How important is spelling and punctuation to you?

[/pine]

Hard to reply without stepping on toes...! but like others have cited..."word forms" make a reflection that typos don't seem to...

i.e.: there, their, they're

your, you're

etc...etc...

Unlike "affect" and "effect" that can often be interchanged but do have a different form meanings...the examples I cited (and others too) have entirely different meanings...

IMO...there is no excuse for blatant misspellings on modern message boards given today's browser technology...

 

[texasjohn]

Poorly written arguments are not persuasive.

Agreed. However, ever consider that those making the poor argument are already persuaded by it, and refuse to appreciate/understand the persuasive argument which you might make?

 

[flusher]

My gripe is the run-on paragraphs--1000+ words in a single paragraph--that show up so frequently on TBN. These eye tests I just ignore even if it's on an interesting topic. Not going to waste time on reading someone who can't organize his or her thoughts into short paragraphs. Have a little regard for your readers.

 

[JDgreen227]

Poorly written arguments are not persuasive.

So well stated, and if I may add: When someone authors an opinion that is full of grammar and punctuation errors, I frequently dismiss their statements, even if they have a logical viewpoint.

 

[rmk700]

I admire those with improper punctuations and spelling, as long as I can make out what they are saying. Tells me they're not geeks or nerdy, but more of someone with common sense.

Society is losing common sense at an alarming rate.

 

[bcp]

A plan for the improvement of spelling in the English language

By Mark Twain

For example, in Year 1 that useless letter "c" would be dropped to be replased either by "k" or "s", and likewise "x" would no longer be part of the alphabet. The only kase in which "c" would be retained would be the "ch" formation, which will be dealt with later. Year 2 might reform "w" spelling, so that "which" and "one" would take the same konsonant, wile Year 3 might well abolish "y" replasing it with "i" and iear 4 might fiks the "g/j" anomali wonse and for all.

Generally, then, the improvement would kontinue iear bai iear with iear 5 doing awai with useless double konsonants, and iears 6-12 or so modifaiing vowlz and the rimeiniing voist and unvoist konsonants. Bai iear 15 or sou, it wud fainali bi posibl tu meik ius ov thi ridandant letez "c", "y" and "x"— bai now jast a memori in the maindz ov ould doderez —tu riplais "ch", "sh", and "th" rispektivili.

Fainali, xen, aafte sam 20 iers ov orxogrefkl riform, wi wud hev a lojikl, kohirnt speling in ius xrewawt xe Ingliy-spiking werld.

 

[riptides]

Poorly written arguments are not persuasive.

Ok, how about this then, a personality comes through in a person's typing response. And if you stick around for a while on this forum, you might even complete a picture of the person on the other end.

One of the most colorful personalities on this forum many years ago was - Polecat.

He would have sent the grammar police into a frenzy.

 

[CobyRupert]

How important is spelling? Reminds me of this:
I cnduo't bvleiee taht I culod aulaclty uesdtannrd waht I was rdnaieg. Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid, aocdcrnig to rseecrah at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Aaznmig, huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghhuot slelinpg was ipmorantt! See if yuor fdreins can raed tihs too.

 

[MikeInEburg]

Unlike "affect" and "effect" that can often be interchanged but do have a different form meanings...

Affect is most often used as a verb, while effect is most often used as a noun - it is rare that they can be truly interchanged. Full disclosure - I often need to remind myself of the differences...

Society is losing common sense at an alarming rate.

While I wholeheartedly concur, I worry that society is also losing the ability to form a well-written parapgraph. We have a staff member who, amongst other tasks, corrects the English used on service tickets that have been entered by field technicians (who are all college educated). The technical notes flow into invoicing - and who knows where it end up within the customer's organization. It's just that whole "although we shouldn't judge, in the end, we all do" thing.

 

[mddorange]

Mr. Newbury sounds like an English teacher I had back in high school. I was amazed to discover how many well educated people in business have atrocious spelling and grammar.

With todays spellcheckers, including this forum, there really is no excuse for it. Just plain laziness.