The old English board Charter.

Praetorian

Welcome to the English board!

The rules.

1- Stay on topic. This board is for the discussion of the English language and topics related to it

2- Please be civil, sensible and courteous. Do not make fun of people. Do not spam, troll or use insulting language.

3- Please do not correct peoples grammar or spelling unless they are genuinely looking for help

The Rules will be enforced.

Thanks for your time

Praetorian

ecksor

Originally posted by Praetorian
3- Please do not correct peoples grammar or spelling unless they are genuinely looking for help
[/B]

What if it's a common grammar mistake and someone has an interesting or educational explanation of why it's wrong etc? (i.e, not just picking nits).

Amz

That's a good point ecksor but how will people be sure that it's constructive criticism rather than just someone having a go?

People often misconstrue such types of correction and it can cause insult or whatever. How can it be ensured that it is only genuine constructive criticism of spelling and grammar mistakes and not the pettyness or people just being anal or argumentative for the sake of it?

yellum

Originally posted by Amz
That's a good point ecksor but how will people be sure that it's constructive criticism rather than just someone having a go?

Very true Amz

People often miscnstrue such types of correction and it can cause insult or whatever. How can it be ensured that it is only genuine constructive criticism of spelling and grammer mistakes and not the pettyness or people just being anal or argumentative for the sake of it?

Yeah I hate it when people just get a kick out of pointing out someones mistakes. So childish.

I'm 4 btw.

Amz

Well I'm only three and a half so you'll have to pardon my errors!

It wont happen again.....

Praetorian

Thanks Amz and Ecksor for your valid points! I think it’s a good idea to stick with rule number three for the time being because the board is still in its infancy. A lot of people are insulted when their posts are scrutinized harshly. I don’t want people to scare others away.

However, I think this will be the most flexible rule in the future. Ill use my discretion

As for Yellum. Where do they hide the ban button?

Gordon

Go to http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/mod to ban that trubbel maker!

Amz

All you mods think you're so great! With your four stars and your fancy links under your names. Banning people left right and centre with no shame or remorse!!!

*sigh*

ecksor

You need five stars to be a real man.

Um, anyway ... perhaps it could just be understood that this is the place for english corrections. Like, if you were having a conversation in real life and someone was continually (or should that be continuously? Go on, someone tell me!) correcting your grammar, then it would be annoying, but if you were in English class (English classes are not real life you see) then it might be expected depending on the class and people would know not to be insulted.

I specifically said grammar, not spelling, yellum! Having said that, things like confusing 'affect' and 'effect' might be worthy of discussion, since the change would alter the meaning subtly and it may not be clear what was meant exactly. Its and it's are often used incorrectly, and a good explanation of why 'its' has not apostrophe might be interesting etc etc.

Maybe allow such corrections as long as the poster is genuinely trying to inform, rather than just having a go or picking nits. At the end of the day, no rule is written in stone, it all comes down to what the mod thinks in any given case anyway ...

Gordon

Absolutely. I can see, though, a lot of huffpuff (nice word I just made up) about the same kind of nit picks like the its and the your and you're. It's all down to the mod at the end of the day.

As for continually/continuously - continuously would imply that one is doing it in a complete flow on one happenstance as opposed to continually which would imply many happenstances would see the one off occurance. Hence continually would be more correct I would presume (unless the person was on a train of thought or speech solely about correcting your grammar). I did, however, check up on dictionary.com for that

Hey there's an idea for a link sticky.

And Amz - I'm banning you from PI

pickarooney

I think the thread title is far too misleading, and will result in many angry and confused posters wondering where the article about the embarkation of British passengers on a specially laid-on flight. Possibly to Aruba.

Amz

Originally posted by Gordon
And Amz - I'm banning you from PI

due to recent irregular sleeping patterns.... ie not sleeping I appear to have missed this up to now so shall attempt to submit an appropriate rebuttle when I'm bothered.



Gordon ya big bully!!

*sniff*