Is spelling and grammar in chat/forums important?

For myself, it's not so much grammar and spelling which are important. My best friend in RL is probably one of the worst spellers I have ever met, and I have to giggle at her e-mails sometimes. She once spelled reggae as "raygay", which took me a minute to figure out. She would be the first to admit it herself, though, so I don't feel disloyal saying this about her. My grammar sometimes is awful, I always end a sentence with a preposition. I very often start a sentence with "but", especially in chat or on forums. If I was writing this as a business letter, though, I would never do that. What is important to me is punctuation and capitilization. I might find someone's post informative, or agree with them vigorously, but if it's all just one huge run-on sentence, it's difficult to even read. My brain starts to feel garbled as I try to figure out exactly what the poster, or chatter, is trying to say. I don't think using a comma or period where needed is really that difficult.

Oh my! I certainly hope I didn't come off as wanting a critique of my writing (or fishing for a complement)! But of course I'll take them all, LOL How very sweet and kind

I have found that most people inworld are patient and will wait for my answers when we are in a 2 or 3 people conversation, but I literally sweat when there are many talking at the same time. Can you imagine, I had my typing anim off for the longest time... people walked away, heheh

Maybe I should go to the Forum Hangout to practice.

I always use a lot of spaces on my forums posts because I find reading large paragraphs on the computer seems more difficult than on a printed page.

Something about the visual style of these forums (and many others) exaggerates that situation.

IDK IMHO IAG AAMOF F2F R&D OTOH IMNSHO FWIW IRL AFAIK n/a w/o FAQ EZ 2 ? (HAVE) MUAH. & AFPOE ATEOTD SNERTS.

/me giggles and runs away
TTFN!

ps. I really have no idea what that all means...

I once said Good C@ck instead of Good Luck to a guy I hardly knew. I was mortified! You can guess what the following conversation was about... a lot of '???' from him, and 'Oops, so sorry' on my part.

QFT!

I'm always amazed and impressed by those I meet in world for whom English is not their first language.

The peeve I have with grammar/spelling, etc. regards those who *are* native English speakers and, as Brenda said, don't seem to give a damn.

You tease!

What?!!!! *giggles*

I personally don't like 'r' '2' 'u' etc but it is each to their own I guess.

With regard to people whom English is not their 1st language, I fully admire them for trying to speak/write in English. With many tenants who speak English far beter than I speak their native language, I am very quick to compliment them and show my appreciation! I am off to attempt to learn another language now!!...

It's a good practice if you ask me, each thought on it's own. Plus it leaves space for the laugh track and rimshots

well it goes without saying that one should be able to type well enough to make their meaning understood. i refuse to type with much punctuation or capitalization. i do not pay much attention to grammar. this isnt grade school and no one is passing out gold stickers for penmanship. it is very much part of my attitude "read my post if you want but im not here to impress you" Thats probably what bothers people about the way i write. i srsly do not care what you think. wont be bothered to make the effort at all. deal with it. The reason i feel this way is that intelligence or the value of someones words, ideas should not be based on how much of a TIGHTASS they are. if the way i type puts someone off that means my typing is a built in bullsh** detector and im weeding out people i wouldnt want to communicate with anyway. i cant lose. get to be lazy AND express my ideas and dont hafta talk to you yay!!!

Since I am not the fastest typist, I will shortcut in chat and IM. My reasoning is that I dont want to keep the other person waiting. It's more important to keep the conversation flowing. It doesn't do me much good to get a sentence perfect if they're tapping the desk in impatience by the time I can type it

When it comes to forums and email, the pressure is off. I have more time to get it right.

So in my mind, it's a matter of context (and putting myself in the place of the other person).

As much as I hate the way you posted I have to say I agree with that statement 100%. Basically folks, get over it. As and English/Literature major I'm amazed at how uptight some people get over grammar, etc in these forums, chat and otherwise.

One of the beautiful things to me about language is how it's always growing and changing. Due to the internet we are seeing those changes occur more rapidly than we have in the past. I don't see those changes any different, however, than the fact that over time "God be with you" evolved into "Goodbye".

Thanx Swan, you've just convinced me. Anal IS the way to go when it comes to grammar I've always wanted a tight ass! Yoohoo!

Weren't Rimshots invented in the 1930's Berlin Club Scene?

Chat speak, eh? I was one of those odd ones that tried to use correct grammar and spelling while in one of those chat forums (IRC and the like). On the other hand, I can't seem to spell correctly and have a problem, at times, with words. I have actually rewritten sentences just because I couldn't figure out how to spell a certain word, and I was typing in English and English is the only language I know how to communicate in.

Strangely, I acquired some quite impressive grades on spelling tests. Tended to get 100% correct. I think my brain has ceased to function correctly, though.

For me there is a vast difference between those who make grammar and spelling MISTAKES and those who don't bother or are unable to make use of grammar or punctuation at all.

The mistakes by people using English as a second language are generally charming. Often the sense comes across anyway. The person has made an effort to learn a second language.

When the writer uses no punctuation and is unable to put sentences together, the results is imcomprehensible and frustrating to read and I usually give up. I don't know if these writers are lazy or have been through a terribly inadequate education or both, but I find it disturbing that there are people who can write words and wish to express something but are unable to construct a sentence.

In communities like this, where English is the accepted common tongue, I believe I am blessed to have it is my native language and I am blessed with a pretty good education as well. I don't have to learn a second language to communicate here. I am aware that those with English as a second language are putting in an effort to use English as well as the effort to learn how to use second life. I can put in an effort to understand their English.

True - but I would always give a big break to anyone who is clearly not a native English speaker. It's when the English speakers write and it appears to be without effort that gripes me, mostly because it makes it harder to answer the question and help.

Yes plus you figure 3rd grade would have been enough.

Non-English speakers should get a pass.

I'm continually amazed by who turns out not to be a native speaker though, most write quite well.

thats hypocritical because ive seen you type in character on these threads as a dolphin and you were not easy to understand but i took the time to understand because i think everyone deserves a chance to be heard. likewise, someone who types with a dialect or using improper grammer may be purposefully expressing themselves in a specific way. why youd have a gripe with that i cant understand. but i think in general people with that attitude probably have control issues or insecurities. no reason to get worked up over how someone types.

Apparently from the elitist attitudes I'm seeing here we will need to restrict the forums to only those who have finished high school and are able to pass an exam.

*shakes head in disgust.

Often my english grammar isn't perfect but in certain settings its more about trying to communicate quickly, sometimes if I am really, really feeling exhausted and ill which is 80 percent of the time I speak fluent FD-onese (aka a version of FD Typo language) as my friend calls it.
I don't use capitalization in world because truthfully because I am trying to communicate fast and if I used all the keys it would mean my hands were all over the keyboard stretching to reach capital keys, etc I wouldn't be able to move my hand due to the pain it hurts bad enough often to communicate with people in world,etc.
I actually find it personally offensive and form of elitism when people in forum or elsewhere nick pick little things like not using capitols,etc.
Yet I even I have friend or two that will criticize my spelling and if they weren't good people in other regards I probably wouldn't speak to them at all.
Imagine this you're in social setting, you're tired, you've taken the time to interact with certain group of people. Now imagine they start nitpicking everything you say and do, pointing out what you're doing wrong who have no clue that they are being basically
rude.
Who would want to hang out with someone who constantly is critical of those they call
friends?
Personally I would find these people who do this behavior rude and sign of some type of social ineptness.
I can forgive certain friends for this behavior because I realize they are constantly in their brains, very intelligent people who are constantly often single-mind dissecting everything like scientist and sometime unaware what they are doing.
I am aware those with high IQ's often lack intelligence in other areas, often in areas
that involve empathy or other areas one would not think of.
Yet I personally have only limited patience for it. Not all of us are the smartest
as grammar checkers because we are often using our minds for other things.
I know I am not very smart, on good day I am lucky if I c an remember my password.
Yet I have other gifts that are just as valuable and just as worthy of respect.
People in forum who do this often I just see them as behaving like Trolls.
They seem to me be saying they are perfect, only certain people who are as
perfect deserve respect. I think this is broadly offensive.
Not that what I think really matters to most here but it matters to me.

Swan, you have posted twice in this thread. Both times I take one glance at your attempt at communication and then skip right over it. I am sure many others have done the same. If you want to express an idea, have enough respect both for yourself and others to try and make an attempt at writing where it can be read without making someone's eyes explode.

Like it or not, you are judged by how you communicate. It is a fact of life. Getting all emo and rebelling against the "man" will not change this.

'Noone' in place of 'no one' drives me batsh*t. Put the frelling space in.

Chris and all who may this be concerned,
I know personally I often ignore certain poster's comments and threads where the writer is most often is putting down others and just plain seems like a jerk.
I also judge them by and assume that because of their forum behavior they may not be someone I want to do business with or participate in social events with.
I assume I am not the only one.

Hah! FD-onese. I call my chat/IM typing style HTML

Hyper Trout Messedup Language.