What can we do about the horrible grammar on Y!A?

Question

I think that Yahoo should start to give warnings to people with excessively bad grammar. What do you think?

Yes Richard, some of these people make me want to "should shot myself", because I feel so horribly that the future of mankind isn't going to produce anything positive. Thanks for the laugh though.

Susie, I understand exactly what you are saying. I know that my question will probably offend someone, and I probably sound like a snob. However, whenever I offer constructive criticism as far as spelling and grammar goes, I get reported! It is really hard to teach people that don't want to learn.

Hall + Oates, I don't understand where your hatred comes from. You seem like a reasonably intelligent individual yourself. Doesn't it bother you when someone completely butchers the English language? I just feel like the American education system is failing our young students.By the way, I'm a male who owns his own business (landscaping to pay my way through college) and am attaining my Masters in Economics, so please don't down talk my achievements.

Kat, I understand when a person on this website doesn't have English as a first language. Usually these people ask for help and I am more than happy to give help to them. Really, I am talking about the people that have English as a first language and the completely destroy it. What I'm saying is "dat" instead of that and so on is completely unacceptable. I understand shortening messages for texting between phones; however this is the internet where we can communicate without having to use the shortcuts because of the keyboard. My complaint more or less is that people are so lazy that they use "u" instead of "you". It just bothers me that they can't use written communication properly.

they*

Glo, I'm really talking about the blatant errors that people make on this message board. I understand missing a letter here and there, that is completely fine with me. What I don't like is when people intentionally misspell or shorten words into unintelligible acronyms so that you need to decipher what they have just typed. I get angry when people have the education to know better, but still make themselves sound like they have an I.Q. rounding out at about 90.

Christina, I know exactly what you are saying. I don't mind the minor error here and there. What I really get annoyed "wit iz da intensional mispeling of eech word in da sentense". Obviously these people know better but still type in this manner anyhow.

Raven, you forget to spell time with a "y", or else I would have considered you for best answer.

Answer 1

I don't think Q&A should give warnings for bad grammar; I do think that it should be required to go through a Check Spelling phase before the question is accepted, but still be able to ignore non-standard spelling and abbreviations if one wants to go to all that trouble.
I blast people for bad grammar, abbreviations, etc., especially if they come across as arrogant and self-centered which many do. Really dumb ignorant folk who just can't spell and compose sentences AND are asking sincere questions never get blasted by me.

Answer 2

You are absolutely right, the standard of grammar and spelling is, unfortunately, appalling, how they are to survive in today's world with an atrocious education, it boggles the mind. I even had one questioner, say that it does not matter that he could not spell as he was teaching PE. So one of the answers called you a snob for asking the question? quite remarkable, it would appear that the only questions that would pass inspection are about what to eat at Mc Donald's. Keep up the good questions, have a star.

Answer 3

Not take it serious.
If someones advice helps or adds humor... I think its G-R-R-R-E-A-T. Grammar (on-line) is as common as wearing your Sundays best. Besides the brain can recgonize any word & interpet it to what it is meant to read.
Verbally some people are more eloquent & have a better command of their vocabulary. Perhaps some people who don't write well speak better. The way I look at it, if someone answerd one of my questions grammatically incorrect I probably wouldn't pay much mind. Because if thats the worst thing anyone ever did to me....."I'd be in hog heaven".

Answer 4

I think we should feel more free to offer constructive criticism. We are all so busy being "p.c.;" it does not serve us well. Then again, it is difficult not to sound like a complete snob if you do make note. Even your question sounds like you are a snob. Perhaps not everyone has been afforded the education that others have enjoyed.
It bothers me too, but just what can you do without sounding like a snob?

Answer 5

Move along to the next question!

No need to take it personally, or have harsh words over it.

Many of the people here are young kids playing about with language, others don't have english as their first language, and there are many who don't have any idea they are not speaking correctly.

But with all the questions on here, there really is no need to linger on one which is irritating for any reason!

Cheers :-)

Answer 6

No one is perfect, I'm sure there are a few things about you that drive people crazy in your personal life... Personally, I know a few college professors with horrible grammar. The lack of correct grammar does not show lack of intelligence, or anything else for that matter. Choose your battles and bad grammar, some how this is just not one of them for me. Rudeness, ignorance, lack of respect those would be some of mine... God bless****

Answer 7

Yes! Do the fifth grade test! And people who fail have to go to Bad Writer's Limbo where they can only communicate with each other.

And leave us alone.

And those who communicate in run on paragraphs that never break up are put in isolation and forced to learn to use the "Enter" key if the ever want to write again.

Makes me nouns and verbs go all a-flitter, yes it does...

Answer 8

Oh yes, because you're just so smart yourself, other people on Yahoo! should be just as smart. Oh wait, you're one of those girls who got a good grade in high school English, but doesn't know who the first president was, or what a variable is in algebra. Cheers.

Answer 9

Some people aren't as educated as others. I'm willing to overlook the bad grammar for that reason; their answers still give me a different perspective than my own.

Answer 10

some times it isn't their first language other times people are venting, and don't really care, about spelling something right. Then you have the whole.texting culture coming about...worry less on how they spell, and more on the question at hand......