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 After days of reading....

 Author:  Topic:  Posted:
Jan 12, 2002
 Comments:
... posting to this site, which can be very interesting and fun, it seems to me that most people here are mainly interested in spelling and how stories and postings are worded. I have just been wondering why that is such an issue, since the internet doesn't have much geographical or linguistic boundaries. Many of those who post, chat etc. haven't got english as their native language and therefor are more likely to misspell or have bad worded posts, but I cannot see that the content of their postings are any worse though.
So my question is: Why all this fuzz about spelling and wording?

       
Tweet

Well... (5.00 / 2) (#1)
by elenchos on Sat Jan 12th, 2002 at 05:22:29 AM PST
Most of the crappy writing you see is by native speakers, so the second language excuse is pretty weak. If they can manage to write something at least minimally coherent, then the native speakers have no excuse.

So why do they write things that are painful to look at? One word: TERRORISM. That's right. For example, deliberately mispelling a common word (or just not bothering to spell check) is basicallly an attack on the reader. Sure it's a minor kind of assault, but nonetheless, a quality site cannot tolerate it. First the spelling goes to hell, then the whitespace is all gone.

Next thing you know, everyone is wallowing naked and filthy in a pool of their own excretions and not giving a damn about it. Not giving a damn about the stink. Not giving a damn about how unsanitary it is. Not giving a damn about the pure ugliness of it all, taken as a whole.

So maybe you like slashdot, but I just can't live like that.

HTH


I do, I do, I do
--Bikini Kill


Hey, (none / 0) (#2)
by tkatchev on Sat Jan 12th, 2002 at 07:36:43 AM PST
Your own shit doesn't stink, as they say.

So what is the problem, really?

(P.S. G**k warning: that was sarcasm.)


--
Peace and much love...




 
What is........ (none / 0) (#3)
by SnowWhite on Sat Jan 12th, 2002 at 09:48:30 AM PST
slashdot? And why would that be any explanation of concideration for people that are not native english speaking?
I can relate to your feeling towards your language, I could say the same about how I feel towards mine. I guess it is more difficult to see weather people are not native english speaking then if they are not native speaking in other languages, giving the fact that the most common language, almost international, is english.

Maybe you can help me out here...? I noticed message here in the reply section, "Trolling is not tolerated here", what is trolling?


Mental dissonce. (none / 0) (#4)
by tkatchev on Sat Jan 12th, 2002 at 10:55:45 AM PST
Some objections:

  • English is not the "most important" language. It only seems that way to you because that is the only language you speak. Trust me, the Chinese also believe that Mandarin is the only language that matters.
  • Foreign-language speakers, as a rule, take more care in spelling and grammar than native speakers.
  • Adequacy.org is an English-language site. Put up or shut up.
  • Poor spelling is a sign of poor culture, a public affront and indecency. Nobody cares about your two-bit ideas anyways, so at least try to format your posts properly, OK?
  • Nobody wants perfect spelling from you; what we want is those five seconds of effort it takes to use a spell-checker.
  • The internet is very strictly segregated along language and cultural borders. This is a fact; it makes no sense to whine about websites that "do not accept" foreigners. Foreigners have their own foreign websites, the only reason they would have to visit here is to either troll or to post inane bullshit that would get deleted off of their native sites.



--
Peace and much love...




Seeing things one way (none / 0) (#6)
by SnowWhite on Sat Jan 12th, 2002 at 01:16:56 PM PST
  • I did not say that the english language was the most important language, nor do I see it as such. I said it was the most common. It is not my native language and it is not the only one I speak besides my native language.
  • Maybe those who are not native english speaking take more care in their spelling, but that does not mean that their wording or spelling is always that good. Grammar is very different between languages of different origin and that affects both spelling and wording.
  • It is clear that Adequacy is english speaking site and I have not seen anyone ask for anything else.
  • Poor spelling is not always a sign of poor culture, it might by a sign of dislexia or some other problems.
  • It seems that the main interest from great deal of posters here is spelling no matter what the topic of discussion is. And that was the reason for my question.
  • I usually do not use spell-check since I learn more if my errors are pointed out than if trusting solely on fallable spell-check programs.
  • Even though every country or language has their own sites the boundaries are not strict on the interent and people can participate in different cultures and learn/see more of the world and more variety in opinions.
  • I have no idea what you mean by troll or trolling and the bottomline, you are rude.


  • Sigh. (none / 0) (#7)
    by tkatchev on Sat Jan 12th, 2002 at 02:24:35 PM PST
    English is not the most common language.

    The "most common" language depends on your location. Just try to prove that English is "most important" to, for example, Bantu tribesmen.

    Please do not laud your own cultural and ethical deficiencies. You are incredibly offensive and rude.

    P.S. No matter for your cunning demagoguery, the fact remains:

    This is an English-language site, and in the English language proper spelling is key to politness.

    End of story. Please stop debating with me, you are making yourself look like an idiot.


    --
    Peace and much love...




    P.S. (none / 0) (#8)
    by tkatchev on Sat Jan 12th, 2002 at 02:29:51 PM PST
    The bit about "dislexia" is laughable.

    It's akin to saying that people with incontinence have a moral license to stink up other people's environment. I am sorry if this isn't "politically correct", but your physical deficiencies are no excuse for anti-social behaviour.


    --
    Peace and much love...




     
    My looks (none / 0) (#11)
    by SnowWhite on Sat Jan 12th, 2002 at 07:20:08 PM PST
    Well since it's not important to me if I look like idiot to others I will carry on while I'm interested in doing so. In everything I've read by you so far you do not strike me as extremely intelligent person, you seem to be someone that thinks you look like some form of intelligence by being rude or having the last word and would do anything to accomplish that. Many others that post here seem to be able to communicate and show in many cases intelligence without that. But that is your problem not mine.

    Common and important does not mean the same thing. And you are right about english not being the most common language.... if we are counting heads that have it as their native language, but it seems to be the language that is used on the internet when people of different nations is "talking" together and in that way the most common language and pay notice to this I did not say most important.

    I wrote to my diary and if that and my answers bother you, you stop replying. Try to fish ratings and arguments somewhere else.


     
    M gen yon lot ide. (none / 0) (#15)
    by Clifton on Sun Jan 13th, 2002 at 07:10:31 PM PST
    Adequacy.org is an English-language site. Put up or shut up.

    M ta di yon lot ide. M pense Adequacy.org la se yon site pou tout mounn ki ka pense ak ekri sa li pense. M ka ekri nan Ayisyen, ak ou, mounn ki li Adequacy yo, ka cheche diksyonè a pou li sa m te ekri ou. Se edikasyon, ou ka apwenn langaj la.


     
    Trolling Definition (none / 0) (#13)
    by doofus on Sun Jan 13th, 2002 at 08:14:46 AM PST
    Trolling


     
    You're no Natalie Portman (none / 0) (#9)
    by osm on Sat Jan 12th, 2002 at 03:08:14 PM PST
    or Eva Habermann either.


    Natalie Portman is (none / 0) (#12)
    by doofus on Sun Jan 13th, 2002 at 08:10:09 AM PST
    naked and petrified and pouring hot grits down my pants.


     
    the misspellings are coming from native speakers (none / 0) (#14)
    by em on Sun Jan 13th, 2002 at 06:58:52 PM PST
    for the most part.

    E.g. you don't see *me* misspelling much around these parts, right? I'm about as non native speaker as you can get-- some would even say I don't speak any language at all natively! (They are wrong, though, and ususally fucken Spaniard snobs who think they're better than some exotic New World half-breed creature like me...)
    --em
    Associate Editor, Adequacy.org


     

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