Then vs. Than

[kaytieeldr]

I hope that never happens. I had a hard time learning the DIS. text, DH, DW, DSIL, ect. I wouldn't know what anyone was saying if they only spoke in text.

Oh, no. It already happens.

I cringe when I receive an invitation that reads: "Please RSVP." If you are going to use a French acronym, at least make certain you know what it means.

Eh, technically I suppose there's nothing wrong with being extremely polite: "Please respond if you please".

 

[kaytieeldr]

This made me laugh because I can be the same way at times. There is a TV ad in our area for an upscale restaurant promoting their "Pre-fixed" menu.

I'm not so sure I'd want to eat at an upscale restaurant that makes all the food in advance. Or did they mean they added something in front of 'menu' to change its meaning?

Oh, wait - it's both!

 

[kaytieeldr]

No, you did not. Don't be silly. But this

If people don't mind others thinking they are idiots,

section of your original post was apparently misunderstood.

 

[RachelNinja]

Someone already mentioned "definitely," but what bugs me most is when people use "defiantly"! I can deal if there is an incorrect spelling, but I too am bothered when the wrong words are used.

I know I do make mistakes when writing because as I teach things like grammar to my students, I realize, "Whoops, I've done that before!" For example, this past year, I just realized that I shouldn't be writing "outside of" because it's unnecessary to have 2 prepositions!

So I think that as long as people have the willingness to learn and the willingness to be corrected (in a kind manner, of course), life's good. When people (more specifically, my students!) think it isn't important to learn these things and don't believe that it makes them sound uneducated, then I get frustrated!

Think about it this way ... if everyone wrote and spoke with proper grammar, we would just be one of the many~ hehe. I like to think that we're a special bunch

 

[kaytieeldr]

Just because you can't spell very well and maybe your grammar stinks,

Those are two relatively important issues, made even moreso when combined. You can be Carl Sagan or Marilyn vos Savant or Albert Einstein, but if you repeatedly misuse words, either speaking or writing, you will SEEM to lack intelligence in the experience of your listeners/readers.

 

[Alexander]

There is a difference between misspelling a word and using the wrong word.

Exactly the point of the thread! "Then" and "than" are two different words with two different meanings, and are pronounced differently. Typos happen, spelling errors happen, but if English is your primary language, you should know the difference between them. It's not even a grammar thing like--to, too, two or they're, their, there--those words are spoken the same albeit different in meaning and more easily confused. Then and than just strike me as being as different as cat and dog.

 

[Michelina]

To add another common one, if you are wary of a stranger that is following you in the grocery store, he is stalking you not stocking you.

If the stranger was placing you on the endcap with other wary shoppers, then he may be "stocking" you.

This reminds me of a friend who was applying for a job at a local grocery store. Under "Position Wanted" he wrote "night stalker", needless to say he did not get a job!

 

[lyeag]

This is a losing battle guys. Trust me. I fight the good fight every day in my class, but the world around us is not interested. Listen to any news channel. Very few people use our language correctly. Our casual society does not care. (sigh)

 

[Took]

Just had to add this.

Another thread (which wasn't funny at all in content) began with a mother concerned about her son's "nervous tick." She said he had several "ticks" and was worried about what to do.

I can't help it. I haven't stopped laughing yet about the image.

Knew some of you would appreciate this.

 

[rie'smom]

There was a thread on selling a house and one of the posters is a former "relator" their spelling not mine. The very first words out of our real estate instructors mouth, "Before we get started, you have to know the word is pronounced this way." and he wrote on the board:
the word real tor
not re la tor."

 

[metime]

I usually don't judge people's intelligence by informal conversing in this type of format. I am more concerned about those with the best grammar who in no uncertain terms come off as narrow minded people.

My husband can't spell but I wouldn't base his intelligence on spelling and grammar. Most people who are very gifted in math and science aren't usually as gifted in grammar. Some people are verbal and some people are visual spatial. Just as some people can play the piano, some people can paint a picture, and some people can write a book. I wouldn't complain to a writer that they stink at drawing, although, in most cases a good writer will not be a great artist because they think in words and not pictures.

You will be glad to know that my husband, who would be the type of person you are referring to, has worked quite hard being the lead engineer on a few projects that help protect our country. I guess we should all be a little happy knowing that some people just are more gifted in other areas. We can't all have the time and courage to use our gifts to nitpick on people's use of grammar in a Disney discussion board.

 

[Sorsha]

I usually don't judge people's intelligence by informal conversing in this type of format. I am more concerned about those with the best grammar who in no uncertain terms come off as narrow minded people.

My husband can't spell but I wouldn't base his intelligence on spelling and grammar. Most people who are very gifted in math and science aren't usually as gifted in grammar. Some people are verbal and some people are visual spatial. Just as some people can play the piano, some people can paint a picture, and some people can write a book. I wouldn't complain to a writer that they stink at drawing, although, in most cases a good writer will not be a great artist because they think in words and not pictures.

You will be glad to know that my husband, who would be the type of person you are referring to, has worked quite hard being the lead engineer on a few projects that help protect our country. I guess we should all be a little happy knowing that some people just are more gifted in other areas. We can't all have the time and courage to use our gifts to nitpick on people's use of grammar in a Disney discussion board.

You know, you are absolutely correct. Everyone has different strengths, and sometimes really smart people use really bad grammar. I totally can agree with this.

BUT.

If I am responsible for hiring someone to do a job that, IMO, is going to require that person to be intelligent, learned, and otherwise on-the-ball; and the person that I am interviewing says "Sorry I be late, but there weren't no parking spots, and I ain't got no change for the meters", I am automatically going to assume that this person is not right for the job. Same thing goes for resumes. When you send me a resume, if your spelling and grammar is atrocious, your resume goes right into the "don't bother pile." You will not be representing me or any company I work for in that way.

Sorry, it may not be fair, and it may mean that a lot of really wonderful people may not get that chance, but I guarantee you I am not alone in feeling this way.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

I'm guilty of getting affect and effect confused.

 

[metime]

If I am responsible for hiring someone to do a job that, IMO, is going to require that person to be intelligent, learned, and otherwise on-the-ball; and the person that I am interviewing says "Sorry I be late, but there weren't no parking spots, and I ain't got no change for the meters", I am automatically going to assume that this person is not right for the job. Same thing goes for resumes. When you send me a resume, if your spelling and grammar is atrocious, your resume goes right into the "don't bother pile." You will not be representing me or any company I work for in that way.

Sorry, it may not be fair, and it may mean that a lot of really wonderful people may not get that chance, but I guarantee you I am not alone in feeling this way.

Posting on a DIS board does not equate in any way with the formality of interviewing for a job. I stated that in this informal format I do not to judge some ones intelligence based on grammar or spelling.

Honestly I don't think I have seen any DISers speak in that manner, even the ones being referenced in this thread. You are harkening to a very extreme example in a very formal situation that was not being discussed.

Are you hiring from the DIS boards? I don't see any other reason to bring up a job interview because that isn't what was being complained about.

 

[crashbb]

I'm guilty of getting affect and effect confused.

I've been known to re-write sentences to avoid having to figure out which one to use. I've been told many times and *should* be able to figure it out, but it often stumps me.

 

[Sorsha]

Posting on a DIS board does not equate in any way with the formality of interviewing for a job. I stated that in this informal format I do not to judge some ones intelligence based on grammar or spelling.

Honestly I don't think I have seen any DISers speak in that manner, even the ones being referenced in this thread. You are harkening to a very extreme example in a very formal situation that was not being discussed.

Are you hiring from the DIS boards? I don't see any other reason to bring up a job interview because that isn't what was being complained about.

No, you are correct. That is a VERY extreme example.

And I still also agree that people do make mistakes, especially on message boards.

However, people who are accustomed to using poor grammar begin do it like a habit, and will eventually continue to use it in every situation. People who spell poorly AND do not use spellcheck WILL end up with poorly spelled professional documents.

The simple point I am trying to make is that if you don't train yourself to use proper grammar and spell things properly OR use available resources (like spellcheck) to help you; then people will assume you are not as intelligent. Yes, my example was extreme, but the point still stands.

 

[Sorsha]

I'm guilty of getting affect and effect confused.

This is a really hard one, because they don't sound noticibly different to some people. I say "This doesn't really affect (uh-fect) me" and "What effect (ee-fect) will this have?" Most of the noticible sound difference is a matter of accents though. I have a "western" accent when I speak, and things sound different to those from other parts of the country. To many, those words sound exactly the same.

 

[metime]

No, you are correct. That is a VERY extreme example.

And I still also agree that people do make mistakes, especially on message boards.

However, people who are accustomed to using poor grammar begin do it like a habit, and will eventually continue to use it in every situation. People who spell poorly AND do not use spellcheck WILL end up with poorly spelled professional documents.

The simple point I am trying to make is that if you don't train yourself to use proper grammar and spell things properly OR use available resources (like spellcheck) to help you; then people will assume you are not as intelligent. Yes, my example was extreme, but the point still stands.

So you expect everyone to have perfect grammar in this setting and they should use spell check with every post or you think they will suddenly lose the ability to distinguish a formal setting from an informal setting and forget how to spell check? People don’t just suddenly forget spell check exists because they don’t use it with every thought.

I don’t speak Spanish everyday but I don’t forget how just because I don’t speak it to every person all the time.

Oh wait, I haven’t spoken Spanish in a week or so… Oh darn it is gone! I lost it.

 

[Sorsha]

So you expect everyone to have perfect grammar in this setting and they should use spell check with every post or you think they will suddenly lose the ability to distinguish a formal setting from an informal setting and forget how to spell check? People don’t just suddenly forget spell check exists because they don’t use it with every thought.

I don’t speak Spanish everyday but I don’t forget how just because I don’t speak it to every person all the time.

Oh wait, I haven’t spoken Spanish in a week or so… Oh darn it is gone! I lost it.

We shall agree to disagree. Have a Disney day!

 

[Took]

We shall agree to disagree. Have a Disney day!

FWIW, Sorsha, you are essentially correct, and the same goes for any language that one doesn't use (since the other poster mentioned Spanish).

It's also usually fairly obvious when a poster has made a typo and when he or she simply doesn't know standard English grammar. While typos on message boards are common and understandable, poor grammar is, as you say, a bad habit which many don't really want to break.