Where the Hell did good Grammar go?

1. 83

   Don Bobbittposted 7 years ago

   OK, This is a rant.
   But, really people! If you want to present yourself to the world using your writings, then at least take the time to use good grammar with what you write.
   And, you bleeding hearts who want to pity the persons who writes unintelligible garbage here on HP, just shut up, will you?
   You're the one's who think that if we keep dropping our nations education standards and graduate more and more people who can barely read and write, into the nation's workforce, their lack of skills can be offset by raising the minimum wage, so they can eat.
   Well, stop it!
   You have screwed up the lives of millions of young Americans by dumping them out of the doors of our schools every year.
   Honestly, do you think putting a computerized cash register in our fast food restaurants that automatically releases the right change to the customer, because the kid doesn't have the basic math skills to make the right change themselves, does these kids any good at all?
   Do you think letting these uneducated kids loose into the workforce who cannot construct a proper sentence? It's called a communication skill, Fool! And these kids can't communicate.
   And, now, every year, I see more and more young people who can barely write on HP doing their best to "be a writer", when nobody ever taught them how to communicate with a pen or keyboard.
   So, what can we do about this problem?
   In my opinion, we need to start treating the problem with "Hard Love".
   By that I mean, we need to clean our HP house, along with the rest of the places these uneducated people are trying to survive.
   We need to reject ALL poor quality writing and call it what it is; Junk! Unreadable! Unenjoyable! and not worth wasting our time reading.
   There!
   The truth is a terrible meal to eat, but let's all start rejecting these examples of what I can safely call, TRASH.
   Let's demand that HP work at making itself a Quality writers site. I mean, with all of the changes we are seeing within HP, it seems to me that the Great Google is saying the same thing as me, but they are doing it with their own tools for rejecting bad writing.
   Nuff said!
   DON

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      Solarasposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Have you been Hub Hopping again?

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      1. 83

         Don Bobbittposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         (Red-faced) Um! Yeah!
         LOL! DOn

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         paradigmsearchposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         

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   2. 0

      Old Poolmanposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Don, it has been alarming to watch the US ranking in education spiral from number 1 to the current position of number 20.  This of course depends on which website is providing the ranking information.
      
      I, and many others believe the dumbing down of America was planned and executed by our own government.  The reason for this being it is far easier to control uneducated citizens than those with proper educations.
      
      I would hope this is not true but the decline in educational standards has been escalating since Government became involved.  Name even one Government run program that runs efficiently and I'll buy you a steak dinner.
      
      I seriously doubt HP would want to get involved in screening the quality of writing, and rejecting those hubs that don't make the cut.  They seem to only censor hubs that disagree with their left leaning philosophy.
      
      It is a shame we let our educational system continue to fall further behind other nations, in spite of our high cost per student.  Many other countries spend less per student than we do, so that tells me that money is not the problem.
      
      I believe if we got the Feds out of our education system and turned it back over to the states we would see almost instant improvement.

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         colorfuloneposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Sure, Poolman.  The globalists are all about putting us into a high-tech run system so that they can control us.  Could it really be that the technocracy elites want to rule supreme by dumbing down the populations, making them dependent and entitled?  Gasp! 
         
         The New Holocaust: Medical errors are now the 3rd leading cause of death in the US.  Why is that?  The procedures used? Is it because computers are deciding what prescriptions to give patients? The drugs? Vaccines? Is it because medical students are not being taught higher education, but instead are being dumbed down, too?  Something is seriously wrong with the education system, not the students who become doctors themselves. 
         ------------------
         I will not go hub-hooping, I will not go hub-hooping, I will not go hub-hooping...  Write that 100 times, Don.       I agree, I cannot read poorly written hubs.

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   3. 94

      Carb Divaposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Don, here is a frightening thought. Those same people who could not construct a decent sentence to save their lives are the same people who Hub hop and rate OUR writings. (They probably vote in the General Election too!).

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      1. 83

         Don Bobbittposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Carb Diva,
         God knows I am not a writer who can claim any high ground in the quality of my own writings. I can only claim to be an average writer who continues to learn and grow my craft.
         BUT, AS A READER, i can be so very, very critical of what HP is putting on THEIR site for the world to read. SHAME ON THEM!
         DON

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   4. 83

      Don Bobbittposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      OK, Let me repeat myself!
      The great writers of timeless works do not put down low-quality combinations of words that are placed together haphazardly.
      Their works are well written. PERIOD!
      If you just want to write low quality CRAP, please go start yourself a free Blog somewhere, and let's get HP to be a more discerning filter for us all.
      Sure, it's hard to write well.
      That's my point.
      It should not be easy.
      A writer uses words to paint pictures for the mind.
      A Hack throws something together in an effort to make a few pennies, and damn taking the time to edit and re-edit until it reads well.
      I'm just tired of seeing so many poorly written articles or whatever these "Hacks" call their submissions to HP getting accepted.
      And, By the Way, I am not criticizing any specific people here on HP. I am not uyour critic, I am HP's critic.
      DON

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      MizBejabbersposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Don, being an editor, I cringe at some of these hubs. I think we lost sight of education in the 1960s. Instead of bringing education levels up so even the poorest of the poor could get a good education, we brought them down to the levels of the poor students and the poor schools.
      I'm lucky in that I got a good education in what the school system offered. I'm unlucky in that the choice wasn't very broad. Just as I was graduating, our district started getting in some late 20th century subjects. I marvel now that these kids are learning to read at 3 years old and taking calculus in the 4th grade. BUT this is just the cream of the crop. Today's education system is taking the top percentages and putting them into charter schools and leaving the poorer students behind. My point of this soliloquy is that I think we are seeing the results of some of the "left behinds" trying to catch up.
      Wouldn't it be nice if some of these writer websites offered Free online writing classes to help some of these people who have good ideas, but little ability to express them? Then it would be even nicer if these wannabe writers took advantage of them. I've met up with some who are arrogant and defensive about their lack of writing skills and think they are just fine as is.

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      1. 83

         Don Bobbittposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Mizbejabbers-
         We agree on one thing, for sure.
         The world wide web really needs some sites that have online classes for people who want to improve their communication skills.
         And that's part of my point about HP. They are in a bloody battle for their own (and thus our) survival, and I, like so many of us old-time Hubbers, are sitting back and waiting for them to make the intelligent decisions we can all profit from.
         One thing that's obvious to me is; with HP starting so many new "niche" sites, what's wrong with taking a longer view and start cultivating these new writers by offering one with online tutorials.
         In fact, it seems to me that some of these courses could get acceptance by some Colleges as some point in the future, if they are designed appropriately.
         DON

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      thatsprettygoodposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Sadly, I find myself so wrapped up with the content and structure that I lapse in this area. I am trying to get better. My first language at this point is algorithm based. So my handwriting, as well as grammar,  has suffered tremendously.  I get your point though and I do concur. This is an area most of us could work on. A lot of times I am so happy to explain something so technically that it is being understood by novice readers,  I forget to even read over my Hub before publishing. Anyhow, good rant and I'll try to be more mindful of these concepts in future postings.

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2. 92

   FatFreddysCatposted 7 years ago

   But dear, for to what refers to you saying? I am proudly Hubbing one year! But saddly when I write seventeen Hubs today only one Hub pass QAP. What means QAP? Can you plz halp!
   
   ...I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.

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      MizBejabbersposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      FatFreddysCat is that QAP or CRAP?

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3. 81

   Sam Montanaposted 7 years ago

   Some of the articles are so badly written, I almost feel sorry for the person.
   
   It is so easy just to run any article through a free online grammar checker.

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      kenneth averyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Sam Montana, if you and Don are including me in your observation of the misuse of grammatical terms and words on HP, then please do not do this. I do my best. Sure, and like you, Don, and the entire HP stable of writers, DO and will make mistakes.
      If there be a perfect hub or hubber, I want to meet them.
      And now I apologize for sound so self-righteous. I am not that in anyone's book.
      I just get defensive at times.

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         Sam Montanaposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Hi Kenneth, no, I just read one of your articles for the first time. The driving your barber crazy article and it looks fine.
         
         There are some articles on here that are really messed up. With a score of 80, I don't think you have to worry about your articles.
         
         Not to mention, grammar is actually very hard. On another site I write, I have to go through very strict editors, and I always worry about even the proper placement of a comma.

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            kenneth averyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            @ Sam Montana,
            Thanks so much for your reply. I admit, and so did my former editor at the newspaper I worked for, that I need a class in punctuation, and I respect your views. I promise to try to do better.
            And thanks for the compliment on the barber hub.
            I can breathe now.

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            1. 88

               MizBejabbersposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               Kenneth, remember that there are basic punctuation set in stone and there are styles of punctuation that are arbitrary. Some people want to quibble over a style as if it were a basic rule. Hey, Kiddo, just get yourself an AP stylebook (from the newspaper) or if you want to invest the money, the Chicago Manual of Style, and if somebody questions or criticizes your punctuation, you will have THE AUTHORITY to fall back on. Love, Miz B.

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                  jonnycomelatelyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  Hi everyone, please excuse me butting in here, but there is a serious side to this punctuation debate.
                  
                  Just quoting part of a report in one of our newspapers here, to show you how incorrect punctuation and grammar can alter the meaning of a sentence:
                  
                  "...the US counterintelligence chief ended up handcuffing a suspect after a car rammed into the restaurant where he was having lunch and burst into flames."
                  
                  This sentence, read verbatim, says the counterintelligence chief burst into flame!  We all know that was not the intention of the writer.  But our English language, whether it be the American version or any other, depends to a large extent on accuracy of grammar and punctuation.  If young people are not being taught, then is it the fault of adults who have never been taught either?  Or is it laziness?  Or is it simply being unaware of the importance?
                  
                  The objective for any language is to convey a meaning, most often a fact; it's communication at its most basic.  If it inadvertently conveys an error, then something must be corrected.....don't you think?

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                     kenneth averyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     jonnycomelately,
                     You are right. Young people do need more, accurate teaching on the fundamentals of punctuation. Unless the writers at Sports Illustrated have changed, the last stories I read in this fine magazine, started with comma's at just about every six words, which I wondered, where does this sentence end?
                     See what I mean?

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            Rupert Taylorposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Sam - Going off topic, but what is this site with strict editorial oversight? I would like to try my hand there because I find a lot of what gets on to HubPages is dreck and I'm concerned about being associated with it.

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               Sam Montanaposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               These are all commercial sites, where you write for clients.These are not places where you can just write your own topics or articles. I don't know of any content sites anymore other than HP where a person can write about their own topics.

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                  Rupert Taylorposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  Thanks

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         MizBejabbersposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Kenneth, it just ain't right for you to get plumb defensive. You shure do write good!

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4. 97

   EricDockettposted 7 years ago

   HubPages has always seemed to have a mission statement that conflicts with itself more and more as the internet evolves. I don't know what their actual mission statement is, but two important aspects have always appeared to be:
   
   1. Allow anybody a chance to publish online.
   
   2. Run a profitable business.
   
   Seth Godin used to write about the elimination of the gatekeeper from publishing, both in print and online. It was the new order of things a few years ago, and sites like Squidoo and HubPages offered opportunities for thousands of people, myself included.
   
   But things have changed in many ways. Competition is tougher. Writers have more options. Search engines are smarter. Sites like HubPages can no longer allow anyone to publish anything and still expect to succeed.
   
   HubPages could solve the problem by kicking people off the site or somehow lowering the boom on the grammatically impaired. But that would directly conflict with #1 up there. Instead, the gate remains open, and we have the Learning Center and the quality control process, which ought to be enough for people to get the hint. Of course some people catch on faster than others.
   
   Frankly, I worry about this much less these days than I did before the niche sites. Bad content that somehow manages to slip through the QAP isn't going to make the cut to a niche site.
   
   Anyway, that's why we see so much low-quality nonsense published here.  I can speculate on the failings of our educational system and the willful stupidity of people in general, but that's unhelpful in the context of HubPages. Plus it's Friday, and I want to remain in a cheerful mood if I can.

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5. 85

   firstcookbookladyposted 7 years ago

   and, and.... what about Velcro closures on shoes??? Kids need to learn how to tie their shoes... aghhhh, what is the world coming to??? What next. Clear doors on refrigerators??

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      kenneth averyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      And . . .water that is pre-boiled.

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   firstcookbookladyposted 7 years ago

   yeah, but they had a native American writer check their work. Um, really. I couldn't even write this sentence without the spell checker changing the a in American from a small a to a capital A. They have no excuses...

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      kenneth averyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      @ firstcookbooklady . . . do not fret. I have the same trouble: Proper nouns. But maybe I could hire myself a "slacker" teen who loves to sleep all day and maybe work half an hour ever so often.

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   Paul Kuehnposted 7 years ago

   The problem with bad grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and other elements of good writing on Hubpages is related to two major trends in society today.
   One, many people like to write in the same manner that they text.  For example, I is seldom capitalized and "r" is used for the word are.  Two, political correctness seems to place a taboo on proof reading.  I have read articles from the Huffington Post accusing proof readers and editors as being racist and even fascist by criticizing and correcting the grammatical errors of minorities and lower educated people.

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      Sam Montanaposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      That reminds me of an article I read the other day on a health website. The article was about the different uses of miso, and the first subheading in big bold letters was, "WTF is Miso." I really couldn't believe someone wrote that in an article.

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   firstcookbookladyposted 7 years ago

   Yes. I have heard the awful story that was told about grandma being saved from being eaten by a comma. Many writers have committed murder by pen. It's a jungle out there.

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9. 83

   Don Bobbittposted 7 years ago

   Sam, Don't blink because what we are seeing is the evolution of many words in our English language into the popular acronyms popular on social media and texting sites. WTF and a number of others have become popular ways for people on the go to state their emotions without using all of the characters of words. Some of the ones that even I use are; LOL (Laugh out loud), U (you), frm (from), luk (look), LMAO (laugh my Ass off), BTW (by the way), 2 (to or too), C (see, sea), B (be, bee), R (are), to name a few. Also the dropping of the vowels saves many people a little typing time.

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    awareposted 7 years ago

    If you comprehend the  sentence. It's  written right. Telepathy is coming.  . Eye sea .

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       jonnycomelatelyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

       Know.   He hoo leev tele on pathy trip n fall.  Sea wot i meen?

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