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Gulezar · Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 483

You can link to this if you ever slip on the keyboard and others question your "teaching abilities":

http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/04/17/stop-shaming-people-on-the-internet-for-grammar-mistakes-its-not-there-fault/

esl_prof · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 4:24 am Post subject:

This sounds like a pretty good scientific explanation for why we make grammar mistakes, even as experienced teachers and writers. It's not, however, a very good excuse for failure to adequately proofread (which, by the way, is something that we as language teachers should reasonably good at) before clicking send.

As for shaming people for their grammar mistakes on the internet . . . well . . . surely there are more entertaining ways to squander one's time . . .

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 7:18 am Post subject:

Shame on them all!! Especially the teflers! Be a grammar Communist!

Btw, just curious, why does this seem to relate to typing and not hand-writing? Speed alone?

johnslat · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 2:00 pm Post subject:

Shame on you Very Happy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4vf8N6GpdM

And, of course, that means this thread is KAPUT!!!

"Godwin’s Law is an internet adage that is derived from one of the earliest bits of Net wisdom. It states, “if you mention Adolf Hitler or Nazis within a discussion thread, you’ve automatically ended whatever discussion you were taking part in.”

Regards,
John

2buckets · Joined: 14 Dec 2010 Posts: 515 Location: Middle East

"I'm not buying any of this. It's laziness, stupidity and ignorance, and carelessness plain (the correct one) and simple."

First comment! I agree.

water rat · Joined: 30 Aug 2014 Posts: 1098 Location: North Antarctica

Of course language teachers should be making more of an effort. And what Andrew Heisel is really talking about in the linked article is homophonic errors which a spellcheck program cannot catch. How can it know that I mean symbols if I write cymbals? That's what brains are for.

I never understood why people at Dave's especially, who are ostensibly language teachers, cannot take a moment to click on the wavy red lines under some words and click for a correction. Yet, no one is perfect and we may excuse using there for their in the heat of the moment.

Mr Heisel's sin is breaking a fundamental rule of writing: His piece is not at all compelling. I had to force myself to go on reading after the initial paragraph, and I must confess I could only scan the rest of the piece. It was that tedious and uninspiring!

I also dislike his homeboy gangsta guise in the picture. Like some white boy in New Haven is sooo cool that he could only be photographed hanging back in his khakis and ski cap because that's how he is 24/7. He looks like he's never said anything but, 'Yo, yo, yo!' or 'Dude...' The man's a phoney, and not even an interesting one.

Xie Lin · Joined: 21 Oct 2011 Posts: 731

water rat · Joined: 30 Aug 2014 Posts: 1098 Location: North Antarctica

Xie Lin · Joined: 21 Oct 2011 Posts: 731

Yeah, and I have to say that I often find it very entertaining! Laughing

I am just honor bound to defend another ski-cap-wearing New Englander! Very Happy

.

natsume · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 409 Location: Chongqing, China

There is the occasional poster here who gives bad advice whilst boasting of advanced degrees and simultaneously displaying horrendous grammatical mistakes.

Not only is it a duty to shame them, it's fun! (Its fun?)

water rat · Joined: 30 Aug 2014 Posts: 1098 Location: North Antarctica

natsume · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 409 Location: Chongqing, China

He hasn't been the only one since I've joined...