Is spelling and grammar in chat/forums important?

This isn't a quiz about spelling nor is anyone being graded on it. As long as you get your point across it shouldn't matter. Besides, everyone makes typos even those who know how to spell. Usually happens due to people typing fast as they write.

But you always have some idiot pointing out you mispelled words as if it really mattered.

I supose so and no...

I supose so, if I am posting in the public forum, or in open public chat.
No, if I am in private chat talking smack or baboon gibberish to a close friend.

Besides that, I couldn't care less...

Hey! this guy Ricardo makes a lot of sense to me! I type very fast and my shift key gets stuck in lowercase a lot...a lot!
Isa, it wouldn't matter to me if you were howling at the moon or gibbering like a baboon, as long as I could understand you... we're all family here I would hope.

I hope not. You haven't met my family. I like you guys.

Writing with a modicum of thought for those who will read your words is nothing to do with being pedantic or snobbish - it's merely being a) considerate and b) practical. After all, you presumably intend your views to be read and understood or why bother?

Capital letters in appropriate places, some punctuation and splitting long passages into paragraphs are just ways to make yourself understood more easily. Deliberately doing otherwise seems rather counter-productive to my mind.

--
Aes

It is our responsibility to speak and write English correctly. I hate "lazy English."

Brad, you haven't met my family either, but as you know, I am referring to 'we' the Forum Bunch, not the Bradley bunch... so yeah, I HOPE we are all family, and my feelings for the OP's Original Post stand. Gibber, howl, skreeeeee like a dolphin, meoooow like a kitty, but as long as you make yourself understood, it REALLY DOESN'T MATTER how you type it. if your keys get stuck, or you type with two fingers only, or your native tongue is not English, or god forbid you are only ten years old typing in this forum, as long as you make yourself understood, what does it matter???
OMG! I just typed three question marks in a row...so shoot me!!!
(Sorry Brad, I started off talking to you and then got on a soap box against all the 'perfectionists'...I realize you are cool with imperfect typing

& I would like to have an intelectual conversation with Swan, if that's OK with the rest of you intelectuals.

Crap! I used the ampersand sign instead of the word AND!

Some people cannot speak and/or write English correctly. There are numerous reasons for this, ranging from low intelligence to mental and physical disorders. For these reasons, it is wrong to discriminate against people who cannot communicate effectively. Likewise, it is wrong to assume they are being lazy.

If they can somehow convey their message despite their shortcomings, they should not be shunned or ostracised.

Q. Is spelling and grammar in chat/forums important?
A. Yes. Both are written forms of communication.

Q. Does spelling and grammar have to be perfect to be acceptable or understood?
A. No.

Q. Is it helpful to point out every single error in spelling and grammar?
A. No.

Isabeau - your writing is always beautiful, just like your name.

An interesting bit of history about Canada and the United States...It was by ONE vote that English became the official language in this part of the world. Otherwise German would have been the official language in the west. And then it would have been our responsibility to speak and write proper German. Besides the point of being 'proper' or 'correct' every language is constantly evolving, especially the hybrid language we call English. Is this a weak attempt to preserve the English language, are we afraid of change? What will it matter a hundred years from now to any of us discussing this?

Swan...what are your thoughts?

Sorry Graph, that "English by one vote" thing is a myth.

http://www.snopes.com/language/apocryph/german.asp

I get to tell that urban myth every time in my classes...

And I don't discriminate at all, as I said in the other thread when talking about dyslexia. I'm just saying being lazy is bad. Although I do tell off my students if they make stupid mistakes (ARRRR, relative clause commas...*whine*) -because they are STUDYING English, and in Germany, that means you're supposed to know your grammar BEFORE you start studying.

Saying everyone who wants good grammar is a snob is the same as saying everyone who is a bad speller is stupid.

Damn, you both beat me to it.

And I suppose you will stick to your guns on that one...was there ever any doubt? Please dont change for anyone Chris, we all love you just as you are...(did I just say that?)

Just think of how DROLL this SL would be if everyone spoke and wrote the same, looked the same, and acted the same...I would leave in a heartbeat (bunch of clones!)
NOT SO!!! SL is very diverse, and I take my hat of to Isabeau for bearing her soul to the rest of us. Why? So we can pick it apart? Never... Isabeau...I would like to apologize for anyone who had caused you grief, you are a sweet and kind soul.

Couldn't change if I wanted to Graph, it is genetic.

http://lifestyle.in.msn.com/health/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1171126

Hamburg: People who are stubborn and never seem to learn from their mistakes may have a mutated gene that makes them bull-headed, according to scientists in Germany.

About one-third of the population has this mutation, which may be nature's way of ensuring that there are always some people who will not give up trying when at first they do not succeed, say the researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany.

"Where would we be without those few individuals who refuse to accept defeat and who continue to soldier onwards when common sense tells the rest of mankind that there's no use trying?" one of the authors of the study, Tilmann Klein, said in an interview.

@Isabeau: I *WISH* my students' English were as good as yours...

(GG tips his hat to you Chris) Now, about all this nit-picking...
Le me ask you a question: What is the official language in the parts of Alabama where they are 'so far in the woods that they have to pump the sunshine in'?

If you were from that part of the world your 'official' question back to me (because my question was not understood) would be: "Dewwuuuuut'??? And yes...it would be with three question marks if you want to get technical.

Wow! What a thread!

I personally am not that mithered if someone has a few typos or spelling mistakes. i don't mind if their post doesn't have paragraphs (though it certainly makes it easier to read) and even if there is no punctuation or capitalisation i will still do my best to get through their post.
i do try to be careful when posting. i like to give a good impression, but i do use shortcuts (though not u, 2, r, etc in the forums).
i read fast and type fast too, but half of my posting time is used by proofreading my post - especially if i am starting a thread.
I frequently forget to make my I's capitol, but i don't think this makes a huge difference.
In world however is a different story. it depends who i am with, what i am doing and the occasion. If chat is super speedy then it will use a bit of txt speak. it just means i am not speaking 10 years after everyone else. But I hate it when people correct themselves like you said Bradley. it ruins the flow. If I am confused by whatsomeone has said then i will ask. I don't need things like that correcting - even though i have started to do it because others do.
Oh, and i use the smilies and lolz far too much.

Isabeau, I would never have even thought English was your second language. You write better than i do! i wish I spoke Spanish as well as you speak English. or French for that matter, I work with a French lady, it would be so cool to be able to have conversations wih her in French! lol.
FD, i always read your threads. I see it that if someone has taken the time to post a comment then I should take the time to read it. It takes what? 30 seconds? 1 minute? nothing! plus you always have something to say, and I love your sigs. They rock! lol.

But yeah, thats my view. Just my opinion though. i don't see anyone as snobs or eliteist or anything like that. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone has the option to read a post or not. But i don't like the way threads are torn apart sometimes for a reason as simple as spelling. Granted it doesn't happen often, but still....

Claire, Thanks for your kind words.
I really don't like calling anyone names even snobs but their are some people
who just get really rude and nitpicking and in my creative mind I start conjuring up images of the traditional view of what a intellectual snob might look like within our world and forums.
If it isn't about being the Spelling or Grammar Police, they are picking or dissecting a part something else.
Sometimes they basically do tell people in so many words they are inferior and that in
my book is plain wrong.
How dare they make general value judgments and think they are immune by their behavior. It seems like they they are trying to be more superior, perhaps they are over compensating for something they lack within their prim cells.
Truthfully I actually don't know if they are snobs and I am sorry I said that.
Perhaps they are just really lack Prim-fullfillment or are bored.

Like me-I type far too fast, and not very systematically, so my original posts usually look like the cat jumped on the keyboard (which, incidentally, one of the cats did do a while back while I was chatting to someone in SL...two lines of hfidgdfgnfv.... )

And, technically speaking, I can't be a snob-my parents are both lower working class with only one language, and my dad can't even spell or write his only language properly ....

misspelled english is fun. im in california, we cant spell wortha shit. or capitalize.

But you make fantastic wine, so maybe we'll let you slide

I couldn't, just due to that- I come from one of the most famous wine-making regions in Germany....

Ok, I'd let you slide too Yum!

Spelling, punctuation, grammar, are nice, and I apreciate the effort invested by the poster.

I can, however, live without them.

Far more important to me, on an Internet Forum is formatting. !!

I think I have read most of Colettes' posts since I joined, because they are readable. Sadly, I have never finished one of Swan Legends' posts, because the lack of paragraphs makes my eyes ache.

Swan may be a wonderful avatar, full of the milk of human kindness, a repository of the wisdom of the ages.

I will never know, because I read 2 or 3 words and just give up.

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spelling,punctuation,grammar,are nice,and i apreciate the effort invested by the poster.i can, however, live without them.far more important to me,on an Internet Forum is formatting.!!i think i have read most of Colettes' posts since I joined, because they are readable.sadly,i have never finished one of swan legends' posts,because the lack of paragraphs makes my eyes ache.swan may be a wonderful avatar,full of the milk of human kindness,a repository of the wisdom of the ages.i will never know, because I read 2 or 3 words and just give up.



Who finds the formatting in the text above the dotted line, easier to read ??