Spelling out why grammar matters

Where I'm from and where you think I'm from are, er, poles apart.

>>he just goes around correcting everyone's English.

You claim to have an eye for detail and you say you have assisted someone correct his CV. Yet in a thread about grammar you make every mistake in the book (including use of you're instead of your). We're not talking typos but mistakes demonstrating poor understanding of some basics. It would be remiss to not point them out. It's not personal.

Can see this being another long drawn out thread about something that really doesn't matter to the masses in the modern computer geek world we now live in.......

erm, it's (was) a thread about grammar, light hearted open discussion and debate with a good dose of humour. Clinton has put an interesting take on it from someone who isn't (wasn't? now you've got me at it) originally from the UK.

If you look at Clintons LinkedIn profile, I think he has been very magnanimous in his "Poles apart" humour. When light hearted banter starts to get taken personally, then it ceases to be banter.

As Barney says, it looks like this thread has now run it's course, which is a shame as it was becoming quite interesting. 

Originally Posted by ITGeek007

“Clinton - I give up!  Not going to pursue this 'conflict' any more, you've got off lightly this time

So, I'm not going to elucidate.  Normally I would have said that I can't, because I don't know what that word means, sorry, however thanks to the power of Steve (AKA Google), I now do, so I'm still not going to eludicate.

Oh, and it's "see what I 'did' there?" not "done"  - and NO, sorry, I didn't!

Steve - I DIDN'T think that Clinton was having a pop at me personally, he just goes around correcting everyone's English.  Speaking of which, Clinton, if I had a hat, I'd take it off to you!  Considering you're from Poland, you're English is very very good!

Oh, and Steve, thanks for picking on me there!  "classic case of reading too much into something"  The bl**dy cheek of it!

Why are we talking about shoes all of a sudden?  As long as we haven't got off on the wrong foot on this thread, that'll be fine!  Sorry, couldn't resist that one!

 ”

Good discussion with plenty of differing views on the importance or otherwise of grammar.  I applaud Clinton in mastering a difficult language.  

IT Geek - I used shoes as an example of incorrect use of "them"; a habit that seems to have stemmed from a certain soap.  Pay attention please 

Clinton - loved the 'poles apart' bit!

You claim to have an eye for detail and you say you have assisted someone correct his CV. Yet in a thread about grammar you make every mistake in the book (including use of you're instead ofyour). We're not talking typos but mistakes demonstrating poor understanding of some basics. It would be remiss to not point them out. It's not personal.

I know it's not personal, it never has been, and I don't take offence.  I do have an eye for detail, but, with respect, I feel you are kind of missing the point here?  Whether someone does or does not spot an error, can depend on a number of different circumstances.  Quite often on forum posts, I can be typing quite fast, because I don't want to spend all day responding to posts... I have other things to do.  I that scenario, I can very easily miss things, because my focus and concentration isn't too sharp.

Barney - it won't be, I kind of agree with you, and btw I love the cat

Steve - think you've misunderstood my meaning there.  I was trying to be funny, hence the smileys

Julia - sorry about that, I skim read a lot

ahh ok, sorry thought you'd got the hump  apologies 

Been one of those days today, everyone seems grumpy. Our man Clive hasn't stopped moaning all day, which is justified as he's been shouting at worldpay, dealing with multiple complaints, and trying to deal with moving house 

Meanwhile we have grumpy customers, grumpy suppliers and now grumpy car owners in our business centre as it seems I've blocked everyone in.

I blame the weather!

Moving on ...

Originally Posted by Barney

“something that really doesn't matter to the masses in the modern computer geek world we now live in.......”

I teach my children that no matter how they speak when with friends there is no excuse for not retaining the ability to use formal language when required, and no substitute for knowing when to use it.

That lesson on its own shouldn't give them a significant competitive advantage in the working world, but it does. The reason it does is because "the masses" as you call them don't give a sh*t about grammar.

The upwardly mobile, aspirational young person is never disadvantaged by being articulate. Various governments have thrown a ton of cash on the social mobility problem. They'd achieve a lot more, I believe, if they diverted those funds to changing some attitudes.

Well all I can say is, is for me life is far too short to be arguing about the English grammar. As I said earlier both the grammar and the language evolves over time, always has done and always will do. However I do appreciate it that there are some more highly articulate, well  educated people out there, whose skill and use of the English grammar knows no bounds... Most of the ones I stumble across every now and then, can string a sentence together.... But they sure have a severe lack of common sense... Having said that I find it easier to leave them stuck up their own rear ends, in their own fantasy superior world......     

Ah, the old rhubarb about education and common sense being mutually exclusive.

It's clear you associate educated people with a lack of commonsense i.e. that people tend to have one quality or the other, not both. I bow to your superior commonsense and the entitlement it bestows upon you to throw an ad hominem.

Our educational institutions seem filled with attitudes like these - negative stereotypes surrounding "geeks", "nerds" and anyone who doesn't subscribe to the gospel of mediocrity. Our social hierarchy reserves a special vitriol for intelligence and aspiration at the expense of showering recognition and peer accolades on those who choose to act and be dumb.

It's a shame as it doesn't do our young people any favours. Neither does the puerile excuse about language evolution. Till the language actually does evolve to accept "you was" and "should of", users taking these liberties can and will be disadvantaged not just in university and job interviews but even in deals involving simple everyday communication.