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Thread: Clean up the MB language

  1. #1
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    Clean up the MB language

    We're not quick to point out each other's spelling mistakes here. We want to focus on the poster's issue, not his/her ability to type and spell quickly.

    And it's even provided some fun in my family. "You're a looser" has become a favorite joke, as it turns a putdown into self-mockery.

    But there's a danger here: the mis-spellings are so pervasive and consistent, we're in danger of sounding (looking) like morons when we write outside of SpeakUp posts.

    Sometimes it's the case of poorly translating the spoken word (I'll leave it to Wrona to give the proper linguistic term for this). Thus, the past conditional "could have" is spoken as "could've" and posted in SpeakUpese as "could of".

    I'm finding these creeping into my daily writings. I'd like everyone to add to the following list, without attribution.

    Help me before I descend to gibberish!

    It's "their" not "thier"

    It's "eminent domain" not "imminent domain" (although they might also be quick to take your house, thanks to the Supremes)

    It's "weird" not "wierd" (possibly influenced by thier)

    It's "should've" not "should of"

    It's "could've" not "could of".


    This is absolutely not to pick on anyone.

    It's all about protecting the purity of that mongrel language we call English.
    Truth springs from argument among friends.

  2. #2
    Member steven's Avatar
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    Forget it pal.

    My spelling and grammer suxs (*Sucks*)and its staying that way.
    People who wonder if the glass is half empty or full miss the point. The glass is refillable.

  3. #3
    Member 300miles's Avatar
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    I don't think "could've" and should've" are real words. It would just be "could have"... "should have"

    if you're looking to improve grammar and spelling, you're not going to get very far on this board... I'll tellya that right now.



    I had a good book from college that covered all this stuff. I think It was called the "elements of style" or something. I'll dig it up later. It's a good reference and a small short book.

  4. #4
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    Well I think you're just plum wrong. Lessin you're just trying to trick me. By using "word".

    "Could've" and "would've" are perfectly acceptable contractions.

    Which leads to more additions to the list:

    "your" is not interchangeable with "you're"

    This one is particularly devilish and has been creeping into my usage. As my missus is real happy to point out.

    Just like "week" is not interchangeable with "weak", although some of our shorn Samsons might disagree with that.

    Next weak sometime.
    Truth springs from argument among friends.

  5. #5
    Member wheresthesun's Avatar
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    Originally posted by 300miles
    I don't think "could've" and should've" are real words. It would just be "could have"... "should have"

    if you're looking to improve grammar and spelling, you're not going to get very far on this board... I'll tellya that right now.



    I had a good book from college that covered all this stuff. I think It was called the "elements of style" or something. I'll dig it up later. It's a good reference and a small short book.
    "Elements of Style," is a great little book that everyone should have, by Strunk and White. However, could've and should've are legit, but you wouldn't use them in a formal document, no contractions at all, in fact. Also, could've and should've are both contractions for "have" not "of."

    I think what confounds many is the old rule "i before e except after c" in the case of words like: their, and weird, the rule doesn't apply. I'm done now, thanks for listening.

  6. #6
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Wait?

    Your correcting my grammer when we have people like George Holt's grammer style?

    I will make a point of correcting my typos and grammer style. I promise I will post much gooder.

  7. #7
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    Der hey
    Truth springs from argument among friends.

  8. #8
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    Originally posted by WNYresident
    Wait?

    Your correcting my grammer when we have people like George Holt's grammer style?

    I will make a point of correcting my typos and grammer style. I promise I will post much gooder.
    Ebonics is a topic much too broad for this miserable excuse for a thread.
    Truth springs from argument among friends.

  9. #9
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    Re: Clean up the MB language

    Originally posted by biker
    We're not quick to point out each other's spelling mistakes here. We want to focus on the poster's issue, not his/her ability to type and spell quickly.

    And it's even provided some fun in my family. "You're a looser" has become a favorite joke, as it turns a putdown into self-mockery.

    But there's a danger here: the mis-spellings are so pervasive and consistent, we're in danger of sounding (looking) like morons when we write outside of SpeakUp posts.

    Sometimes it's the case of poorly translating the spoken word (I'll leave it to Wrona to give the proper linguistic term for this). Thus, the past conditional "could have" is spoken as "could've" and posted in SpeakUpese as "could of".

    I'm finding these creeping into my daily writings. I'd like everyone to add to the following list, without attribution.

    Help me before I descend to gibberish!

    It's "their" not "thier"

    It's "eminent domain" not "imminent domain" (although they might also be quick to take your house, thanks to the Supremes)

    It's "weird" not "wierd" (possibly influenced by thier)

    It's "should've" not "should of"

    It's "could've" not "could of".


    This is absolutely not to pick on anyone.

    It's all about protecting the purity of that mongrel language we call English.
    Hey! No fair picking on words like "eminent domain." (although I do appreciate the correction). Believe it or not, I actually did a quick Google search to see how the term was spelled elsewhere, and I found both imminent and eminent. I'll try harder next time....

  10. #10
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    spelling errors are no match to the other levels language that should be cleaned up /see the amherst threads/. we have all at some point been pushed to the limit of using language negatively but the amherst members seem to be exempt from how their language is used.

    the typos and spelling styles on the net arent a big deal cuz ppl dont have to be articulate with their spelling pracitices on a MB, its the other level of langauge usage that should be looked at instead.

  11. #11
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    gooder
    lmao. that was funny.

  12. #12
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    Originally posted by woodstock
    spelling errors are no match to the other levels language that should be cleaned up /see the amherst threads/. we have all at some point been pushed to the limit of using language negatively but the amherst members seem to be exempt from how their language is used.

    the typos and spelling styles on the net arent a big deal cuz ppl dont have to be articulate with their spelling pracitices on a MB, its the other level of langauge usage that should be looked at instead.
    I agree. The type of language, even the nature of some of the threads, is a lot more offensive that poor spelling and grammar.

  13. #13
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    Hey, I'm just glad I spelt "eminent domain" correctly

  14. #14
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    Originally posted by atotaltotalfan2001
    I agree. The type of language, even the nature of some of the threads, is a lot more offensive that poor spelling and grammar.
    This is going to turn into a censureship discusion.
    I can just feel it.

  15. #15
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    Originally posted by LHardy
    This is going to turn into a censureship discusion.
    I can just feel it.

    Have you spent much time in the land of Amherst threads? Totally emerge yourself for a while and then we'll talk again....

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