[JoeW]

As long as we're venting, it bothers me when I see "would of" instead of "would've".

There are only two kinds of people in this world: those who can spell and those who are LOOSERS!

Haha. I would of spelled that rite if I wasn't trying to irritate you! Your not laughing. Why not??? Are you out of you're mind??? Their must be something I can right hear too make you laugh.

[Aimrehtopyh]

What drives me up the wall is when people say "different than" when they should say "different from". Spelling and grammar crimes are bad enough, but this error is such a glaring logical inconsistency it makes my scalp twitch.

"The lighting in here is different than the other room." Sounds okay to most people but makes me want to commit felony assault.

[coyote]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JoeW', 'H')aha. I would of spelled that rite if I wasn't trying to irritate you! Your not laughing. Why not??? Are you out of you're mind??? Their must be something I can right hear too make you laugh.

[thuja]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('coyote', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Carlhole', 'A')nother one I always see is the incorrect, "definately", for "definitely".

[coyote]

At the risk of arousing feminist ire, two that get a groan from me are 'womyn' and 'wimmin.' Really, can't we have a discussion without expressing our outrage by deliberately mispelling words? It's like bucking the establishment by putting your pants on backwards.

Of course, perhaps I'm just being an insensitive myn.

('Grrrl,' on the other hand... oh, behave!)

[dinopello]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('coyote', 'A')t the risk of arousing feminist ire, two that get a groan from me are 'womyn' and 'wimmin.' Really, can't we have a discussion without expressing our outrage by deliberately mispelling words?

[coyote]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('thuja', 'O')il is Infinate!!

[BastardSquad]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mmasters', 'G')rammar Police

[coyote]

Wow, BastardSquad.

I assumed mmasters was referring to the post right above his:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Last_Laff', 'T')his is the same thing goes for "then" and "than". But I careless, perfectionism is overrated. Idiots whom thrive in spelling will end up in asylum.

[careinke]

The misuse of effect and affect is my personal pet peeve.

Cliff (Start a revolution, grow a garden)

[BastardSquad]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('coyote', 'W')ow, BastardSquad.

I assumed mmasters was referring to the post right above his:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Last_Laff', 'T')his is the same thing goes for "then" and "than". But I careless, perfectionism is overrated. Idiots whom thrive in spelling will end up in asylum.

[steam_cannon]

I had an amusing and brilliant geology professor who was talking about survivors of "The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake". He was showing us copies of letters from them describing their lives under tents made from carpets, surprised they weren't sick from being in the elements. What was really interesting was he pointed out the fine penmanship, grammar and spelling of these average everyday people. I think a lot of that came from studying words and language; much like we study TV today.

But it really impressed me and I thought I'd mention it. If oil means less TV and less computer junk; our kids might learn grammar and how to spell! That's got to be at least one bright spot for a future with out oil.

[katkinkate]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('thuja', '.')....

PLease people- the word is losing, not loosing.

If I have to see that word loosing one more time, I am going to go insane........

[Heineken]

It's nice to see some support on this thread for standardized English. I'd expected more attacks against it (which tend to be generated most vigorously---naturally---by those who can't spell, apply standard grammatical rules, etc.).

Of course, the problems with today's state of written English go far beyond spelling and grammar and penetrate to the very meaning of our writing. Logic and reasoning are increasingly tilted into an abyss of confusion, even nonsense. In the worst cases, people may end up saying the exact opposite of what they mean!

And then there's so much redundancy and "padding"---so many wasted words that add little or nothing.

In longer pieces, organization is often hopeless, with section or chapter headings that bear little relation to the material that follows them.

I spent 27 years as a professional editor (for several scientific journals whose names you'd recognize) and have literally seen it all. And I've watched the deterioration progress steadily. It's frightening how many M.D.s and Ph.D.s out there can barely translate their thoughts into clear written words. My job as an editor was often to figure out what they meant and then say it for them.

Of course, THEY got all the credit.

One of the difficulties, on the editorial side, is that anyone can call himself an editor and set himself up in that business. As a result, there are plenty of bad editors out there alongside the bad writers. In an effort to address this problem, an organization called the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences established a certification program for editors that is now globally recognized:

www.bels.org

In general, I think the quality of the writing on PO.com is remarkably good, which is greatly to the credit of its members. People seem to make an effort to compose their posts well, and this makes a real difference in what we're all trying to achieve here.

[katkinkate]

Well, Heineken. I'm impressed. Landed and literate!

[TheTurtle]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('katkinkate', 'W')ell, Heineken. I'm impressed. Landed and literate!

[mekrob]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') had an amusing and brilliant geology professor who was talking about survivors of "The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake". He was showing us copies of letters from them describing their lives under tents made from carpets, surprised they weren't sick from being in the elements. What was really interesting was he pointed out the fine penmanship, grammar and spelling of these average everyday people. I think a lot of that came from studying words and language; much like we study TV today. Laughing

[basil_hayden]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', '
')
Of course, the problems with today's state of written English go far beyond spelling and grammar and penetrate to the very meaning of our writing. Logic and reasoning are increasingly tilted into an abyss of confusion, even nonsense. In the worst cases, people may end up saying the exact opposite of what they mean!

And then there's so much redundancy and "padding"---so many wasted words that add little or nothing.

[Heineken]

Certainly, Basil, that's another facet of it: The deliberate misuse of language to obfuscate and deceive (a la "1984" and "Animal Farm"), to sell, or to try to sound important far beyond the actual basis for significance.

[Heineken]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mekrob', 'I')'ve always noticed that I tend to speak with more clarity and a greater vocabulary after I've been reading classical works. I believe that this is a fundamental problem in today's society. We've shifted away from reading Dickens and the like for fun to reading Harry Potter and Steven King. Let's hope that the former returns to its rightful place.