Am I being unfair by using my imperfect English here?

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Would you support a such forum rule?
Yes 2%  2%  [ 1 ]
No 98%  98%  [ 59 ]
Total votes : 60

Janissy
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15 Jul 2010, 5:48 pm

The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
I have noticed that there are some Englishists (A term that I invented to refer to those who are obsessed with perfect English) here who have the following weird belief : if you can't argue me with a flawless English (Vocab-wise, grammatically , structure...) then I don't think that you have the right to argue me!

They often use this mentality with members who don't like ....or who strongly disagree with.

You can spot a such member here:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postxf130616-0-60.html

To be quoted:
Quote:
Maybe you shouldn't argue with people in English if you're not very good at it. I don't think it's really fair to the people around you. You come off as unjustifiably arrogant and a bit dumb, cos you seem to have trouble understanding it, not just typing it
.


The member was most probably referring to that long post of mine which is on that page :

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postxf130616-0-30.html


....


Ouch! But don't take it seriously. You were in a boxing match. You left a weak spot exposed and your boxing opponent punched it hard. That's just what boxers do. They punch hard at any exposed weak spots.

WP has as many posting styles as it has posters. Sometimes there are misunderstandings and sometimes these misunderstandings are from differences in language use. But I think this wasn't a genuine language misunderstanding. I think it was just a boxer's punch to take you down to the mat.

But you got back up off the mat. So...good!

Keep posting. People understand just fine.



The_Face_of_Boo
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15 Jul 2010, 5:56 pm

TeaEarlGreyHot wrote:
The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
zen_mistress wrote:
I thought your english was pretty good. I couldnt even tell it was your second language.


You mean third....


That's impressive. I can't learn even a second language. I know a few words and phrases here and there of Spanish and German, but that's it.

... and it's after trying to learn Spanish for years.


I didn't even mention that my native language (Arabic) isn't even close to any Latin/indo-European language.....



TeaEarlGreyHot
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15 Jul 2010, 5:59 pm

The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
TeaEarlGreyHot wrote:
The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
zen_mistress wrote:
I thought your english was pretty good. I couldnt even tell it was your second language.


You mean third....


That's impressive. I can't learn even a second language. I know a few words and phrases here and there of Spanish and German, but that's it.

... and it's after trying to learn Spanish for years.


I didn't even mention that my native language (Arabic) isn't even close to any Latin/indo-European language.....


Oh, cool! I always wanted to learn Arabic but again... I just can't do it. I tried, though. :-(


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The_Face_of_Boo
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15 Jul 2010, 5:59 pm

Janissy wrote:
The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
I have noticed that there are some Englishists (A term that I invented to refer to those who are obsessed with perfect English) here who have the following weird belief : if you can't argue me with a flawless English (Vocab-wise, grammatically , structure...) then I don't think that you have the right to argue me!

They often use this mentality with members who don't like ....or who strongly disagree with.

You can spot a such member here:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postxf130616-0-60.html

To be quoted:
Quote:
Maybe you shouldn't argue with people in English if you're not very good at it. I don't think it's really fair to the people around you. You come off as unjustifiably arrogant and a bit dumb, cos you seem to have trouble understanding it, not just typing it
.


The member was most probably referring to that long post of mine which is on that page :

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postxf130616-0-30.html


....


Ouch! But don't take it seriously. You were in a boxing match. You left a weak spot exposed and your boxing opponent punched it hard. That's just what boxers do. They punch hard at any exposed weak spots.

WP has as many posting styles as it has posters. Sometimes there are misunderstandings and sometimes these misunderstandings are from differences in language use. But I think this wasn't a genuine language misunderstanding. I think it was just a boxer's punch to take you down to the mat.

But you got back up off the mat. So...good!

Keep posting. People understand just fine.


hehe at the boxing match ...kinda true...

My poor opponent .... she got a huge KO.



happymusic
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15 Jul 2010, 6:00 pm

Poor grammar doesn't bother me on the forum and I teach grammar for a living. I also don't bother to obsessively adhere to its rules. Knowing them is important, but rubbing them in other people's faces is just bad form. One could remind such people of another set of rules called manners.



The_Face_of_Boo
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15 Jul 2010, 6:17 pm

Quote:
Oh, cool! I always wanted to learn Arabic but again... I just can't do it. I tried, though.


لا تحزني ;)



TeaEarlGreyHot
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15 Jul 2010, 6:41 pm

The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
Quote:
Oh, cool! I always wanted to learn Arabic but again... I just can't do it. I tried, though.


لا تحزني ;)


Okay. :-)


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Ancalagon
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15 Jul 2010, 7:54 pm

Grammar mistakes really stand out to me. I can't not see them. A post full of typos, grammar mistakes, and misspellings really bothers me to read. Unless I have a good reason to read a post like that, I won't. It's like a neat freak visiting the city dump, or a germaphobe going into the sewers. It's not that it can't be done, it's just painful. If there are only a few relatively minor mistakes, then it's not so bad.

That said, there are silly rules that some people try to pass off as grammar (like, "A preposition is not a thing to end a sentence with."), and some people have a good excuse for the mistakes they make (like non-native speakers and anyone with any type of mental problem that affects (not effects) language).


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Who_Am_I
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15 Jul 2010, 8:05 pm

Your English is fine.
I find it difficult to read things that are poorly written, as I have to take a few seconds to translate them into Standard English. However, I don't complain to the people who write badly, as it's not a big enough thing for me to hurt people's feelings over, and they might have a good reason for being a bad writer.


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MONIQUEIJ
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15 Jul 2010, 8:06 pm

no no. my English sucks. :oops: and yes i payed attention in English class even made the honor role in that class a few or more time. :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:


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Followthereaper90
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15 Jul 2010, 8:12 pm

i think u need to learn a bit more trolling as its fairly obvious what u are doing

"I didn't even mention that my native language (Arabic) isn't even close to any Latin/indo-European language"
nice one...now while its truly impressive that u learned English, its just another language and wont make u more superior even its not anywhere near English

You come off as unjustifiably arrogant and a bit dumb because 1. obvious troll is obvious 2. like someone mentioned being in here, most people have problem with grammar
...now where is my "reaping a troll" option


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MONIQUEIJ
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15 Jul 2010, 8:27 pm

Followthereaper90 wrote:
i think u need to learn a bit more trolling as its fairly obvious what u are doing

"I didn't even mention that my native language (Arabic) isn't even close to any Latin/indo-European language"
nice one...now while its truly impressive that u learned English, its just another language and wont make u more superior even its not anywhere near English

You come off as unjustifiably arrogant and a bit dumb because 1. obvious troll is obvious 2. like someone mentioned being in here, most people have problem with grammar
...now where is my "reaping a troll" option


i really thought this question was real


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TeaEarlGreyHot
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15 Jul 2010, 8:30 pm

MONIQUEIJ wrote:
Followthereaper90 wrote:
i think u need to learn a bit more trolling as its fairly obvious what u are doing

"I didn't even mention that my native language (Arabic) isn't even close to any Latin/indo-European language"
nice one...now while its truly impressive that u learned English, its just another language and wont make u more superior even its not anywhere near English

You come off as unjustifiably arrogant and a bit dumb because 1. obvious troll is obvious 2. like someone mentioned being in here, most people have problem with grammar
...now where is my "reaping a troll" option


i really thought this question was real


I don't think he was trolling.


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MONIQUEIJ
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15 Jul 2010, 8:36 pm

TeaEarlGreyHot wrote:
MONIQUEIJ wrote:
Followthereaper90 wrote:
i think u need to learn a bit more trolling as its fairly obvious what u are doing

"I didn't even mention that my native language (Arabic) isn't even close to any Latin/indo-European language"
nice one...now while its truly impressive that u learned English, its just another language and wont make u more superior even its not anywhere near English

You come off as unjustifiably arrogant and a bit dumb because 1. obvious troll is obvious 2. like someone mentioned being in here, most people have problem with grammar
...now where is my "reaping a troll" option


i really thought this question was real


I don't think he was trolling.


i know a lot of people have a problem with bad grammar, but lol, such rule is unfair.


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jmnixon95
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15 Jul 2010, 8:40 pm

You aren't being "unfair"...
The person you were arguing with just needs to get a life.
Though I do enjoy using and reading proper grammar, I don't insult people who are trying their hardest to speak or write as clearly as they can in the language of their choosing. (In my case, German or English.)
It takes more linguistic ability to learn multiple languages fluently than to speak one language 'perfectly', so, that other user has no space to talk to you like (s)he is.
Keep on posting; you should feel welcome here! Nobody should be harassing you for the way you speak English. 8)



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15 Jul 2010, 8:43 pm

I admit to being a proud Grammar Nazi and errors seem to jump out at me and give me little brain stabs. I don't call people out on it but it is irritating to see people use words like "u" instead of "you" which doesn't have anything to do with one's native language unless you grew up speaking 1337SP33K.