant answer over a grammatically perfect but meaningless one any day.

Answer 4

i can speak well for English is my primary language, but I have always had problems writing properly. People think that because they are so great at something then everyone should be and i am saying loud and clear IT HURTS HOW MEAN THEY ARE. I am 30 with few friends trying to get friends who are smarter then I in hopes to learn from them. but what ever to the smart mouthed meanies here

Answer 5

I never ridicule. That's mean. I don't feel bad about remarking that the person should use spell and grammar check. Actually its a good way to improve English language skills. What really ticks me off are really stupid questions with obscene language, with capitals and numbers...dumb. A waste.

Answer 6

"have you ever taken a moment to realize that this is probably the second or third language they have learned, and then compared it to the number of languages you know?"

This sentence taken directly from your rant needs capitalization. Im glad to hear about your self improvement.

Answer 7

I know what you mean, alot of my friends speak 2+ languages, so whatever imperfections in english they have, I gently try to correct them. But until I can speak as many languages as they do, I'm not going to comdem their use of english (at least they try). And by the way, most of them speak better english than native speakers do.

Answer 8

I've never done that. Sometimes (when I'm really bored) I answer questions in the italian, french and spanish yahoo answers using a translater. I don't speak italian nor french but a asume those people you say are doing the same thing.

Answer 9

You should say "person's use of the English language"

Answer 10

no i havent, its a hard enough language to speak ..much less write, so anyone trying deserves a break, they have to learn 2 languages ...we only learn 1 language,