Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

A poster complained about having so many new posts. And I reacted to them with Free Speech. But, I went back and started noticing something that is relatively new..... people are duplicating posts. An example, a few days ago someone posted about the Lawyer trying to buy boy wonder's daughter with a dowry of goats and sheep. Today, someone else posted the exact same story. And this seems to be a trend. People have simply stopped reading what other's posts. It seems to me that this is somewhat disrespectful. And it makes for very long list of Newest Topics.

The second thing that seems to be a new trend is the lack of attention to posts in general. If I am reading your comments and I come upon at sentence that has every other word misspelled, whether on purpose or not understanding how to perform spell check... if detracts from what you have to say. Here is an example form someone claiming to be sincere with their posts and comments: "Do u know something i dont kno? Im sorry if i offended u, " My thought, once in awhile we get in a hurry and will insert a homograph or a homophone... but all the time? And yes, we do get in a rush and do not pay attention to the suggested corrected spelling and select the wrong word (my consistent problem). It distracts and makes your comment seem, well rather half hazard and lacking in seriousness. Perhaps that is the intent, but most of the people on OPP are looking for honest discussions.

Back a few months ago, I started a topic about All Hail the Grammar Police. It had some interesting responses and worth the time to dig it up and submit it again for your consideration. http://www.onepoliticalplaza.com/t-9176-1.html


And sentence structure, when I read a person's posts and they leave out key words.... again, do you take the time to read your comments before you hit send? You know, that is why there is a preview button. It allows you time to first think about what you said and put yourself in the reader's shoes. And in doing so, you can determine if you were overly rude or condescending. A time to reflect as you read your own comment as if you are a stranger. And second, to see if what you just wrote makes sense. If you omitted a key word or applied capitalization as needed or even check your spelling. I read a comment today.... and I had to question if this person got past the second grade. "Saudi says they friends with Israel....."

Everyone should know by now my opinions on the overuse of profanity and name calling. Every now and again, we really do need to tell someone that they appear to have feces for a brain. But, once you tell them, do you need to keep repeating it? I saw a topic that deteriorated into nothing more than someone saying "you are a pile of" and the other coming back with "no you are a pile" and this went on for a complete page. What are we on the playground at grade school?

I am opening this up for discussion. I would imagine that there are opinions on both sides. For example, one could say that this is now what is being taught in school and as such is accepted in academia. On the other side, one could argue that if a person can not express themselves well in writing, how can one expect them to read a law or initiative and understand it well enough to form an opinion. Which side do you fall on?

nemo

I agree with your comments, having been an English major eons ago, but with this new age of technology I notice folks are abbreviating and shortening words, phases, sentences to simple letters in some cases. You need a code book to decipher some of these discussions.

Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

I could see your point if an individual were using text messaging on a cell phone where abbreviations can be necessary. Where each character is charged, but where people are engaging in conversations about serious and not so serious topics, it just seems lazy at best and at worse uneducated or to use the Politically Correct term intellectually challenged. I am to the point, that I ignore some posters, regardless of how thought providing the topic may be. Simply because their "style" is so distracting.

Do not misunderstand, I am not looking for a professional grade correspondence, just one that is readable. I am not an English major and I make more than my share of mistakes; to be expected from a Computer Engineer. But, I hope that I am clear in my comments.

Thank you for your response. I will keep this in mind as I struggle through some of the comments.

no propaganda please Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun

There are a couple of posters who I would like to read, but trying to figure out what they mean makes it way too time consuming. Maybe people are using their phones not their computers, but it makes it impossible to have a thoughtful conversation with them. As far as the foul language, I ignore it if it is something that happens only occasionally, but the rest I just go past. Some are so predictable that they would be on the "ignore" list if there were one available.

Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

Speaking of the "ignore button" I sent a message to admin asking for the release date this morning. I hope it is on the way soon.

Yes, I do agree with you. If it is too much work to try to understand a poster, I go on past. And there has been a time or two that I made a best grab at understanding, and prepared a response. Wherein, I received very curt replies that I hurt their feelings with misunderstanding. So now regardless of how interesting the subject may seem, I go on past.

But, the list of incoherent posters are overshadowing the earnest ones who have a point to make. And what about those that just post a link? They do not leave a comment, either good or bad, just a link. To me, that implies agreement with the linked material. But, when I disagree regarding the linked material I am told that was not their intent. Without saying, I agree with the link to ...... or I found this information disturbing because.... how the heck is a person to know?

:thumbup:

robmull Loc: florida

Yes, the new "text" and wh**ever other methods of modern technologies can almost seem to take short-cuts US old fogies don't recognize - at first. There are different tests on the internet now that actually substitute numbers that look similar to the letters they replace, and at first the wordings seem to be gibberish. But concentrating on the sentences allows a new dimension to be realized. Some have no problem with the substitutions and others cannot decipher the alternative replacement. Misspellings are a horse of a-different-color, but speaking a little of a second language makes the misspellings, incorrect wording, words out of context, punctuation and grammatical errors much less unnerving to the more cognizant reader.

Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

First, why insult people? And second, I am a computer engineer and I may know a little more about computer language than you or the "youthful poster." Therefore, I have a question. Does it make the "new and improved (??)" communication more desirable than using standardized English? And should you want to reach all aspects of the audience, should you not use standard English? I could do all my posts in Russian, Hebrew, German, or Spanish..... and I am sure (as it has happened when responding in German) that someone will be upset.

Например, я мог бы сказать, что вы в настоящее время тупые, на русском языке. Означает ли это сделать мой комментарий чтения или приемлемым для всех читателей? Я не думаю, что это так, но вы можете не согласиться.

Now do you get my point?

PoppaGringo Loc: Muslim City, Mexifornia, B.R.

In regards to those that continue to pee in the wind, trying to out insult each other is vexing. When this occurs I just skip the whole thread. Some of them have been hijacked by this ignorant childish behavior. There are some posters that I immediately skip over upon seeing their name as the commenter. As far as grammar and punctuation are concerned, we all err at times, but you are correct in that many posters do not proof what they have written prior to posting. I find that the use of 'texting' as opposed to proper English to also be quite vexing. Even after posting, if one would read what they have written and discover an error, it can be corrected by using the 'edit' button for up to an hour after posting. I find some posters both irritating and d********g with their childish antics. This does not include the threads that are dev**ed primarily to levity. A bit of levity in a serious discussion is not unwarranted nor unwelcome on occasion. I seriously doubt my opinion will alleviate any of the aforementioned concerns, people being people and creatures of habit, but that is my opinion. As far as their language is concerned, I just consider the source. Some seem to be unable to converse outside the gutter.

dennisimoto Loc: Washington State (West)

I finally reported someone recently because the entire post was vulgarity which contributed nothing to the conversation. Really h**e to do that because I DO believe in free speech but this one was just cluttering the bandwidth for no good reason.