What's your reaction to hideous grammar/spelling/punctuation in gun-related postings?

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Ed Ames said:
I see different styles in different forums, but affectation is everywhere.

Fitness forums are far more likely to have 'Bro' dialect (faux frat) posts, for example. I don't visit golf or faith forums but I assume they are primarily frequented by older people, so I would expect a more formal style of writing - even by younger posters who would not normally communicate in that style. Car forums in general can vary quite a bit. I suspect the classic car audience overlaps with the golf audience (older) but I have seen styled (usually an attempt at US eastern south) posts on racing forums quite often. Hiking (vs hunting) is a rather costal activity, so you will tend to see coastal (which is to say mainstream, since the costal states dominate US culture) styles.

History is an academic interest. The stylistic affectation endemic to such milieu is near-hurculean efforts to elevate Flesch-Kincaid Readability Metrics. (Insecure people think big words make them sound smarter, or so people like telling me.)

You are correct that some of the most overt, and extreme, styling seems to localize to firearms forums. I suspect that people are playing a game of oneupmanship. E.g. there is a cast lead bullet forum where most posts are in faux gold rush prospector speak. I think the costumed shooting sports (CAS and some of the mountain man deerskin stuff) make that sort of role playing seem more reasonable.

Of course style isn't everything. There are plenty of people whose first exposure to writing as a real-world form of communication is these forums. The poster may be 70 years old, or 42, or 8, but until they have never held a job or done anything that required writing. They are ignorant, but trying. I think it is a measure of the passion people feel that they are willing to do something outside their experience and comfort zone. I suspect that given time those people turn into normal posters...normal for the forums they frequent, anyway. I suspect guns generate more passion than golf, but I could be wrong.

A few people are just dumb, but not many have that excuse.
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That's very interesting insight and it's easy to forget that some simply lack the experience of communicating via the written word. On the other hand if they were truly trying, (is that a comma splice?) I don't think that many of the most obvious errors would be so common.

A great many of us have to stop and think about whether (not weather) to use words like "effect" or "affect." I would never judge anyone based upon the misuse of such words. Unfortunately many of the most obvious errors seen on these forums derive from what we learned or did not learn in grade school -- this is not about higher education. Thanks for your insight.
 
Kynoch said:
Like what? Limited perspicacity? That can be overcome largely by effort (use of spell and grammar checkers, etc.) as some have pointed out. Ignorance? That too can be overcome if one is willing to be diligent.
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My father's spelling declined remarkably when his health deteriorated. In his prime he wrote professionally, albeit with a dictionary nearby. Even at his best after the subdural hematoma he could turn "descend" into "deesand" and "coordinate" into "coardanate"... I have blocked out his worst because it honestly took me minutes to figure out what he meant by each word, and I sometimes failed.

On the other hand if they were truly trying, (is that a comma splice?) I don't think that many of the most obvious errors would be so common.
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You need to start - need to post, in this context - before you can realize you are making mistakes. Most people go through that in grade school, but writing is a perishable skill and 50 years without practice is nearly a return to zero.
 
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I blame schools. literature and grammar ain't taught. some of us grew up in the woods, so to speak, where not a whole lot of thought was given to passing this boards curriculum. just so you know, you will always be dumb hillbilly rednecks to the anti 2nd crowd. remember that boys.

all my comma's correct, periods? gave you a paragraph gap also just for giggles.
 
As a recovering grammar Nazi myself, I do find it hard to read through endless and unpunctuated rants that are rife with misspelling and grammatical errors. But I am challenging myself in my old age to empathize with the writer and try grasp the point they are trying to make....... But so far I have failed miserably in that effort. (my 7th grade grammar teacher would be so proud of me now!)
 
I'm a retired teacher and sometimes can't help myself and try to politely correct someone. The grammar/spelling/and punctuation by its self is not that much of a problem for me. Sometimes we all have brainfarts or strike a wrong key and don't correct it. Often we forget there are young kids posting here. A lot of 13-14 year olds have not developed those skills like most adults.

But quite often the post is WAAAY out in left field and is combined with poor grammar. It seems the 2 go together a lot. Those are the ones that make us all look bad. And are more likely to be attacked for being incorrect. It
 
Bad spelling and grammar reinforce the stereotype of gun owners as rednecks and yahoos. If you can't post in proper English, don't post at all!
 
I would much rather have people think that I am a redneck yahoo than have them think that I am a pompous grammar nazi.
 
Some people have a lot of trouble with grammar and spelling even though they are otherwise well-informed and educated. I tend to give folks the benefit of the doubt if it looks like they're putting forth effort.

Sometimes it's easy to tell that someone is just too lazy/self-involved/busy/whatever to put in even the minimal effort required to communicate via the written word. That's an entirely different story.
 
I think there is terrible spelling and grammar on ALL forums...it irks me to think that
people don't take the time to learn it properly. Anyone that graduated high school should know this a lot better.
 
It seems odd but with a 60% fat content on the "zote" brand I bought it makes sense. It also passes the "if I don't want it in my mouth catfish should love it" test.

It'd be nice to have a non stinky bait we can stockpile onboard the boat.
 
What's your reaction to hideous grammar/spelling/punctuation in gun-related p...

lxd55 said:
no sir. I have not. please tell!
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I hadn't till a couple days ago. It's all over the net though amongst catfishin circles

I tried it on some jugs sat night and didn't catch anything between it and some good ol chicken livers. I don't think they're biting round here.

I'm hoping it'll do better on trotlines left out over a longer time period.
 
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AlexanderA said:
Bad spelling and grammar reinforce the stereotype of gun owners as rednecks and yahoos. If you can't post in proper English, don't post at all!
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but are sir, you are a redneck and a yahoo.
wear your suit, speak your finest.
you are still these things if you own a firearm.
 
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