Please people!

[___________Evilspork]

[Thanks to the mod who deleted the other thread. While I do like being mischievous, I don't like being destructive like that. Sorry for the trouble]

Learn to use apostrophes!

There is NO apostrophe in plurals. (mobs not mob's)

There IS an apostrophe in contractions. ("it's" for "it is", "don't" for "do not")

There is NO apostrophe for the neuter possessive, its. It's just like his or hers, you don't put one before the s.

There IS an apostrophe for other possessives. If it doesn't end in an s, generally you add an 's. If it does end in an s, generally you add an apostrophe AFTER the s.

Really, this isn't that hard. If you use proper grammar and spelling, people will think you're a dumbass because of what you say, not how you say it!

Next time: your, you're, and ur!

[_____________arsiine]

Engli'sh i'snt everyone's fir'st language. Remember, there i's a whole other part of the globe.

[___________Evilspork]

Very true, but for most people it's still inexcuseable. I know many people for whom english isn't their first (or even second or third!) language who speak/type it perfectly, and also people who have spoken it their whole lives and can't get anything right.

I dunno, a lot of it is so simple that it just annoys me when people mess it up (while they're calling you an idiot, no less).

And maybe this will help everyone, native- and non-native-speakers alike.

[____________Intrepid]

Usually the people with engilish as a second or third language have better grammar/spelling then those who speak it as their first language.

[Xpie]

Hear Hear

[____________Nothanks]

LOL now I can reply.

Ive heard of people getting upset about about bad grammar and spelling, but apostrophes!? I think you are taking this too seriously. Remember this is an online message board not the highschool newspaper.

Dispensing with apostrophes is common in casual online communication because it is usually very easy to understand what is meant, and it saves a few keystrokes...

[___________Evilspork]

I don't mind not using them at all, because as you said, this is an informal board. What makes you look like a dumbass is when you *do* use them, but totally eff them up.

My little guide is for people that feel the need to use them but can't seem to get the process down pat.

[secondkenlon]

What is the point of trying to communicate if you don't do it properly?

In the middle of a fight in-game is one thing, on a message board, e-mail list, or USENet newsgroup is another.

[______________Erasor]

When I read this I was utterly speechless, then I realized, or at least hoped, you were kidding. Give people a break, who cares if they misuse apostrophes? A good amount of people on AO learned English from AO! So who cares if I have a run-on sentence? Who cares if I mis-speall a word? (hehe) WHO CARES ABOUT GRAMMAR? I think, the majority of the time, you can tell what I'm talking about. And if you can't, I can repeat myself. If you have a problem with people's (<----that's right, oh, and so is that) then don't read on the boards. Go read some classic British novel that, for some unexplainable reason, is a classic novel. Leave us alone. English teachers and AO weren't meant to be mixed OBVIOUSLY.


(Edited b/c I left out a word, didn't want to make it a bad paper or anything =)

PS: Evilspork, I have absolutely nothing against you, I just think you should keep these "feelings" to yourself.

[___________Evilspork]

WTF is an acronym, not a contraction.

[____________Dominata]

Originally posted by Evil "Evilspork" Spork
Really, this isn't that hard. If you use proper grammar and spelling, people will think you're a dumbass because of what you say, not how you say it!

How true, dumbass.


Where do you perfectionists draw the line for what is excusable or not? Does it cloud the whole issue for you if the apostrophes aren't in the right place? I have seen a lot of posts on these forums that have been poorly written from a grammatical point of view but also contained lots of good ideas and strong arguments. I would never dream of dismissing them just because they were not perfectly executed grammar wise.
On the contrary, I admire the people who dare to make the attempt to post their issues in the face of people like you. You grammar nazis have a frighteningly shallow view of what is acceptable or not. You rather read drivel that is written with proper grammar than a valid and strong argument that is badly written.

The vast majority of english native speaking people have never even bothered to learn another language, yet you have the gall to complain and dismiss other peoples efforts in what for them is a foreign language.

Get off your high horses, please.

Feel free to dismiss my post, I'm sure there is a mistake or two somewhere in this post since english is not my first language.

[Xeni]

These posts are always first a good laugh, but then im asking myself if i should cry instead.

[________________Noda]

Im so'rry

[BigGreen]

While I appreciate the tips on apostophes, I have to say it amuses me coming from someone with "spork" in their name. Spork is not recognized as a word in the Mirriam-Webster online dictionary, nor in AskOxford.com, the online version of the Oxford English dictionary. Normally I wouldn't be so picky, but since we're on the topic of correct English I thought I would point that out.

[___________Evilspork]

Originally posted by Dominata
How true, dumbass.

That's the spirit!

Like I mentioned above, I know many people for whom English isn't their first language yet they speak and type it flawlessly. Lest we start making baseless assumptions about each other, I know a bit of and am learning German.

Also like I mentioned above, this IS an informal forum. I am very well aware that probably most of the people posting here are not from my little piece of the global pie. What I do take offense to are people who I *know* know better, yet are too lazy to do it right.

I thought this post would be taken jokingly and light-hearted (especially the "dumbass" line, which was meant to be aimed mostly at myself (good job of catching that, Domi)), but I guess I didn't word it right. Yes, I do get annoyed when people screw it up. No, I am not a grammar Nazi. Yes, I do hope someone learned something from it.

And I guess Kleenex isn't a word either: spork seems to be a word made up by a corporation for a product, which was then adopted by the world at large as something not to be taken seriously. Yet again, self-referential humor.

[Wobble]

I agree entirely. People using incorrect grammar and punctuation wind me up.

Also people using there, their and they're in the wrong context are bad.

However one concept that I've never really grasped is how to show possession with a word that ends in 's'. I'm not sure why, but ending a word with an apostrophe just seems wrong...

It's not about being a grammar nazi, it's about effective communication. You are more likely to get your point across and you add strength to your arguments if you have a positive image. In a purely written medium, such as a forum, you only have three ways to create this.

1) Name.
2) Reputation. (based on past posts)
3) Your actual post.

If one of these is suspect, you lose credibility in the eyes of the reader and therefore you detract from whatever you may be saying.

[__________Comfortyou]

Originally posted by Evil "Evilspork" Spork
[Thanks to the mod who deleted the other thread. While I do like being mischievous, I don't like being destructive like that. Sorry for the trouble]

Learn to use apostrophes!

There is NO apostrophe in plurals. (mobs not mob's)

There IS an apostrophe in contractions. ("it's" for "it is", "don't" for "do not")

There is NO apostrophe for the neuter possessive, its. It's just like his or hers, you don't put one before the s.

There IS an apostrophe for other possessives. If it doesn't end in an s, generally you add an 's. If it does end in an s, generally you add an apostrophe AFTER the s.

Really, this isn't that hard. If you use proper grammar and spelling, people will think you're a dumbass because of what you say, not how you say it!

Next time: your, you're, and ur!

w'h'o c'a'r'e's '?'

[____________Dominata]

All of you that has to see correct grammar in a post are making one of the most basic mistake that we humans are prone to do... Judging by appearance and not by actual content.
It is a shallow and immature way of judging the worth of what is being actually said, it is also a sign of a lack of empathy and understanding for other people and their circumstances.

My statement about English speaking people not bothering to learn foreign languages was not aimed at you specifically, Spork, but at the population in general. Far be it from me to draw any conclusions about you other than the ones that you so graciously supply through your posts. It's good that you are learning German but how long will it take for you to muster up the courage to make a post on a German messageboard, knowing that your opinion will be dismissed and not respected by people like yourself?

Your post might initially have been made in a lighthearted manner but it certainly didn't come across as such, more like a whine.
It is posts like these that actually makes people apologise for their poor English, something they never should have to do.

Yes, I also hope that someone has learned something...
*glances sardonically at Spork*

[Wobble]

All of you that has to see correct grammar in a post are making one of the most basic mistake that we humans are prone to do... Judging by appearance and not by actual content.

I disagree, at some level, probably subconscious in most people, appearance influences your view of the content. It may not be politically correct, but it is true.

[Jynne]

I don't mind bad English, though it sometimes makes a good idea hard to understand. I will admit I often skip posts I have a hard time reading.

On the other hand I do mind "intentional" bad English, such as typing in slang or in "l33t sp34k," for other than humorous purposes.