Hub writing and spelling, errors in Hubs and comments

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   xstaticposted 11 years ago

   It is one thing to hit a double letter (or to skip and "e" like I almost did in letter, but if English is your native language, it seems to me that you should make an effort to spell correctly and use standard English in Hubs you publish and in comments you make. I read a comment this morning, obviously written in haste and apparently in a bad mood as well, which had so many spelling and grammatical errors in it that any logic in the comment was negated. It is funny that people from the US seem to be the worst at paying attention to what they write.

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      JimTxMillerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Clearly, it seems, there are varying degrees of writing abilities exhibited here on HubPages. Personally, I'm fairly strict when it comes to proper spelling, punctuation and grammar, and I'm a down right bastard in showing faint tolerance to native English language users who do not follow standard practices. I see non-English writers here struggling to do their best to master our language. The last thing they need are bad examples from those of us born into it!

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         xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Good point Jim!

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      cat tales 1-10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I do agree.  Just as a side note you should change the wording and "e" to an "e".  It will help make your point if you don't have errors jumping out at people. Cat

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   Motown2Chitownposted 11 years ago

   "It is funny that people from the US seem to be the worst at paying attention to what they write."
   
   That's a bit of an unfair generalization.  In defense of 'the US,' many inhabitants of this country are not native English speakers.  In some cases, that's the issue.  In others, people are just lazy and irresponsible or - just flat out ignorant - about written communication. 
   
   I agree completely that if that is the case, one should ask for help, rather than smatter it around a website meant to be filled with quality written content.
   
   

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      xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That is why I was careful to say "If English is your native language." It is the lazy and irrespnsible writers that are the problem. Heck, there are even  free online dictionaries available.

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         Motown2Chitownposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Agreed.
         
         And I also agree that as native speakers of American English, we should indeed set an example for others.
         
         

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   WriteAngledposted 11 years ago

   I have no compunction in deleting illiterate comments off my hubs.

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      paradigmsearchposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe I should do that on my hubs that have lost traffic. Maybe that's the cause...

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         xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Hmmmm, could be...

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      xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Good idea

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   hawaiianodysseusposted 11 years ago

   I may be guilty of bad spelling in my Hubs or comments, xstatic. If I do err, it is an inadvertent oversight. I don't always have my reading glasses around, and with the cataract surgeries on both eyes last year, I sometimes am left guessing that what I'm typing is what I'm intending to print. Still, there's no excuse when the misspelled words have a jagged red line underneath them. I'm usually OCD about spelling, but I sometimes miss the incorrect spellings. The welcome mat is out for anyone to help me if and when you see these spelling errors of mine.
   
   Thanks for addressing this subject. My goal is to be a professional writer, and good spelling is an important facet of memorable writing.

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5. 0

   Gypsy Rose Leeposted 11 years ago

   When commenting I can't misspell because my comp underlines the word which is incorrect and I change it right away. I always make sure that I do a grammar spell and check before I post anything. Now lately especially if I want to share hubs I make sure that I put in a friendly nudge in my comment if there are any grammar or spelling mistakes. I agree that if someone wants to be serious about writing they should take the time to make sure that their work is qualitative and free of any mistakes.

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      xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Gypsy!  Your hubs are always done well.

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6. 93

   sallybeaposted 11 years ago

   I have been trying to encourage people to write their articles in word and then cut and paste them into their Hubs.   This way they get both a grammar and a spell check.   I believe that if we want to be serious about good writing,  both these tools should be included on HubPages.  Something to consider if we want to look like a more professional bunch of writers.

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      xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Excellent idea!

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   cat tales 1-10posted 11 years ago

   Not to pick on you, but you your title is grammatically incorrect also.  You should have a semi-colon instead of a comma after the word spelling; it is a separate statement. Or you could use a period and make it two separate sentences. You need to also put in another parenthesis as you started with one, but never ended with one.

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      xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Not to quibble, bu the first part, "Hub writing and spelling" is not an independent clause. It has no verb. if it did, the semicolon would be correct. That said, I have read that that semicolon has been pretty much abandoned in most modern style manuals.
      Absolutely right about that parenthesis though. Mea culpa!
      I am most concerned with double negatives and the use of "there" when "their" is called for, examples like that.

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         ktrappposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         If only I had a dollar for each time I've seen "alot" instead of "a lot" or "then" instead of "than" in the Hubs I've  read.

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         cat tales 1-10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Writing and your spelling are both nouns and verbs.  That is why your title is unclear and needs a semi-colon to separate the words so that people know what you are talking about.  Also, you should check your spelling of the word irresponsible in one of your comments above.  You are missing the 'o', The red line must be off today. (jk... now that was supposed to be humorous)

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            xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            The title would be incorrect with a semi-colon. A semi-colon is used between two independent statements, each with a subject and a verb where a period could be used. Check a style manual.
            
            I am sometimes an irresponsible typist; that is a fact..

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         cat tales 1-10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I am really sad to hear that semi-colons are going out of style.  Do you know how long it has taken me to feel comfortable using them?  I would bet you 90% of people don't use them just for that reason.  I still have to think about it when I use one.

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            cat tales 1-10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I just needed to make sure we are not giving out false information here.  Semi-colons are not going away; they are actually encouraged to increase the credibility of a writer.  I researched this and found I was correct in why they are not used by many: Many people do not know how to use them properly.  There are sites that are very helpful in making it clear how and when to use them.

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               Brenda Durhamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Good deal.
               I was hoping someone would say that,  since I've often found the semi-colon very useful.

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         Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Hi xstatic, I know you meant to write "but" not "bu" above, and all is forgiven. Not one is perfect, especially me, but we do need to take care when writing, as this is a writing site.  I love the red line that shows up in comments and I do use spell check, but that does not work when one uses the wrong word.  I do see a lot of the misuse of  "their, there, they're" as well as "too, to, two" and "then, than." Also, "your, you're."

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            xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Darn! Hoisted by my own petard (again).

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         cat tales 1-10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Being the research nut that I am, I would  to see the style manual you have stated that the semi-colon is going away.  That is completely opposite of what some very credible writers/sources say.

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            cat tales 1-10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Sorry, I meant to write I would really like to see the style manuals: Can you tell me how to access them?  Just Google style menus.

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         ExpectGreatThingsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Really? How sad. I will miss the semicolon; we are friends.

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   Mark Ewbieposted 11 years ago

   got say that it benn wrong most times on allot ofmy pages
   
   Not just uS citerzens either but all kindes. They dont try and they carnt write.  Is lazy spellpeople poor and simple.

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      sallybeaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Great, a man with a sense of humor - hmm, is it humor or is it humour, seems that even I have fallen into the trap of US spelling!!.

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         xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I hated having egg on my face before breakfast about that parenthesis this morning.
         
         It is always fun reading English novels  and noting the spelling differences.

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      xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Amen!

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      galleryofgraceposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      

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   tillsontitanposted 11 years ago

   I'm almost afraid to comment on this thread.  We all make mistakes, but there is a difference between a typo and out and out incorrect spelling.  As writers we should all strive to present our best foot, even here on HP.  I have worked with a few people from other countries who are learning our language as they write here, and they are more conscientious than, as you say xstatic, most Americans!  I can't wait to see the comments on my comment

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      xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well, here is one. Great comment Mary! I agree that we native speakers are terribly careless with the language. I am sure that all the non-native speakers on HP write much better in English than I ever could in their native language.

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10. 0

    Beth Beardallposted 11 years ago

    I think there are a few reasons that writers use poor spelling and grammar. First of all I really don't think spelling and grammar is taught systematically in school and hasn't been for many, many years.  We are now seeing the product of that gap in education (please, I mean no offense to anyone, so don't take it that way).  Another reason may be the rise in text shorthand which makes the writer think faster than they can type or text and so he/she will use a kind of shorthand. A third reason may be because we live in such a harried society, people rush through their responses and don't read what they've typed.   That being said, there's not a lot of excuse if you are claiming to be a writer. You should double and triple check your writing - especially on your own hub.

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11. 69

    moonfrothposted 11 years ago

    Previous posts have touched on most of the reasons for spelling, grammar, and usage errors on HubPages, so I'm not going to repeat points already made.  I would like to point out, however, that the underlying reason we make so many small writing errors is that we have so FEW cast-in-stone Rules in English, that we pay scant attention to them in the first place.  Our nouns are sexless, so we have no tiresome agreements to keep in order throughout a sentence, our verbs are usually boringly the same ("I hit, he hits, we hit, they hit--learners can remember that little "-s" ending.").  My point is that when you do NOT have a lot of complex rules, it's easy to become slack about the few you DO have.  Also, minimal Rules = maximum flexibility.  English is the official language of international law, commerce, air traffic control etc. because it is enormously flexible and accommodating and--it seems--easy to learn.
    
    English is like the Sirens of myth--enticing people to enjoy its simple pleasures, then dashing them on the rocks when they come forward, because, in addition to being relatively rule-free and infinitely flexible--English is probably the most idiomatic language on the planet.  And idioms are VERY hard to learn and even harder to use correctly.  Small example from a Drivers' Manual:  "As you approach an uncontrolled intersection, cover the brake."  People from other lands think we're insane!  Why would you throw a towel or blanket over the brake pedal when you should be getting ready to stop?  Or tangle your tongue around corkers like this:  "He refused to refuse the dynamite in the refuse dump".  Layers upon layers of idioms, homonyms that border on indecipherable mysteries (even to native speakers), and of course, the pronoun tricksters waiing in te wings to trip the unwary--these are just a few of the obstacles to error-free writing that native speakers and learners face in trying to be "perfect".

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12. 69

    moonfrothposted 11 years ago

    xstatic -- I just submitted a comment, and got a RED-LINE message from HP, saying that I had recently submitted a "very similar post" and that "posting the same message repeatedly is prohibited>"  Well, this is my first response to your question, and I do not recall AT ALL submitting something like this elsewhere, BUT--until I can sort out the problem with HP, I tried to Delete the comment, but was unable to do so,  Can YOU delete it, until I solve this mystery?

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       xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       It does show, but I can delete it.

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       xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I was wrong, I can't delete the comment on Forum as we can in Hubs, apparently.

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