spelling and/or grammar

[tony1941]

What about a topic dedicated to the above?  See the recent question posted in Science for the response it produced.  It might also help with the education/awareness/interest level of subscribers in all fields.  Since our schools don't seem to be able to teach a large proportion of pupils to write decent English, perhaps AB could help a little?

[jno]

the question you refer to was answered (a) by everyone declaiming they couldn't care less about correct English, it was a diabolical intrusion on their right to express themselves; (b) by everyone then ignoring the topic and starting to chat.

I don't think we need a new section for that.

[january_bug]

Just for the novelty, more parents could also take an interest in the quality of their children's English.  That way, we wouldn't have so many problems to blame upon school/the internet/text messaging/anything else. 

If your 1941 is your year of birth Tony, my parents were born ROUGHLY around that time (although don't let me mother catch us saying that! lol) and so they had similar schooling to you probably, yet they managed to teach me good grammar.  I'm sure you did the same with your kids if you have them.  I think we should encourage others to do the same.  The people who need to learn, jsut wouldn't look at a SPAG section anyway, more's the pity!

Noble intentions, just the wrong forum, in my opinion!

[january_bug]

We could have a section telling people to check their posts for typos before pressing "submit" though - LOL! Sorry about the mistakes in my first reply!

[january_bug]

Eddie - but wouldn't it be so much better if people got it right by themselves!?! :-)

[jno]

spell check progams (sic!) tend to speak American.

[january_bug]

True true jno.  That would be an exercize in seeing the color of our language would it not?  *shudders*

[dothawkes]

hi january_bug and tony1941, this is all very well but what about the alcoholics like myself that get to a point around 9pm where the keyboard moves on it's own and the gremlins change the keys around and the screen goes woooo  wooooo woooo, we wouldn't be able to find the spell checker. I have a BA Combined Honours History with English (2:2) but I still can't type when I'm pi$$ed.

[AB Editor]

Hi all,

Just to let you know, I'm American and its "exercise".

Grammar check, good idea!

AB ED

[jno]

Hi Ed, you wanna put an apostrophe in 'its'? hehehehe

[AB Editor]

'

that's for you, jno.

AB ED

[january_bug]

ABE - ok fair enough.  But I was just trying to illustrate that the American b.a.sta.rdiz/sation of English can look pretty ugly to the English eye at times.  I'm sure our spellings look wrong to you too!  :-)

dothawkes - typos are another kettle of ghoti altogether! :-p  We're all allowed plenty of those.  :-)

[AB Editor]

Hi jan bug,

Not really, I'm bi-literate. Plus the monks swear that caning is still the best deterrent to spelling mistakes.

AB ED

[january_bug]

ABE - you had to edit your own answer there.  Did the monks spot a SPAG error? :-p  I would keep it quiet about the caning, I think deesel would pester you to be allowed to join in!! :-p

[liquoricemad]

...just wondering what sort of search answers you'd get if you googled bi-literate+monks+caning.  Not that I've tried, you understand... 

[january_bug]

:-) with liquoricemad! :-)

[liquoricemad]

Go careful, Ab Ed! I can just see the headlines,

"Two praying brethren punish sweet black crazy woman!"