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A question for people of various age groups

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  • 01-09-2011 12:35pm
    #1
    later12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭✭


    I often noticed, as a small child, that my spelling and grammar were close to perfect. A misplaced comma, or a forgotten full-stop, or the use of apostrophes with wild abandon were things you would never find on my homework.

    Now however, as I grow older, I've noticed my attention to grammar and spelling are slipping. Is this, like crankiness and senile incontinence, one of the inevitabilities of growing older?

    I often find that old people, contrary to what you might expect, have terrible spelling, and am just wondering whether this is something people have noticed in themselves as they age? It's not so much that you might forget the rules, but that you might simply forget to apply them. Maybe it's something to do with losing your sharpness?
    Tagged:


«1

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    #2
    chin_grin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,808 ✭✭✭✭chin_grin


    Two words: keep reading. (Wait, depends on what you're reading!)

    Also this should give you a laugh.


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    #3
    CardBordWindow
    Registered Users Posts: 3,191 ✭✭✭CardBordWindow


    Me fail English?


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    #4
    FloatingVoter
    Registered Users Posts: 6,133 ✭✭✭FloatingVoter


    Me spelling n gramar iz bang on. and im 96. De granson got me on twitter, like so i is reedin lotz.


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    #5
    Captain Darling
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,542 ✭✭✭Captain Darling


    Thats unpossible.


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    #6
    FetchTheGin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭FetchTheGin


    100% OP.

    I need to get back to reading more.


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    #7
    TheZohanS
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,583 ✭✭✭✭TheZohanS


    FloatingVoter wrote: »
    Me spelling n gramar iz bang on. and im 96. De granson got me on twitter, like so i is reedin lotz.

    That's one thing that really annoys me, older people using "txt spk". My own mother has started to abbreviate her texts, half the bloody time I have no idea what she's trying to say.


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    #8
    FetchTheGin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭FetchTheGin


    TheZohan wrote: »
    That's one thing that really annoys me, older people using "txt spk". My own mother has started to abbreviate her texts, half the bloody time I have no idea what she's trying to say.

    U r adptd lolz.


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    #9
    TheZohanS
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,583 ✭✭✭✭TheZohanS


    FetchTheGin wrote: »
    U r adptd lolz.

    :(


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    #10
    lastlaugh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,382 ✭✭✭lastlaugh


    My spelling and grammar are OK, my handwriting however has become totally unreadable...


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    #11
    blaze1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭blaze1


    I had to handwrite an application form yesterday...
    It took me 3 attempts and my hand was fuuuuucking killing me after it..


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    #12
    chin_grin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,808 ✭✭✭✭chin_grin


    FetchTheGin wrote: »
    U r adptd lolz.

    Adapted? I blame evolution and nature over nurture. Damn opposable thumbs. <picks up cup of coffee>


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    #13
    FetchTheGin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭FetchTheGin


    chin_grin wrote: »
    Adapted? I blame evolution and nature over nurture. Damn opposable thumbs. <picks up cup of coffee>

    Yes, makes sense that it probably said adapted.


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    #14
    Korvanica
    Registered Users Posts: 3,992 ✭✭✭Korvanica


    I learned myself to spoke!


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    #15
    chucken1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭chucken1


    later10 wrote: »
    I often noticed, as a small child, that my spelling and grammar were close to perfect. A misplaced comma, or a forgotten full-stop, or the use of apostrophes with wild abandon were things you would never find on my homework.

    Now however, as I grow older, I've noticed my attention to grammar and spelling are slipping. Is this, like crankiness and senile incontinence, one of the inevitabilities of growing older?

    I often find that old people, contrary to what you might expect, have terrible spelling, and am just wondering whether this is something people have noticed in themselves as they age? It's not so much that you might forget the rules, but that you might simply forget to apply them. Maybe it's something to do with losing your sharpness?

    I dare you to come over here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1480
    and say that! :p


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    #16
    chin_grin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,808 ✭✭✭✭chin_grin


    FetchTheGin wrote: »
    Yes, makes sense that it probably said adapted.

    Your sarcasm detector needs new batteries.


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    #17
    later12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭✭later12


    chucken1 wrote: »
    I dare you to come over here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1480
    and say that! :p
    I don't wanna.


    They smell like nursing home.


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    #18
    Wertz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,909 ✭✭✭✭Wertz


    I'm the opposite; wasn't too hot with grammar and punctuation when in school (was always a good speller though)...in recent years, with a lot more reading done and a lot more stuff written or typed, I find I'm much better at both...mind you the simian scrawl that passes for my handwriting is getting worse as the years go by...I think I rebelled against the system that tried to teach me joined-up script in primary school and bastardised it with misplaced small capitals in the middle of words and tbh I think a 6 yr old could better me in terms of legibility.


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    #19
    chucken1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭chucken1


    later10 wrote: »
    I don't wanna.


    They smell like nursing home.


    :eek: You're not too old to be put over my knee :mad:,whippersnapper!


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    #20
    _feedback_
    Registered Users Posts: 4,269 ✭✭✭_feedback_


    TheZohan wrote: »
    That's one thing that really annoys me, older people using "txt spk". My own mother has started to abbreviate her texts, half the bloody time I have no idea what she's trying to say.

    Me too. My dad was away recently and just dropped him a text about something the evening he left.

    He replied saying he got there fine "TG".

    I couldn't figure out what the hell he was talking about. I thought of it at the weekend and asked him what it meant ..... it was Thank God :eek:


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    #21
    LeeHoffmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭LeeHoffmann


    Have you learned any foreign languages since then OP? I've noticed I sometimes have problems with spelling but my spelling was perfect before I learned German.


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    #22
    later12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭✭later12


    LeeHoffmann wrote: »
    Have you learned any foreign languages since then OP? I've noticed I sometimes have problems with spelling but my spelling was perfect before I learned German.
    Interesting, I started Italian lessons recently and am giving French lessons in return.

    Maybe the langauge part of my wee brain is packing things to the back of the filing cabinet because of all this new information... I hadn't thought about it but seems credible.


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    #23
    Logical Fallacy
    Registered Users Posts: 5,933 ✭✭✭Logical Fallacy


    lastlaugh wrote: »
    My spelling and grammar are OK, my handwriting however has become totally unreadable...

    I'm the same, anything i write by hand looks like it was done by an epileptic chicken on speed.


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    #24
    bonzodog2
    Registered Users Posts: 6,210 ✭✭✭bonzodog2


    I wonder do native speakers of languages other than English have their own varieties of txtspk ?


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    #25
    orourkeda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,919 ✭✭✭✭orourkeda


    www.dictionary.com
    www.thesaurus.com


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    #26
    scotty_irish
    Closed Accounts Posts: 427 ✭✭scotty_irish


    bonzodog2 wrote: »
    I wonder do native speakers of languages other than English have their own varieties of txtspk ?

    french are terrible for it. it's already hard enough for me to understand french without deciphering the txtspk.


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    #27
    later12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭✭later12


    bonzodog2 wrote: »
    I wonder do native speakers of languages other than English have their own varieties of txtspk ?
    Yes, they do, the French txt speak tends to include more number/letter combinations. It's very confusing, even for them.

    b1sr = bien sur
    edr = lol,
    etc.


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    #28
    Chuck Stone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,030 ✭✭✭✭Chuck Stone


    My thoughts race ahead of my typing speed so I tend to leave out entire words from paragrahps I write!

    I can do it right if I really want to though.


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    #29
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    Is the sudden explosion in grammar thread wankery to do with the recession or something?


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    #30
    The King of Moo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭The King of Moo


    The same thing's happened to me. I'd still very rarely write out a word and think it's ok when it's actually wrong though. But I'll often find myself having to stop and think of how to spell a word I used to be able to spell automatically. Or else I'll misspell it but notice straight away as it looks wrong.

    My grammar's fine, though when I'm typing I'll occasionally find myself leaving out an apostrophe or typing "your" instead of "you're" or "there" instead of "they're" or "their," but on the rare occasions I do that I'll always spot the mistake and correct it when I'm reviewing it.

    It worries me though, that I might get worse, as I've always been particularly proud of my grammar and spelling :(.


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    #31
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    I have no problem with written communications, but I lately find that I frequently can't find the word I'm looking for while talking to someone, and I just trail off...

    Going grey, deteriorating eyesight and wobbly handwriting I can deal with, but if I start to go properly senile then I'm ending it, if I can just hold this gun steady.

    Bang!

    Damn, missed again. ****, another hole in the ceiling.


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