The general decline in standards today

[Flicka]

From hippies and teachers in jeans to something that I think is a sign of declining standards (but may be because the increase in written communication is making things evident that I never noticed before): I do wish people would take more care with their spelling on the internet. I'm gnawing my teeth whenever I access twitter or make the mistake of reading comments on blogs. It's most often people whose first language is English too.

A few things that really come across as awfully sloppy to me:

1. Writing "alot" rather than "a lot" (unless of course the person is referring to a big furry monster)

2. Mixing up "your" and "you're", "whose" and "who's" and -- my personal favourite -- the random ' in front of a plural 's'

3. "Here, here" instead of "hear, hear" (you are calling attention to something well said, not trying to summon someone to your side, or even worse, to "you're side")

4. No or random punctuation, mixed with a crippling fear of capital letters

5. Or its peculiar cousin; the random use of capital Letters that make You suspect the Person is channelling their inner german

But yes, it may be because they really are eagles and typing with their talons. At least thinking so makes it a little -- or "alot" -- less annoying.

 

[Noirblack]

your making a Big Deal about nothing. alot of people, dont no the subtitles of grammatical writing. I for won wont blame them.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I do wish people would take more care with their spelling on the internet. I'm gnawing my teeth whenever I access twitter or make the mistake of reading comments on blogs. It's most often people whose first language is English too.

Agreed. If you can't be bothered to use the language properly -- forgiving the occasional, inevitable typographical errors -- why should anyone be bothered to care what you have to say? Learning to talk and write properly costs one nothing but effort.

 

[AmateisGal]

And let's not forget "there, they're, and their."

I get so tired of seeing people use the "shorthand" version of our language when they write online - for example, "R u home?" or "Ur dum" and so on and so forth. GAH.

 

[Feraud]

Agreed. I loathe text speak in emails. Come to think of it I hate it in texts too..
Is it that hard to type out y-o-u?

 

[sheeplady]

Or my personal favorite "I could care less." Nope, that doesn't mean what you think it means.

 

[1961MJS]

Agreed. I loathe text speak in emails. Come to think of it I hate it in texts too..
Is it that hard to type out y-o-u?

Hi

Well, it is HARDER to type Y o u than just the "u", but it's usually worth the time. I do use the backspace key on my cell phone more than the other ones.

Later

 

[1961MJS]

Isn't being dim-witted and aggressive the job requirement for a games teacher?

Hi

Is "Games Teacher" what the English call a Physical Education (P.E.) teacher? If so, then yep, it's at least the cliche for the job. I went to University of Illinois, where a degree in Physical Education was actually so difficult that our football team tended to major in Leisure Studies or effectively Park management.

Later

 

[Undertow]

From hippies and teachers in jeans to something that I think is a sign of declining standards (but may be because the increase in written communication is making things evident that I never noticed before): I do wish people would take more care with their spelling on the internet. I'm gnawing my teeth whenever I access twitter or make the mistake of reading comments on blogs. It's most often people whose first language is English too.

A few things that really come across as awfully sloppy to me:

1. Writing "alot" rather than "a lot" (unless of course the person is referring to a big furry monster)

2. Mixing up "your" and "you're", "whose" and "who's" and -- my personal favourite -- the random ' in front of a plural 's'

3. "Here, here" instead of "hear, hear" (you are calling attention to something well said, not trying to summon someone to your side, or even worse, to "you're side")

4. No or random punctuation, mixed with a crippling fear of capital letters

5. Or its peculiar cousin; the random use of capital Letters that make You suspect the Person is channelling their inner german

But yes, it may be because they really are eagles and typing with their talons. At least thinking so makes it a little -- or "alot" -- less annoying.

Here, Here! Who Za!

 

[Feraud]

Or my personal favorite "I could care less." Nope, that doesn't mean what you think it means.

Well "for all intensive purposes" most people could care less.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Agreed. I loathe text speak in emails. Come to think of it I hate it in texts too..
Is it that hard to type out y-o-u?

Yes, I h8 it too.

 

[Flicka]

Yes, I h8 it too.

Me 2.

 

[sheeplady]

Well "for all intensive purposes" most people could care less.

lol

 

[scottyrocks]

Text 'shorthand' was based on texting's 'old days' when you only had a certain number of characters per text, and only a certain number of texts on your plan, unlike today, where it's unlimited. Using text abbreviations in anything but a text, though, is irritating to me, too.

And as far as HTLuke's generalization about PE teachers, I don't appreciate it. I am anything but what your crass generalizations states. You've got some nerve.

 

[sheeplady]

And as far as HTLuke's generalization about PE teachers, I don't appreciate it. I am anything but what your crass generalizations states. You've got some nerve.

I'd agree. My gym teachers were anything but stupid. One really took me under her wing and she was a really nice lady. The others I didn't really care for overall or at least had no opinion on, but that wasn't because they were stupid.

 

[1961MJS]

I'd agree. My gym teachers were anything but stupid. One really took me under her wing and she was a really nice lady. The others I didn't really care for overall or at least had no opinion on, but that wasn't because they were stupid.

Hi

I never thought my PE teachers were particularly stupid, but several were big and loud. One in particular was a pretty good coach, but he was my model as to why NOT to let my son play football. He'd played in college and hat 3 knee operations. He limped on both legs.

My most annoying PE teacher was my son's in grade school. She referred to herself as an Ed U Ca Tor, not a teacher. Since that time, I've used that as whether or not I respect their opinion. Self titled "Educators" have been horrible teachers, while most self titled "teachers" were.

Later

 

[scottyrocks]

I never thought my PE teachers were particularly stupid, but several were big and loud.

I'm not particularly big, but I find it is often necessary to be loud. Gymnasiums are big places, often with questionable acoustics. If you don't raise your voice a bit, you're not heard. I find it less taxing during the rare times I happen to be teaching in a regular classroom where I can speak in a normal tone of voice.

 

[Undertow]

I've never seen gym teachers as particularly unintelligent, but maybe that's a regional thing?

I had the same teacher from k-8, she was marvelous. We had a really great time and she was good at getting us moving and keeping our attention. Then I had football and swimming coaches in high school and I already knew them from sports, so eh. They were great too - pleasant, personable, not even very loud. [huh]

In fact, the only thing I didn't like about PE was when they made us run a mile. I think that was our final in high school. Look, I can lift impressive amounts of weight, drag dead bodies from flaming houses, carry 70lbs packs and what not - but I CANNOT run. I was built for other stuff, running is not one of them. lol

 

[ButteMT61]

Our "gym" teachers were not big, but all were coaches of one or more sports programs in the school - from 1st grade through 12. Many of them also taught classes. I did have ot suffer with my track coach calling me "betch yer ass" as a play on my last name. Then he'd scream at me for being too slow. Great guy though.

 

[Miss Sis]

1. Writing "alot" rather than "a lot" (unless of course the person is referring to a big furry monster)

2. Mixing up "your" and "you're", "whose" and "who's" and -- my personal favourite -- the random ' in front of a plural 's'

3. "Here, here" instead of "hear, hear" (you are calling attention to something well said, not trying to summon someone to your side, or even worse, to "you're side")

4. No or random punctuation, mixed with a crippling fear of capital letters

5. Or its peculiar cousin; the random use of capital Letters that make You suspect the Person is channelling their inner german

But yes, it may be because they really are eagles and typing with their talons. At least thinking so makes it a little -- or "alot" -- less annoying.

I think I love the 'Alot' and the writer of this blog already!