WHYYYYYY cant people write properly anymore?

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: LordSegan

Originally posted by: Trinitron
Because they don't care.

Well, they should. The problems I find are not just minor problems that make the writing less than excellent. These are major problems that actually make the damn papers hard to understand. How can society function if we cannot communicate with each other? I want to be able to relay more than oral knowledge to my grandchildren.

You are right, they should care.

 

[halik]

blah language is just a medium for thought. So long the language is coherent and makes logical sense, who cares about some grammar technicalites? I'd focus on the ideas within...

 

[melly]

Originally posted by: LordSegan

Originally posted by: caramel
on the forums, i tend to write in all lowercase. IRL, though, i'm propa.

On forums and when I am IMing, I always write like a retard (except in "Why cant we write" threads ). But IRL, I usually write pretty well. I would assume that if you were writing for an audience of about 50,000 fellow community members IRL, you would want to write well too. That's why I'm concerned.

when i finished school a few years ago, i became 'dumb'. suddenly i was finding myself, miss perfect grammar, forget spellings of simple words and the like. moving to a spanish speaking country for 7 months didn't help, either when i'm at work and have to write 'formal' emails, it's really hard because i have to go back and change things to be proper.

 

[SOSTrooper]

I'll confess. I'm terrible at using 'have' 'had' 'has.' Can someone give me some pointers?



1) It was a sunny afternoon when it happened. I have seen similar incidents occurring before, but not like this.

or

2) It was a sunny afternoon when it happened. I had seen similar incidents occurring before, but not like this.



3) I haven't quite gotten the definitions down until today.

or

4) I hadn't quite gotten the definitions down until today.



5) He has been trying to jump over the river since yesterday.

or

6) He had been trying to jump over the river since yesterday.

 

[iwearnosox]

English grammar is tough to master if it's your second language, but if it's your first?

 

[Muse]

I think it helps to realize how helpful it is to formulate your thoughts in words. Once you realize this you are on your way to becoming a writer. That doesn't mean you are going to publish, but if you practice writing you will improve. The thing is, a lot of people never have this realization. Nothing brings them to it.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: iwearnosox
English grammar is tough to master if it's your second language, but if it's your first?

Some of the greatest writers in the English language have English as not their first language. For instance Joseph Conrad and Vladimir Nabakov. Masterful writers in English!

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: halik
blah language is just a medium for thought. So long the language is coherent and makes logical sense, who cares about some grammar technicalites? I'd focus on the ideas within...

Such thinking sounds good in the Politically Correct era of artificially enhanced self-esteem, but in the real world you are judged by your appearance and presentation; if you compose emails that read like they were written by some retard fresh off the short bus, people will assume that you are not particularly bright.

 

[Deleted member 4644]

Originally posted by: SOSTrooper
I'll confess. I'm terrible at using 'have' 'had' 'has.' Can someone give me some pointers?



1) It was a sunny afternoon when it happened. I have seen similar incidents occurring before, but not like this.

or

2) It was a sunny afternoon when it happened. I had seen similar incidents occurring before, but not like this.



3) I haven't quite gotten the definitions down until today.

or

4) I hadn't quite gotten the definitions down until today.



5) He has been trying to jump over the river since yesterday.

or

6) He had been trying to jump over the river since yesterday.

SOS- 2, 4, either one can work depending on if it is still continuing at the moment.

5) He has been trying to jump over the river since yesterday. And he still is trying.

or

6) He had been trying to jump over the river since yesterday. And he succeeded at 4pm today.

 

[Deleted member 4644]

Those were actually sorta hard lol

 

[Howard]

I'd say 'had' for all the examples.

 

[Howard]

Except for the last one.

 

[Lithium381]

it really is quite pathetic.......they don't really teach much in school these days, i consider myself a competent writer.....not top rate, but i can write something that makes sense most of the time........some of my friends......after graduating HS, STILL do not know the difference between you're and your......bear and bare......their/they're/there.....it's/its.......i read stuff like "explane" sometimes, seriously, did you want me to "explain" that to you or what? good thing they're going to implement some sorta competency exam next year, at least in school around here, don't pass the test, don't get the HS diploma, not sure how it'll help, hopefully it will though..

 

[m2kewl]

what you expect? i went to a public school, got a GED - "good enough diploma."

 

[AreaCode707]

I'm a graduating English major, and I am constantly reading and editing papers for friends. I wonder how they graduated high school. I ask them, "do you talk like this?" and have them read their papers aloud. Fragments are particularly prevelant, and that's something they teach in fifth grade. The papers are just slaughtered; one friend had to rewrite all but four sentences in a five page paper because it was so incoherent. Let's not even talk about thesis and structure.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Interesting, I took the GED essay test today, had to write a little essay. Took me a little while to come up with stuff to write, but once I got that done, I made sure grammar/spelling/etc were good. I think that _I_ have not-so-good language skills (i.e. I don't remember a ton of stuff from language arts classes in high school), but I write like a freaking genius compared to most people. Most people, for some reason, have HORRID writing/language skills. I suppose that's just how it is. Look at it this way: what was the literacy rate a hundred years ago compared to now?

 

[NewSc2]

Originally posted by: fatbaby
Well isn't ucla composed mostly of asians?

Ouch.

I've read good and bad papers from asians at UCI, and I think a high majority of them are bad. I've read good and bad papers from whites at UCI, and I think it's about 50/50 good and bad. People just can't write in general, I don't think, because not many people read much more than the Sports page anymore.

 

[axelfox]

It might be because that test they take to get in doesn't gauge grammar.

I walked around UCI one day with my cousin who went there, and scoped out the "diverse" student body.

Then I asked him: "Did you ever want to ask some of the people that walk around here: 'How did your gangsta' ass get into UCI?"

 

[shopbruin]

with some of the articles i've read in the daily bruin, i'm really not surprised. particularly some of the editorials.

 

[melly]

right now my tyhping is not good because of the beer.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

The irony of the post title "WHYYYYYY cant people write properly anymore?" is just off the scale.

 

[Ausm]

huked on fonix worx 4 mee


Ausm

 

[SagaLore]

You forgot the ' in can't.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: iwearnosox
I'd be happy just seeing people sort out the whole "your" and "you're" debacle.

Your crazy. Their is nothing wrong with the way there spelling.

 

[CChaos]

Originally posted by: halik
blah language is just a medium for thought. So long the language is coherent and makes logical sense, who cares about some grammar technicalites? I'd focus on the ideas within...

While your logic is fine for pointing out why it's not necessary to be too concerned about spelling and grammar on a message board, he's talking about people submitting things that will be in print! I have a BA in English and I definitely have lapses in my spelling and grammar. I attribute it to apathy, but I do my best to edit anything official with my name on it. When I write technical specifications I make an effort to use the language properly and when I read functional specifications I do notice glaring errors. It's really odd to see mistakes when you are reading Word documents that someone else prepared, because they are highlighted for you by the software. Some of these fvckers probably make more than me too!