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Doesn't anyone know English anymore?

Started by amish1234 Nov 23, 2003 at 11:35 PM 57 replies 2.9k views

Original Post

Nov 23, 2003 at 11:35 PM

I swear that most of gamedev and I are the only people in the world that know the basics of English grammar and spelling. The sad thing is, a lot of gamedev members are from countries where English is not the dominant language. I'm not saying I have an extensive knowledge of grammar, or that I'm a particularly good speller, but howcome nobody knows how to use apostrophes and commas or when to use your/you're? What really bugs me is people mixing up than/then. They are two totally different words and they don't even have the same pronounciation. People also need to learn that "vertex," not "vertice" is the singular of "vertices." The same thing applies to the word "matrix." Maybe it's good that we're getting so many Mexicans in the USA; it's almost impossible to misspell a word in Spanish! EDIT: A few weeks ago I saw a flyer saying "Computer savy individual needed..." for teaching people, who may not be fluent in English, to use computers. Ironic, isn't it? ___________________________________________________________ Proceeding on a brutal rampage is the obvious choice. [edited by - amish1234 on November 23, 2003 12:37:37 AM]

Sneftel

Nov 23, 2003 at 11:37 PM

I''ll settle for people not spelling "hobbyist" as "hobbiest". I don''t know why, but that really chafes my hide.

"Sneftel is correct, if rather vulgar." --Flarelocke

Captain Logic

Nov 23, 2003 at 11:45 PM

Anyone over the age of 12 who writes "ur" for "your"...it''s an abomination!

shortguy465

Nov 23, 2003 at 11:49 PM

My biggest annoyance is either spelling errors, or your/you''re. I drove by a McDonald''s sign a while back (where they put their own message under the big M) and it said, "Got a buck? Your in luck!" Some people have a problem not saying "alot". It''s "a lot".

23yrold3yrold

Nov 23, 2003 at 11:59 PM

quote:
Original post by amish1234
I swear that most of gamedev and I are the only people in the world that know the basics of English grammar and spelling ... how come nobody knows how to use apostrophes and commas or when to use your/you''re? What really bugs me is people mixing up than/then.

Since when does the average GameDev poster have a firm command of apostrophes?

It''s not for nothing that we keep seeing "grammar nazi" posts

Oh, if you want it to be possessive, it''s just ''ITS'' ...

"There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils.
One is to disbelieve in their existence.
The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.
They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight."
-- C.S. Lewis

Naaga

Nov 24, 2003 at 12:02 AM

Spelling and grammar errors don''t bother me much. What bothers me is these stupid shortcuts people take to save a few keystrokes, but that make the sentences painful to read. U know what I mean? NE1?

temp_ie_cant_thinkof_name

Nov 24, 2003 at 12:22 AM

This whole correctness epidemic is a contradiction. If you can tell whether or not a person used the wrong form of your/you''re, then they obviously did not need to explicitly show it. For example:
You''re cat is weird.
Immediately, a grammar nazi would jump on that opportunity in a heart beat. They might say, "No. It should be ''your''." If it''s so obvious what they''re talking about, then there''s no need to correct him/her.

Think of all the time you''d save to do something more productive, unless correcting the English-speakers'' grammar is your mission...for that, I have nothing to say.

My point: maybe some sane people don''t want to spend 5 minutes spell/grammar-checking their probably unimportant post. If any of your posts are important, then there should be no grammar-checking by anal-retentive trolls.

Captain Logic

Nov 24, 2003 at 12:27 AM

Everytime I see NE1 it reminds me of a postcode in NE London!

XDarkScar

Nov 24, 2003 at 12:27 AM

O well. People will talk how they like to talk. But I tell you the damn thing that people mess up on is: I will lie down. Or I will lay down.

Easy way of programming: Coding, Debugging, Swearing.

Google / Game Tutorials / GameDev.Net

Project: N/A / Percent Complete: 0% / Due Date: N/A

[edited by - XDarkScar on November 24, 2003 1:31:23 AM]

Beer Hunter

Nov 24, 2003 at 1:03 AM

Grammer speeling are unimpotant. Your alot of loosers.

JTippetts

Nov 24, 2003 at 1:04 AM

Seriously. I mean, what''s with all the use of this word ''you'' in the singular form? ''Thee'' or ''thou'' would be more appropriate, people. I mean come on!!! Sheesh.

Josh
vertexnormal AT linuxmail DOT org

Check out Golem: Lands of Shadow, an isometrically rendered hack-and-slash inspired equally by Nethack and Diablo.

fisheyel83l

Nov 24, 2003 at 1:20 AM

To be unaware of grammatical parameters should be a crime. Whether or not you apply them is a matter of preference and circumstance. If your post draws negative attention to itself because of its awkwardness, then I would say that your grasp of grammar has betrayed your goal. I find it convenient to type phonetic contractions, especially when I have Taco Bell in one hand.

So if I''m chatting, it''s "ur," "mb," and "ima go to taco bell." If I''m posting here, though, I go out of my way to make everything conform to standards.

Because you people are quick to gripe.

Sycophancy is a disease.

amish1234

Nov 24, 2003 at 1:24 AM

quote:
From the site VertexNormal linked to
...although some Quakers still use thee as both nominative and objective.

I play quake III. I don''t use the word "thee." :-)

___________________________________________________________
Proceeding on a brutal rampage is the obvious choice.

dede

Nov 24, 2003 at 1:58 AM

quote:
Original post by temp_ie_cant_thinkof_name
My point: maybe some sane people don''t want to spend 5 minutes spell/grammar-checking their probably unimportant post. If any of your posts are important, then there should be no grammar-checking by anal-retentive trolls.

Very true.

I wonder if you''re and your will one day be combined to form one homonym. I believe in a generation or two, that might be the case.

~~~~~
"dede dude" - bishop_pass
Download and play Slime King I.

Sneftel

Nov 24, 2003 at 2:08 AM

quote:
Original post by temp_ie_cant_thinkof_name
This whole correctness epidemic is a contradiction. If you can tell whether or not a person used the wrong form of your/you''re, then they obviously did not need to explicitly show it.

.yltcerroc nettirw neeb dah ti fi naht ti daer ot troffe erom uoy koot ti ,ecnetnes siht dnatsrednu nac uoy hguoht nevE

"Sneftel is correct, if rather vulgar." --Flarelocke

Beer Hunter

Nov 24, 2003 at 2:19 AM

quote:
Original post by temp_ie_cant_thinkof_name
If it''s so obvious what they''re talking about, then there''s no need to correct him/her.

I can beat this argument with the word ''jade''. Come on; try harder.

[spellcheck.net/dictionary.com/alt-usage-english.org/apostrophes/Common Errors in English]

fisheyel83l

Nov 24, 2003 at 2:39 AM

quote:
If it''s so obvious what they''re talking about, then there''s no need to correct him/her.

Who? Them? Or him/her? I''m so confused...

Sycophancy is a disease.

alnite

Nov 24, 2003 at 3:16 AM

quote:
Original post by amish1234
The sad thing is, a lot of gamedev members are from countries where English is not the dominant language. I''m not saying I have an extensive knowledge of grammar, or that I''m a particularly good speller, but howcome nobody knows how to use apostrophes and commas or when to use your/you''re? What really bugs me is people mixing up than/then.

If you really look carefully, those people from the United States are the ones who actually mix those words up.

Gleno

Nov 24, 2003 at 3:19 AM

quote:
Original post by 23yrold3yrold

Oh, if you want it to be possessive, it''s just ''ITS'' ...

cool, click on the bicep at the end and you get to listen to strongbads "Rhythm N''Grammar" CD.

Andrew Russell

Nov 24, 2003 at 3:40 AM

That S.B. mail rocks

Spelling, and even some minor grammer errors are forgivable, and incorrect puntuation, etc, is only mildly annoying.

What is really awful is when people use single letters, symbols, etc, when not making fun of people who use single letters, symbols, etc.

And don''t get me started on the "Fo shizzle" nonsense...

Free Game: Yet Another Falling Block Game

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