Use of Proper Spelling and Grammar

[granddad gnome]

To all.

As a retired freelance trainer in the field of disability discrimination, and also a person who suffers from server Dyslexia I find your intolerance a little alarming. I joined this forum to try and learn from people I thought would be understanding and have time to help a fellow to overcome his or her fears and problems.

 

[Black Dragon]

To all.

As a retired freelance trainer in the field of disability discrimination, and also a person who suffers from server Dyslexia I find your intolerance a little alarming. I joined this forum to try and learn from people I thought would be understanding and have time to help a fellow to overcome his or her fears and problems.

Granddad,

This policy is not aimed towards persons with disabilities, or persons who are learning English as a second language. This is stated in the very first post in this tread.

Instead, this policy is aimed at eradicating laziness. The Internet has encouraged people to get very, very lax with their use of the English language. Bad habits develop as a result. What we're doing is encouraging each other to improve as writers, and to strive to be the best that we can.

Perfection is not required. No one has ever been booted from this site for poor grammar or spelling. All that we are asking for is a sincere effort to be the best writer that you can be.

Please don't chalk this up to "intolerance" or "discrimination." I spent years in the field of disability advocacy, working with an intermediate unit to fight discrimination. You've been here long enough to know that we ARE understanding and helpful.

This policy is not aimed at you. In fact, from what I've seen your posts are well written. Given your disability, I imagine that you are making a real effort to write well. That's all that we're asking from anyone: that they give it their best, whatever that may be.

There are so many influences on the Internet that encourage laziness and the use of writing shortcuts. We are trying to swim against the tide, and be a positive influence. I hope that you can understand this.

 

[granddad gnome]

Thanks Black Dragon for your reply.
All point taken.
It can be very difficult and frustrating for someone with a disability to have to, on occasion, re-write several times an item that to some others comes naturally. Reading can also be difficult at times.

 

[The Blue Lotus]

Granddad,

This policy is not aimed towards persons with disabilities, or persons who are learning English as a second language. This is stated in the very first post in this tread.

Instead, this policy is aimed at eradicating laziness. The Internet has encouraged people to get very, very lax with their use of the English language. Bad habits develop as a result. What we're doing is encouraging each other to improve as writers, and to strive to be the best that we can.

Perfection is not required. No one has ever been booted from this site for poor grammar or spelling. All that we are asking for is a sincere effort to be the best writer that you can be.

Please don't chalk this up to "intolerance" or "discrimination." I spent years in the field of disability advocacy, working with an intermediate unit to fight discrimination. You've been here long enough to know that we ARE understanding and helpful.

This policy is not aimed at you. In fact, from what I've seen your posts are well written. Given your disability, I imagine that you are making a real effort to write well. That's all that we're asking from anyone: that they give it their best, whatever that may be.

There are so many influences on the Internet that encourage laziness and the use of writing shortcuts. We are trying to swim against the tide, and be a positive influence. I hope that you can understand this.

I can attest to the fact that even us really bad with grammer or punctuation are allowed to stick around.

I have Dyslexia as well. And yeah... I does make the simple things so much harder, but the folks here are rather nice about it.
Don't you just hate when you post something only to re read it a day or two later and see that you have managed to transpose all sorts of letters?

 

[granddad gnome]

Well, The Blue Lotus. If you can make No 7 Grand-master, I think I may still have a chance. Thanks for the encouragement. I usually write my post in a word document until I get it the way I think it should be, and then print it out and copy it into the forum just to try an avoid mistakes.

 

[The Blue Lotus]

Yeah I do that most of the time too. Sometimes however, I forget because I'm doing five things at once. (I don't recommend doing that FYI.) Thank goodness for the edit button!
Glad to have you with us dear.
~BL~

 

[Robert Donnell]

May I make a suggestion? how about adding a Spell Checker for the forum posting mechanism? I know that they exist. If we are required to be "Spelling Correct" that might help. Otherwise we would need to have MW Word open write there and cut and paste to use the Spell Checking gizmo there.

As for the Grammar Nazis, I can understand if I asked for help with my grammar, but otherwise that is asking a bit much.

 

[Kelise]

I've seen spell checkers around on other sites, but none that cater for multiple languages. If one exists, however, and is available for this particular forum setup...

 

[ALB2012]

I tend to find if I am tired my typing goes to pot. I also have carpel tunnel and my hands frequently decide they aren't going to cooperate with my brain.

If I am typing on the small screen net book and I make mistakes I apologise.

Oh and is there a way of changing the spell checker to UK english not US English? I get all this wiggly lines when I use s not z

 

[Kelise]

I think the wiggly lines you're seeing are there through the internet browser you're using, ALB - as far as I know, this forum doesn't have anything currently installed.

Though I could be wrong - Black Dragon?

 

[Black Dragon]

I think the wiggly lines you're seeing are there through the internet browser you're using, ALB - as far as I know, this forum doesn't have anything currently installed.

That's correct.

There is no spell checker for our forum software. Since most major browsers have built-in spellcheckers, the developers believe that it would be a redundant addition that would needlessly use resources. I'm inclined to agree with them.

 

[ALB2012]

Fair enough

 

[Androxine Vortex]

I just want to let everyone know that I use my phone to post on this site and it it's extremely difficult to go back and change my text because I can't really move the cursor around and auto correct never seems top understand me. So sorry about any errors in myposts as I can't really go back and change them that readily. Thanks.

 

[Robert Donnell]

Okay guys I use Mozilla Firefox and there is a spell checker built in but you must "add the English Dictionary" before it will work.

First click on the Firefox button in the upper left hand corner, then Options, then Advanced, then make sure "Check my spelling as I type" box has a check in it. This is the on/off button for the spell checker.

Next go to:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/language-tools/

Then click on "English Dictionary"

After that it will prompt you to restart Firefox, do this.

Wham! You have Spell check.

 

[Reaver]

Whut tha hale yoo nead spale chek fore?

 

[Robert Donnell]

Well the thinking is that as writers we should be able to spell, right?

As for grammar, what Yoda would think?

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

Nothing wrong with spellcheck, if you need it. Some people just aren't good at spelling no matter how much they read.

 

[Zero Angel]

hmm since there was a ',' after Everyone, should not the 'P' on please be lower case?????

(Oh, dang, I ended with a question mark, not a period.)

I think it was in "letter form", so the comma is acceptable

I am guilty of speaking "Internet" with my abbreviations though -_-

...and using smileys instead of punctuation, clearly.

 

[icebladeaskante]

After reading the various posts on this I do feel a question I always have about proper spelling when on international forums. And one poster did actually bring it up a little. Should I be using American English or British English for my spellings? As most of the fantasy I read seems to come from America I can easily parse American English into British English no problem and it doesn't bother me, but actually typing it out and using it myself seems so very very wrong. I have actually had one person in a different (and different type of forum) ask me what was I spelling color with a u for, so I want to check just what you expect when you say proper spelling?

 

[Steerpike]

icebladeskante:

I haven't seen this question addressed specifically, but I see no reason why both British and American spellings wouldn't be acceptable on the forums. Everyone should use whichever form they use in daily life. We're all well-read enough here to understand that there are variations between the two.