Why do people need to be so picky?

benson21

benson21

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I just dont get it. What is the point? Someone is on here asking a genuine question about what she should do, and what do you think is the most important thing on her post. Yep. That she has written the wrong word!! Brought, and not bought. Can we not just give her advice and not pretend to be English teachers? We all knew what she meant, so does it really matter?
I might be wrong, but she sounds a young girl, do we have to knock her confidence in picking up her punctuation and spelling, and risk her not asking questions on here again? really?
 
Further down the page, not the horse I thought. Ok, maybe I am exagerating a bit, there is only a couple of comments about it, but still. All its gonna do is knock her confidence to come on here and ask other questions!
 
Good grief the person picking up the spelling mistake must be really busy if she is going to tell everybody what they have spelt wrong on this site :D

Surely nobody really cares about the spelling as long as they can understand what the person is talking about
 
Although I am a stickler for correct English, I actually agree with you here - the poor girl just wants some help and advice, her spelling, etc. is something for another day. Just to add: I do care about proper spelling, grammar and syntax, a lot, and can't bear lazy usage, but this particular post requires serious answers, not nit picking.
 
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I used to think it didn't matter until I realised that quite a lot of people don't read books for pleasure and only read posts on social media sites, where spelling mistakes are the norm. How can someone identify an error if they don't know it's wrong ?


While I agree that its important not to put people off from posting and trying to articulate what they want to say, its also important to be able to use the correct word. Bought and brought have different meanings.

I don't correct people though, I try to put the word in my post correctly instead.
 
I don't mind a few spelling errors or typos. I use my phone to type and autocorrect keeps trying to convince me to 'Americanise' everything. It happens. Sometimes you just make an honest error.

What I cannot deal with is a poster expecting people to take the time to read their posts and advise/comment/sympathise when they couldn't be bothered to type properly.

"Plz can u chek my pic nd tel me wots rong wit my hors." Not ok!
 
Cortez said:
Although I am a stickler for correct English, I actually agree with you here - the poor girl just wants some help and advice, her spelling, etc. is something for another day. Just to add: I do care about proper spelling, grammar and syntax, a lot, and can't bear lazy usage, but this particular post requires serious answers, not nit picking.
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This for me also..!!!
 
benson21 said:
I just dont get it. What is the point? Someone is on here asking a genuine question about what she should do, and what do you think is the most important thing on her post. Yep. That she has written the wrong word!! Brought, and not bought. Can we not just give her advice and not pretend to be English teachers? We all knew what she meant, so does it really matter?
I might be wrong, but she sounds a young girl, do we have to knock her confidence in picking up her punctuation and spelling, and risk her not asking questions on here again? really?
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Agrre totally.

i know which post you mean and the sad thing is the op has actually felt the need to apologise for her spelling and explained that she is dyslexic, poor girl! What does it matter about spelling we understood what she meant and she just wanted advice xx
 
We can all have typos or sp mistakes, it doesnt bother me as long as it doesnt confuse people on the point of the post, tbh i just skip past the posts that pick up on it as i hope the op did in this case.
 
agh this really bothers me, Yes perhaps someone typing a post in 'txt speak' might be a bit annoying but I still wouldn't mention it, this is an equine forum not one for discussing the finer points of the English language!

But picking on someone just for spelling mistakes especially from someone with dyslexia is just downright nasty.
I haven't commented on the thread in question because it's been answered sufficiently.

I personally have terrible spelling and rely on auto correct! That does not affect my ability with bloody horses!
 
Who are any of us to correct anyone else anyway? Sure, it can be frustrating as I too am a bit of a stickler for it, but I also make mistakes sometimes and all I wonder when I get corrected is when that person appointed themselves as my English teacher?

It can be useful to be told when you have got something wrong, but I would not choose a serious post as a platform to do that when there is obviously a greater need to be met.
 
The odd spelling mistake/typo is fine with me. I know a lot of users on here are on iPhones etc and it is so so easy to make a mistake on them and not realise.

What does grind my gears is when people are having a good debate (a.k.a. argument!) and the opposing side runs out of valid points so takes to sniping at spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Petty and childish, IMO.
 
Glad I'm not the only one who feels it's not right to do this to someone asking for help. I felt really sorry for the OP. No need for it at all and it came across to me as bullying and trying to belittle the OP :( x
 
I thought the same but have jetlag and am generally just being a bit grouchy today so didn't want to call the person out on it. Felt particularly bad for the OP when she explained she was dyslexic and just after advice, bless her!
 
I'm in a rather difficult place on this one. While I agree with Cortez and others that correct use of English is important, I also agree that pulling someone up on their spelling etc is bad form when they are looking for advice on an issue to do with their horse.

However ... Whilst I am normally as correct as possible with my English, spelling etc, I notice made a massive typo in my latest thread which I didn't notice until I'd posted it!!! Clang!! I'm blaming the iPad which randomly auto corrects almost at will .....
 
Proofreading is a recognised profession. I rather wish these keyboard warriors would stop attempting to do it for free, especially when no one has asked them to! I hope the poster was able to ignore it.
 
This is our leisure time. As long as i can cobble together a formal letter or email when i have to i dont give a darn about my or anyone else's spelling or grammar on here as long as i can understand it!
 
I'm dyslexic, I go through my posts three or four times as a know I'm not very good with spelling and really feel miffed when people rant about bad spelling......my brain doesn't see it that way:/
 
benson21 said:
I just dont get it. What is the point? Someone is on here asking a genuine question about what she should do, and what do you think is the most important thing on her post. Yep. That she has written the wrong word!! Brought, and not bought. Can we not just give her advice and not pretend to be English teachers? We all knew what she meant, so does it really matter?
I might be wrong, but she sounds a young girl, do we have to knock her confidence in picking up her punctuation and spelling, and risk her not asking questions on here again? really?
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I know what you mean, certain sad people on here comment on my punctuation, I mean are these so called spelling police make an odd typo when they text???.

I type one handed at mo due to broken arm and do make odd typo. Is it really that important ?no just sad people I think.
 
Greylegs said:
However ... Whilst I am normally as correct as possible with my English, spelling etc

I'm blaming the iPad which randomly auto corrects almost at will .....
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I try to post in coherent English, and try to proof read my posts before I send them down the wires, but IPad autocorrect practically rewrites some of them for me (in a bad way).

In the thread that the young OP was picked up on, she had a few simple typos but nothing that interfered very much with the meaning. It wasn't a light hearted thread in which facetious replies were warranted but a genuine request for help and advice. It's rather sad that anyone saw fit to pick on a few details in the grammar IMHO.
 
annagain said:
*made some cracking spelling mistakes

Sorry couldn't resist given the topic of discussion. :D

(Hope you take this in the spirit it was meant :))
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This made me giggle! I havn't seen the post I don't think but agree it isn't necessary on a forum such as this. If it is still comprehendible leave them be. I'm sure everyone has let at least a few slip through in their time. I'm a useless speller.

I have to say the wrong use of "to" and "too" always bugs me but I would never pull someone up on it - unless I knew them well and knew it could be joked about with them. Hope that makes sense.
 
I did think that when I read the thread too.

I am a pretty dreadful speller myself, so couldn't pull anyone up on anything. The only time I would is if the poster had posted a huge rambling post without full stops or paragraphs that is too hard to read.

I don't think anyone has the right to correct people generally on their grammar or spelling. People may not read books nowadays, but they read other things (such as these forums) so its not like they don't read.. There won't be a single person on here who has not posted something spelt wrong or written it incorrectly.

General threads on what bugs you about spelling or grammar errors are fine, when they're not directed at one person in particular. Sometimes you can learn a lot from them.
 
i just had the grammar police correcting me on another thread. Why do people think its there job to correct others typing?

We all sit behind a computer screen no one knows the predicament others are in do they?


Are they Dyslexic
Have they a broken limb and typing with their weaker hand
do they have other mental disabilities
Are they vision impaired
Don't know much English / spelling etc.


there are a number of reasons for bad spelling/ typos. Why should another human on here feel the need to, pick at others weaknesses?
 
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