Does grammar matter?

1. 53

   grandslambertposted 14 years ago

   Does grammar matter?
   
   Do you feel that the proper use of grammar is important in online writing? Too often I see the use of text shortcuts used in web sites and on social networking. Do you feel this is destroying our language or is it simply adapting to change?
   
   Personally, the use of proper grammar ensures that whoever is reading it will understand what I am trying to say. That is, if they have an understanding of the language and the grammar used.

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2. 60

   twobmadposted 14 years ago

   For me Yes. Grammar is important although it may not necessary to be right at grammar all the time. I mean depending on what type of literature you write in website or social net working. So again for me if the writing is academic ... absolutely... grammar is very important, but if it is just some other conversational, fiction etc.. a little bit dull even makes better sense..

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3. 73

   Jed Fisherposted 14 years ago

   Ah, grammar... Well, there needs to be an appropriate level of grammar. Being at the level necessary for effective communication, and perhaps elevated a notch or two higher than that to add credibility. Certainly the grammarians themselves hardly agree on the finer points of grammar. The BBC and American Business English can't co-ordinate subject-verb agreement as it pertains to plurality, with the crowd "were" or the crowd "was." And even punctuation, and if there should be one or two spaces after terminal punctuation. Until the (self-appointed) topmost grammarians can agree, it's hard for them to critisize anyone else.

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4. 92

   Jeannieinabottleposted 14 years ago

   Yes, I think grammer matters.  I am tired of reading acronyms all the time in different online publications.  I loathe LOL and OMG.  What happened to writing out what we want to say?  That may be acceptable when sending a text message since that is supposed to be short, but it is not acceptable anywhere else.

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5. 61

   Midianiteposted 14 years ago

   Personally, I find that correct grammar is a MUST. It adds a certain element of power to your writing and adds a certain sense of apparent credibility behind what you write.
   
   No one likes to read 'porely spelled righting' or 'sentences with poor,grammar,spellingand; punctuation"
   
   If you write using the correct literary conventions, you will go further

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6. 61

   duffsmomposted 14 years ago

   Absolutely!  I read a hub the other day that was so poorly written, I was amazed.  I feel the abbreviated language, not just in texting, but in everyday life is sad and ruining proper English.
   
   Scifi, admin, sitrep.  When did we become so exhausted in our lives we cannot say the complete word?  (sorry this subject is one of my pet peeves)
   
   I am certainly not perfect in this area, but willing to learn and I do try.

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7. 59

   Mark Ewbieposted 14 years ago

   It matters, but content and audience matter more - in my opinion of course.
   
   I don't read poorly spelt, badly constructed sentences.  But neither do I read high fallutin' look at my excellent English from college pieces... if they are boring.
   
   A lot of our audience can't read well and can't spell.  But they are still an audience.  So excessive use of excellent punctuation and lengthy words may be off-putting.
   
   I am playing devil's advocate here, and have probably made some basic grammatical errors.
   
   But hopefully you understood the message. That is what is important.
   
   edit: edited three times for basic spelling mistakes and bad grammar.

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8. 75

   Jeff Berndtposted 14 years ago

   Does grammar matter? Absolutely, because the up ins greenly forth anyway tree a the you he pompous.
   
   If you cast all grammar to the wind, you get word-salad.
   
   At the same time, the text messaging shortcuts r gr8 4 fitting lots of txt in2 a small space, and it also has rules that ppl must follow if they xpect 2 b understood. But as with any slang, or informal dialect, there's a time and a place for it. In a text message, there's nothing wrong with those shortcuts. I wouldn't put it in a letter to the editor, though. If you expect to be taken seriously by educated people, you need to learn to use standard grammar. If all you want to do is text with your mates, then shortcuts r gr8.

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9. 60

   Monkey-_posted 13 years ago

   Yes. Textspeak belongs in texts.
   Its function is to save us money on spending the price of two texts instead of one.

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10. 0

    Mr Knowitallposted 13 years ago

    Grammar is the systematic analysis of a language. The purposes for which the analysis is undertaken and the lines along which it is carried out may vary considerably.  Descriptive grammar deals with the analysis of a given language at a given... read more

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11. 58

    Stefan Dobrevposted 7 years ago

    Yes poor grammar affects the general public' ability to confer stand at times. I know kids you a lot of slang as I did when I was young and language also adapts and evolves for the time.
    Dude is to be a growth in a cow's backside but now it's used as a term to exclamation as well as to refer to a man or woman.
    
    It's more the use of double and sometimes more negatives that gets me or the shortening of words as though it's too much effort to say them completely. When a word is phrase is too long it becomes an acronym. This then seeps into writings. I'm not opposed to lindquist evolution just in a sensible fashion.
    
    Even in my culture, we speak in a different manner. Not standardized at all. Parents use different set of vocabularies while young adults, teenagers, kids, toddlers are using different set of vocab.
    But it's our effort to understand and accept other people is what matters. It's not grammar that makes the world a happy place.

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