Why is it that basic English language skills aren't important to most people on here?

Question

(this excludes ESL learners--English is a difficult language to learn as a second language.)

Please, polite and helpful repsonses only. I don't mean to incite a riot or receive a barrage of personal insults here. I shouldn't have to ask this, but some people here have aggression issues. Anyway...

Why do people seem to think that the minute they're on the Internet, the basic rules of English do not apply anymore? I am not referring to text speak exclusively. How is online communication supposed to be more simple and efficient if I cannot understand what people are trying to say because they cannot form a complete, logical sentence? Why bother to install "spell check" in any software when most people don't use it?

Forgive me if I'm exagerrating with "most people"--I think the problem bothers me so much that even if a minority of users feel like they can pee all over the English language, to me, it feels like "most people" are writing this way.

Answer 1

Most people don't write. Not ever. And then the Internet comes along, and all of the sudden they're free to express themselves. Except now we see why they've never written anything before - they're functionally illiterate. So the truth comes out: despite official government statistics, it turns out that nearly half of the American population is functionally illiterate, and 14% of college graduates are also functionally illiterate!

Answer 2

I've been wondering the same thing for awhile now. I slip up every now and again, but nothing irritates me more then when someone can't spell out simple words fully. I think it has to do with the fact that the internet is making most of us lazy. Everything has to be quick and easy. Taking an extra 2 seconds to write out you, instead of u is too much of a hassle. The world is becoming lazy.

Answer 3

There are many languages in India. English is best as common medium throughout the country for higher and technical education. I view that even if regional languages including Hindi are adopted as medium of instruction, the English terms should be y used in all languages instead of translating. This will ensure some uniformity and facilitate communicatiuon between students having studied in different regional languages. .

Answer 4

I have know idea why peoples use bad basics English langs skills on hear.

I try to profuse proper English when I use the internets. However, sum words dough nut get caught by me spell checkers. So I have fond that if I thought really hard, the proper spelling and gamer come to my inspiring righting on Yahoo! Answers.

Have an Great Day. LOL :)

Answer 5

You are absolutely correct in your assessment of this. I often wonder the same thing myself. The only answer that I can come up with is that most of these people cheated their way through school because they couldn't have passed English Grammar which is a required course every year.

Answer 6

I'm sorry, I don't know how to answer this question. I myself am not a very bright person, but I do use spell check. I think that maybe when people are asking questions or answering them, their mind races ahead and the miss spell etc etc. It's just laziness and carelessness.

Answer 7

Some of these offenders are trying to talk "like big people" and they think that if they don't use proper grammar and spelling then they will come off "cool." I think they just look ignorant. But what do I know?

Answer 8

I've noticed that some people who use this site tend to use "text" language. They do not realize that this site does not charge for character usage. The grammar is deplorable. I cannot think of a reason. I apologize for wasting your time.

Answer 9

many of us do not appreciate using "bookish" style. it seems too formal and unfriendly.

I think grammar and spelling can be done away with insofar as it does not compromise comprehension.

the grammar of spoken language is a lot more fluid than that of written, the way we write here is a more or less free attempt to mimic it.

Answer 10

I have no idea. It was one of my absolute pet peeves about this forum. You can tell two when someone just didn't know and when they didn't hit spell check. It especially bothers me on the questions that are really baiting. It says a lot about a person if they are too lazy to hit spell check.