Do errors damage the credibility of the writer

Wulfman wrote:Considering the fact that this forum (and the Internet) reaches around the world to many people whose primary language is NOT English, I think this hangup with "proper English" is or should be a non-issue.

Wulfman wrote: think most languages have a formal/written form and the spoken/vernacular form(s), dialects and expressions that are unique to different areas

South Africans don't discriminate & don't judge our neighbours - we are ALL equal, we all want to LEARN and EVERYONE
gets a chance ! ! ! BUT if you swear - you don't get a chance !

OK, this thread is still going ... so what are the holy spelling/grammar elitists going to do? Ban the rest of us from the forum?

I agree with a few posters that "proper English" does not equal intellect or confidence in what is said. To the contrary, "proper English" can be quite deceptive of intellect and confidence.

DreamStalker wrote:It depends on the purpose.

If you are doing as part of a "profession" ... yes it matters.

If you are hanging out on a forum on an internet forum (like this one) who gives a flying crap as long as the message gets across.

DS, I thought your first reply to my question was spot on.
It addressed the exact point that I was trying to make in
asking this question.

DreamStalker wrote:OK, this thread is still going ... so what are the holy spelling/grammar elitists going to do? Ban the rest of us from the forum?

I don't think anyone is going to be banned.

I do find it interesting that it "appears" to be the minority,
NO voters that seem to be concerned about defending their view point.

As always, the discussions have been very enlightening for me.
Many excellent view points and ideas to ponder.
Presentation of new tricks for an old dog, so to speak.

carbonman wrote: I do find it interesting that it "appears" to be the minority,
NO voters that seem to be concerned about defending their view point.

Maybe it is the majority spelling/grammar elitists that are afraid to express their view point for fear of posting with improper English.

The cpaptalk site will surely remain the same.

I won't be doing any more mental squirming than I do now when constructing a post.

Errors vs. Perfection? Inseparably parted.

Laptops and PC's scattered throught the world.
You who exit here to begin some other life beyond the keyboard tapping.

Who knows what revolves in your heart?

The question will always be:"What on earth are you saying?"

The story begins.
An ongoing universe.
The Sun sees to it that Earth,both spinning and tilting,continually keeps its appointed Grand Rounds.
Consoled by the orbits and constellations,
"I wake to sleep and take my waking slow
I learn by going where I have to go"
(Roethke's lambics)

Hat's off to jnk and songbird for the grammar reference tips!

Mentally stirring poetry....let me share a diddy with you....

"There once was a girl from Nantucket....."
<insert the rest here>


Don't feel like being banned today.

Who kept all her cash in a bucket
Then a government man
Drove up in a van
And as for the bucket, man tucket.

LaLaLaLaLa-still 5 syllables after all the fuss!

5aces wrote:Who kept all her cash in a bucket
Then a government man
Drove up in a van
And as for the bucket, man tucket.

Never heard a PC rendition of that limerick. Very nice.

I work in a large corporation in a bilingual city with a multicultural community. In my department we have a Armenian Turk, a Japanese, a Chinese (Taiwan) , a blond Anglo, a French Canadian(the boss) and me a Dutch Canadian ( I speak 3 human languages, can read a few more and work in several computer tongues). I work a lot with the linguistics department who speak mostly French. Unless it is official communications "proper" goes by the wayside and if it is official it must be in both languages and "proper" applies far more to the French then the English and all the translators get involved.

Reading the boss's emails is always a treat, if we got upset about proper English we would never get anything done. Business meetings are conducted in both English and French - none of us except the translators can do "proper" in the other language but that is not the point - communications is. When you live and work in a multicultural society you learn how to be flexible real quick.

There once was a man from Nantucket
Who kept all his cash in a bucket.
But his daughter, named Nan,
Ran away with a man
And as for the bucket, Nantucket


But he followed the pair to Pawtucket,
The man and the girl with the bucket;
And he said to the man,
He was welcome to Nan,
But as for the bucket, Pawtucket.


Then the pair followed Pa to Manhasset,
Where he still held the cash as an asset,
But Nan and the man
Stole the money and ran,
And as for the bucket, Manhasset.

Of this story we hear from Nantucket,
About the mysterious loss of a bucket,
We are sorry for Nan,
As well as the man—
The cash and the bucket, Pawtucket.

LinkC wrote:There once was a man from Nantucket
Who kept all his cash in a bucket.
But his daughter, named Nan,
Ran away with a man
And as for the bucket, Nantucket


But he followed the pair to Pawtucket,
The man and the girl with the bucket;
And he said to the man,
He was welcome to Nan,
But as for the bucket, Pawtucket.


Then the pair followed Pa to Manhasset,
Where he still held the cash as an asset,
But Nan and the man
Stole the money and ran,
And as for the bucket, Manhasset.

Of this story we hear from Nantucket,
About the mysterious loss of a bucket,
We are sorry for Nan,
As well as the man—
The cash and the bucket, Pawtucket.

Makes me wanna drink a green beer, put on my shamrock hat and watch some riverboat dancing.

Good one, LinkC!


Den

NO....

"Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe. ceehiro."


Miko

I used to be in Quality Assurance at the Tickle Me Elmo factory.

My job was to give each doll two test tickles...

I let him know the number doesn't matter, it's who is going to sort the pile. I was at work in two weeks.

I once sent out resumes to a lot of companies, with a covering letter advising if they were looking for someone young, cute, blonde, ditzy, slim etc....don't bother replying, I don't fit that criteria (criterion?). But if they want someone professional, reliable, mature, will turn up on time, get the job done and be presentable, call me. Amazing how many interviews I got simply because they wanted to "meet the person who wrote that". Whatever gets the foot in the door.

5Aces and LinC, which I had your way with words, but unfortunately I don't have that ability. I am always in awe of people who have any artistic talent, in any form.

And I agree, you can eliminate a lot of potential by not looking past the exterior - as they say, "beauty is only skin deep".