Hurray for the Irish tolerance of functional illiteracy!

Outlaw Pete

Biggest lickspittle on boardz wrote: »

I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who is too lazy or thick to make an effort with spelling and grammar in their day to day lives. It gives the rest of us a huge advantage when applying for jobs and looking for promotion.

We couldn't have done it without you!


(This is not aimed at those who genuinely suffer from dyslexia or other learning difficulties).

Obviously I use satire here, but the serious question is this: why are we so tolerant of functional illiteracy in this day and age? IMO, boards should have a sticky explaining the differences between words such as 'they're/their/there' etc.

Do it boards. Help improve the educational standards of the Irish public. You can even get some free advertising by notifying the newspapers of this new, hot, exciting, learning programme. (Although half of those useless drunks will probably be looking for spelling lessons afterwards.....)

Do it, Boards.

Glenster

Graces7 wrote: »

[/B]

Where does the "moral stance " idea come from?

It is a kindness and a help to find help for folk who cannot read or read well. I knew someone who I am sure was dyslexic. People thought he was just stupid and walked all over him. So I helped him with paperwork and it turned things round for him

I'm saying its not a crusade for me to remove all typos from the world.

I couldn't give a sh*t. People who can spell aren't any better than those who can't. Except at spelling.

Grammar fascism is intellectualism for the small mind. It's the cognitive veraion of small-man syndrome.

Imagine being the sort of nasty little autocrat who cares about perfectly decipherable, minor spelling mistakes.

My consultant repeatedly misspells my street address on my prescription, and puts the apostrophe in the wrong place. Only the most insecure and intellectually unremarkable of individuals would hold it against him.

A gifted man is rarely born with the mind of a secretary.

Widdershins

professore wrote: »

When I was learning a new language, I was BEGGING people to correct me - if I spell something wrongly or use bad grammar I would be delighted for people to correct me. How else are you supposed to learn? Especially if you are making the same mistake OVER and OVER and OVER again?????

One of my best friends is dyslexic and has a very high level position in a multinational. He owns that ****. Straight out says he can't spell or write properly. Has no issue with being corrected. As a result, he has improved a lot over the years.

First. Learning a language is not like being dyslexic.

Second. Correction at the right time and place and without sarcasm or for Thanks is fine. Yes, most dyslexic ''own that sh1t''. And will clarify the correct spelling with people they respect. Arseholes on Boards should mind their own spelling.

There's a far greater issue with reading comprehension in general. I'm not speaking of you here.

Widdershins

The mistakes made by people in the middle of a snide dissection of another poster's badly spelled comment are often hilarious. And I wouldn't be surprised if they are reliant on Spellchecker themselves.

Glenster

Widdershins wrote: »

The mistakes made by people in the middle of a snide dissection of another poster's spelled comment are often hilarious. And I wouldn't be surprised if they are reliant on Spellchecker themselves.

You'd think that they'd double check they're post at least, before they post something they think will make them look slick.

Not me though. Never.

somefeen

Facebook buying and selling pages. If the OP goes to hell they will spend eternity reading and deciphering them.

"car for sale nneed gone asap 4 gud tires tax up test to april too keys. drive good NO MORE TIME WAISTERS"

"Pram for sale Hood on the part on frame needs lil repair notin major as still works the way it is hence price"

I'm not a grammar nazi, I dont care most of the time but the two above annoy the ****e out of me for some reason. I think its due to fact they are trying to sell something but aren't even trying to write a decent ad.
Actually Facebook buy and sell pages deserve their own thread

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Glenster wrote: »

Normally I love nit-picky stuff like this but I can only really agree with #9.

Maybe #7.

And what about the highlighted travesty? WHAT ABOUT IT?

Muphry's Law

It is a kind of a safe haven though - you don't know if people's mistakes are genuine or intentionally making a point.

Widdershins

My most recent typos were: Leaving the 'l' out of 'Public' and leaving the 'o' out of 'Count'.

feargale

The most common spelling mistake is "lead" for led, past tense of lead. I think I've even seen it in Time Magazine, certainly in various newspapers again and again.
But the end solution lies in making English phonetic. Why not? Only the professors and etymologists would be discommoded, and they could continue to use the present crazy spelling among themselves as a kind of druids' language.
I read recently that illiteracy is lowest among speakers of phonetic languages.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

feargale wrote: »

The most common spelling mistake is "lead" for led, past tense of lead. I think I've even seen it in Time Magazine, certainly in various newspapers again and again.
But the end solution lies in making English phonetic. Why not? Only the professors and etymologists would be discommoded, and they could continue to use the present crazy spelling among themselves as a kind of druids' language.
I read recently that illiteracy is lowest among speakers of phonetic languages.

Could of/could have. Still have no idea how people make this one. It's a cimpletely different word.

Bredabe

Widdershins wrote: »

My most recent typos were: Leaving the 'l' out of 'Public' and leaving the 'o' out of 'Count'.

Sending a letter to TD's in Leinster house, I mispelled an Irish language greeting (what little Irish I know was learned aurally), which when translated meant I called them a donkey/s.

Not sure I have lived that down yet.

Armchair Andy

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote:

Could of/could have. Still have no idea how people make this one. It's a CIMpletely different word.

Someone's being watching porn!!

Widdershins

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Muphry's Law

It is a kind of a safe haven though - you don't know if people's mistakes are genuine or intentionally making a point.

Eye lick that.

Elemonator

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

i would agree only i've encountered a lot of dyslexia in the workplace lately and it seems to be an awful thing. I had a mail ready to send out and i asked a colleague to look over it and he made a change and sent it, man it was all over the place. Feel very sorry for him.

I've encountered a lot of dailysex in the workplace too! :pac::pac::pac:

In fairness OP, I think its down to laziness, not caring, or people just being stupid. It's repetitive amongst the same people.

One eyed Jack

To be fair to the OP they did say their post wasn't aimed at people with dyslexia (such as myself, but as another poster alluded to earlier, there's a whole bucketload of 'em that will cause difficulty with comprehension and expression), but honestly there's no excuse whatsoever for what really often is just either carelessness, laziness, or a combination of both.

I have to agree with the OP that it has gotten to the stage now where we do need to take a look at getting back to the basics of the three Rs (because if you imagine people are terrible with languages, wait till you meet those who struggle to do basic mental arithmetic!). I'm often in a thread which looks like an interesting thread initially, before it all goes a bit "I can't read this sh*t!", but I reckon that's probably more to do with the content, and less to do with how it's presented.

There are any amount of resources out there, and some great videos on YouTube too (lot of TED talks, lots and lots of TED talks ) about how people with dyslexia just think differently, so they learn differently, and most of the time I've been very lucky in that I'm in the career I'm in, and I've worked with some very understanding people. On the internet though I don't have the same luxury but that forces me to up my game to learn how to express myself better, and I know that bugs the sh*te out of some people, but for me I see it as an opportunity and a learning experience - I'm no different to anyone else, and people don't treat me any different to anyone else. It's great! :pac:

somefeen

Bredabe wrote: »

Sending a letter to TD's in Leinster house, I mispelled an Irish language greeting (what little Irish I know was learned aurally), which when translated meant I called them a donkey/s.

Not sure I have lived that down yet.

Im trying to figure out where you got 'Asal' from in a greeting?

'A dhuine asal' instead of 'A dhuine usile'?

My Irish spelling and grammar is úfasach to say the least but I really really wanna know how you managed it?

Lau2976

I tend not to comment on people's grammar or spelling unless I want to be VERY petty. And I'm dyslexic so it's always a gamble whether I'm right or not :pac:

I've been corrected on it by various people my whole life and it's not something I really ever notice anymore. I know my issues. I know I'm not lazy or stupid so I don't care what they think. And others mistake don't bother me in the slightest because I either don't notice them or I do but I'm not a cnut so I ignore it.

For me having dyslexia is like a puzzle, I have all the pieces but I can't always put them together. Sometimes I'll forget a letter, or I'll add one in. Sometimes I'll get the words jumbled.

Lau2976

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I have to agree with the OP that it has gotten to the stage now where we do need to take a look at getting back to the basics of the three Rs

:

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?

Or Reading , R... , R...?

Maximus Alexander

As much as I don't enjoy reading monolithic paragraphs and posts with no regard for punctuation; imagine the depths of worthless nonsense Boards would descend into if Grammar Nazism was not only allowed, but encouraged or enforced.

Oh fuck no.

Bredabe

somefeen wrote: »

Im trying to figure out where you got 'Asal' from in a greeting?

'A dhuine asal' instead of 'A dhuine usile'?

My Irish spelling and grammar is úfasach to say the least but I really really wanna know how you managed it?

No idea, probably was on the phone as well.

One eyed Jack

Lau2976 wrote: »

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?

Or Reading , R... , R...?

Close enough

Ahh no - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_three_Rs

Widdershins

Bredabe wrote: »

Sending a letter to TD's in Leinster house, I mispelled an Irish language greeting (what little Irish I know was learned aurally), which when translated meant I called them a donkey/s.

Not sure I have lived that down yet.

Oh, that's excellent! My friend said she has typed Dear Sir/Madman a few times, and sent the emails before she realised her mistake.

somefeen wrote: »

Facebook buying and selling pages. If the OP goes to hell they will spend eternity reading and deciphering them.

"car for sale nneed gone asap 4 gud tires tax up test to april too keys. drive good NO MORE TIME WAISTERS"

"Pram for sale Hood on the part on frame needs lil repair notin major as still works the way it is hence price"

I'm not a grammar nazi, I dont care most of the time but the two above annoy the ****e out of me for some reason. I think its due to fact they are trying to sell something but aren't even trying to write a decent ad.
Actually Facebook buy and sell pages deserve their own thread

I agree with this. Along with signwriters who don't seem to bother to double-check .

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Grammar fascism is intellectualism for the small mind. It's the cognitive veraion of small-man syndrome.

Imagine being the sort of nasty little autocrat who cares about perfectly decipherable, minor spelling mistakes.

My consultant repeatedly misspells my street address on my prescription, and puts the apostrophe in the wrong place. Only the most insecure and intellectually unremarkable of individuals would hold it against him.

A gifted man is rarely born with the mind of a secretary.

I couldn't love this comment more. I know people with brilliant minds and dismal spelling ability.

I wonder why I had to complete about seven security checks before I could post this comment

somefeen

Widdershins wrote: »

I wonder why I had to complete about seven security checks before I could post this comment

You spelled your password wrong?

Widdershins

somefeen wrote: »

You spelled your password wrong?

I was already logged in.

srsly78

Yeah passwords and stuff are another one. Have seen many people raging at the computer because they keep putting the fscking password in wrong. Spelling is not optional in this case ffs!!!

Even worse - bank transfers!! They put the wrong numbers in the IBAN code and then wonder why their transfer failed!

Achasanai

I used to be very pernickety and pedantic about grammar and spelling, but realised that (for the most part) it really doesn't matter. The only issue is when spelling or grammar mistakes make it hard to understand the meaning. Looking back at my grammar nazi days and I cringe at how much of an asshole I was. Another poster said it best when s/he said grammar nazism was 'intellectualism for the small mind'.

What's even worse is that grammar nazism seems to completely overlook how (most) languages develop. We've taken a snapshot of a time at English's development and are dictating that that's how it should be from now on (and even added a few Latin rules that make no sense in English, just because). Take a look at irregular verbs and see how the English language has developed.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Could of/could have. Still have no idea how people make this one. It's a cimpletely different word.

Because it sounds the same, depending on your accent. There are a fair few (well respected, very intelligent) writers (who, I presume, have excellent editors going over their work) who use 'could of' and 'would of' to indicate accent and sound.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Achasanai wrote: »

Because it sounds the same, depending on your accent. There are a fair few (well respected, very intelligent) writers (who, I presume, have excellent editors going over their work) who use 'could of' and 'would of' to indicate accent and sound.

Yeah, I know - but at some point you have to stop and think - hang on, "of" doesn't make sense in that context. Or of have seen it written down.

Bredabe

One eyed Jack wrote: »

To be fair to the OP they did say their post wasn't aimed at people with dyslexia (such as myself, but as another poster alluded to earlier, there's a whole bucketload of 'em that will cause difficulty with comprehension and expression), but honestly there's no excuse whatsoever for what really often is just either carelessness, laziness, or a combination of both.

I have to agree with the OP that it has gotten to the stage now where we do need to take a look at getting back to the basics of the three Rs (because if you imagine people are terrible with languages, wait till you meet those who struggle to do basic mental arithmetic!). I'm often in a thread which looks like an interesting thread initially, before it all goes a bit "I can't read this sh*t!", but I reckon that's probably more to do with the content, and less to do with how it's presented.

There are any amount of resources out there, and some great videos on YouTube too (lot of TED talks, lots and lots of TED talks ) about how people with dyslexia just think differently, so they learn differently, and most of the time I've been very lucky in that I'm in the career I'm in, and I've worked with some very understanding people. On the internet though I don't have the same luxury but that forces me to up my game to learn how to express myself better, and I know that bugs the sh*te out of some people, but for me I see it as an opportunity and a learning experience - I'm no different to anyone else, and people don't treat me any different to anyone else. It's great! :pac:

I have much the same attitude to learning as you do, but my sib is not so lucky and was tortured in school and work about his "lack of learning abilities" now he has a ginormous barrier with doing literally, I expect there are many many more like him out there.

Someone who posted here mentioned the problem ppl have with no's, I think about 2 in 10 of ppl in the population have any grasp of numbers of any kind.
My ex has a wonderful memory, ridiculously overachieved academically, but couldn't calculate change for say paying for petrol. I think only in Ireland can we turn out ppl who are so academic and so useless with numbers.

Bredabe

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

i would agree only i've encountered a lot of dyslexia in the workplace lately and it seems to be an awful thing. I had a mail ready to send out and i asked a colleague to look over it and he made a change and sent it, man it was all over the place. Feel very sorry for him.

The official guestimate of "Dyslexics" in Ireland is 1 in 10, but that's based on the figures for ppl who go for assessments or contact some form of help. As SLD run in families, there could be lots and lots who have no idea they have an actual problem and put it down to stupidity or expecting too much.