The Rules of Grammar That So-Called 'Grammar national socialists' Get Wrong

[Filipe]

If somebody is gonna call someone else out for using a word wrong or for spelling, that person is an starfish. As if to say "I did not read what you said at all and instead I'm going to waste your time posting to correct your grammar."

This all the way, I really hate that kind of person.

[Ad Bot]

[Xalos]

As long as people can understand what you're typing, I say you're fine. But forget abbreviating every other word.
If somebody is gonna call someone else out for using a word wrong or for typos, that person is an starfish. As if to say "I did not read what you said at all and instead I'm going to waste your time posting to correct your grammar."

So basically, you equate "I dislike poor English" with "I totally dismiss your entire argument"?

Okay then. In that case I'm going to correct your grammar every chance I get while simultaneously replying to the argument itself, just to prove you wrong.

[Clone v.117]

So basically, you equate "I dislike poor English" with "I totally dismiss your entire argument"?

That is almost always the case on the internet.

[Mr.Noßody]

So basically, you equate "I dislike poor English" with "I totally dismiss your entire argument"?

Okay then. In that case I'm going to correct your grammar every chance I get while simultaneously replying to the argument itself, just to prove you wrong.

Please do. So far all I've seen from the people correcting grammar are corrections, not responses to anything being said.

You can "dislike poor English" all you want, but if you have nothing to retort with other than grammatical corrections, you shouldn't bother.

[Xalos]

You can "dislike poor English" all you want, but if you have nothing to retort with other than grammatical corrections, you shouldn't bother.

Now that I agree with wholeheartedly.

[D3ATH LORD]

I usually end up starting a sentence with "Due to the fact that..." rather than "Because..." when I have to.

[BluetoothBoy]

You use 'i.e.' incorrectly. You should have used 'e.g.'

Also, ending sentences with prepositions is perfectly acceptable.

Well, that's my fault for only learning i.e. and e.g. from context. 

It is acceptable in some cases, but not all. That's why I said "properly". (I actually meant to delete the second example sentence, as it is proper. Whoops...)

[Xalos]

Well, that's my fault for only learning i.e. and e.g. from context. 

I use the backronyms "idea elaborated" and "example given."

[Muslim]

If somebody is gonna call someone else out for using a word wrong or for spelling, that person is an starfish. As if to say "I did not read what you said at all and instead I'm going to waste your time posting to correct your grammar."

thank you

[Daedalus]

fun fact: the words affect and effect can be used as both nouns and verbs
you can affect someone's life, or you can have a flat affect - meaning a flat tone of voice or inflection.
you can have an effect on something, or you can effect a new law.

[sir dooble]

I have a basic grasp of grammar, but I am in no way excellent with it.
I'm sure that most things I write would make an English professor cringe.


I think what most people do on the internet, which is the cause for most problems, is type out exactly how they would say something in real life.
And for most people, in real life you are much more casual with how you speak.
Some people get fussy about the correct way to say things (I dislike when people use "I/Me" incorrectly when talking about themselves and another person), but for most of the time you just let things go.
If you can understand each other in person then you're fine.

And that's how people behave online.
But of course there are problems with that. Some people get very highly strung on grammar online, mainly because they aren't talking in person with someone else. And when you're distanced from someone online you tend to lose the connection with how to be socially acceptable. It's the reason why people are richardheads on the internet.
If I were to be an arsehole to everyone I spoke to in person then I would have no friends and two black eyes.
If I'm that way online the other person can just type abuse back and that's it.
People wouldn't be accepted socially if they stopped everyone mid-sentence or after everything they say just to point out the problem with their grammar. It's not done, but online it's acceptable.

Also, when people use grammar incorrectly online it can lead to confusion. There is no way to use body language or expression of voice online, so when someone reads something they have to take it exactly how they read it. If they can't read it how the writer intended it, then it leads to problems.
Suddenly something makes no sense, or it can cause offence to another person by accident or confuse them.

Think of how Furling's grammar is online. He quite often doesn't have any grammatical structure to how he types and it's simply the words he's writing which you read. And those alone don't make sense to all.
If we were all in a room with Furling and he were speaking in the same way, then we'd get a much better grasp of what he meant by his hand actions, body language and tone of voice.


I think if someone is writing professionally or trying to, then it's perfectly fine to be a "Grammar national socialist" so long as it's constructive.
"Oh, by the way, you should phrase that like this...", "Just so you know, the correct word in that sentence is normally this instead of that..."

But the in that case you're actually being helpful and not what we actually call a "Grammar national socialist".
Those are such national socialists tend to be the people who use someone's grammar as a point of attack in an argument, or who solely go about correcting peoples grammar rudely and for no reason.
Those people aren't nice.