Spelling and Grammar....it's getting worse!

I just got off of the phone with a customer service rep for my local cable company and I feel the need to vent. Has anyone else noticed that the human race is becoming perceptibly dumber as the years go by? In one 5 minute conversation, I had the following thrown at me:

Supposably instead if supposedly

Axed instead of asked

Irregardless (no such word)

Enough Yah's and huh's to fill a bushel basket.

If that isn't bad enough, I was reading a couple of threads this morning and, while this does not apply to the majority, we have some serious mental defectives posting here as well. I won't embarrass the poster by naming him but I had to read one of the posts three times to figure out what the idiot was trying to say. I see ads posted in the classifieds that are so atrocious I would never buy from the individual for fear that he was too stupid to properly care for the animals. It's ridiculous.

My spelling, grammar and syntax are by no means perfect but I am reasonably sure that the average person can read my posts and understand them There is a growing percentage of people, both on the net and in real life, that can't make that claim

There...I feel better. I'll end this with the one internet error that pisses me off everytime I see it.


SALE IS NOT A VERB!!! YOU CANNOT "SALE" SOMETHING TO SOMEONE!!!! YOU CAN SELL IT TO THEM. YOU CAN HAVE A SALE. YOU CAN MAKE A SALE. YOU CAN PUT SOMETHING UP FOR SALE.

BUT YOU CAN'T "SALE" IT.

Unless you are referring to a boat and then you have misspelled it.


If this makes me a snob.....I can live with that

Thanks for listening

Eye here ewe.

I agree completely, John. I honestly wonder what they are teaching kids in school. That, and just plain common "please and thank you" type courtesy seems to be be disappearing as well.

I think another big issue, that I know has already been addressed here before but still drives me nuts, is the whole "intenet lingo" thing. To me, someone simply looks unintelligent if they do not have the skills to type, "I am possibly interested in buying your snake. Could you please send me some additional pictures?" Instead, it's "i m intrested in ur snake. Plz send pix 4 me 2 C."

I know I make probably more than my fair share of typos......but at least the average person can decipher what it is I'm trying to get across without having to find an interpreter.

I have been labeled a Grammar Nazi my entire life, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

If it helps, please know it's not only this industry. Each day I communicate with people around the globe in various occupations. The lack of proper verbal and written skills is ubiquitous. Surprisingly enough, the people I speak with from outside the U.S. are much more conscientious of their grammar and spelling, and it is commonly better than many to whom English is the first language.

It's very sad.

Yeah ....I was going to hire a gentleman to work in the shipping department....and I got to tell you, I could not understand a thing he was saying. I don't know if he was talking ebonics, honkonics, slangonics, morononics or what .
Needless to say I did not hire this American.

I do have a big thing when it comes to proper spelling and grammar. It is not that hard to speak correctly as well as present anything in writing properly. People are constantly told to never judge a book by it's cover. However the book is opened and reads like a toddler just learning to speak, then judgement comes rather quickly, and it's not good. I guess because of the type of work I do it makes me anal about what is written down and how it is presented to the doctors. It doesn't take much to make a grave mistake.
I admit that I do tend to get lazy when it comes to using capitalization on my sentences, but I do try to keep my sentences whole and understandable.

You have to keep in mind that we are the exception to the rule when it comes to this hobby. By the very definition of "reptile enthusiast", implies someone that is lower on the intellectual totem pole. It's a fact of life. Our hobby is plagued by individuals who love reptiles but do not have the education of upbringing that coincides with an above average intellect.

I am not trying to be an intellectual racist but it's true. I am involved in a lot of different hobbies etc and without any hesitation, I can tell you that the reptile field has more scam artists then any other I have dealt with. Why? Because it's very easy to pull off.

While I completely agree with the whole "customer service" issue, I have come to expect no better in the reptile world. It does not mean that the clientele is "less than normal" but I do mean to imply that you simply have to be more patient and learn to hold your tongue.

Griz

Griz, I don't know about John, but I am addressing the issue in life in general, not just here. I see it at work, I hear it in things my kids and their friends say and see it in things they write, I see it all over the internet and on the television.....not just from "reptile enthusiasts". The population in general seems to be sliding, you know?

Originally Posted by Cat_72

Griz, I don't know about John, but I am addressing the issue in life in general, not just here. I see it at work, I hear it in things my kids and their friends say and see it in things they write, I see it all over the internet and on the television.....not just from "reptile enthusiasts". The population in general seems to be sliding, you know?

That's because this country is a 'melting pot'. too many slang terms for one word and the people who brutalise the English language. Not saying I am perfect here but ya know . While everyone may not agree but I am getting sick of pressing 1 for English.

Originally Posted by Griz

You have to keep in mind that we are the exception to the rule when it comes to this hobby. By the very definition of "reptile enthusiast", implies someone that is lower on the intellectual totem pole. It's a fact of life. Our hobby is plagued by individuals who love reptiles but do not have the education of upbringing that coincides with an above average intellect.

I am not trying to be an intellectual racist but it's true. I am involved in a lot of different hobbies etc and without any hesitation, I can tell you that the reptile field has more scam artists then any other I have dealt with. Why? Because it's very easy to pull off.

While I completely agree with the whole "customer service" issue, I have come to expect no better in the reptile world. It does not mean that the clientele is "less than normal" but I do mean to imply that you simply have to be more patient and learn to hold your tongue.

Griz

Bob,

I have to respectfully disagree and call that whole post poppycock. From my first hand experiences in life I do not even begin to believe any of that. Every walk of life is plagued by inarticulate people and people that have terrible communication skills. From big business right down to us "lowly reptile enthusiasts".

I honestly do not believe the reptile world is any more effected by this than any other hobby or industry. I have worked for and with some real idiots in both the computer industry and the aeronautical industry. Both fields that may imply a higher intellect, but I can tell you first hand that it is not true. Being "book smart" and being able to communicate well does not make one intelligent by any stretch of the imagination. Nor does having a lack of communication skills make one less intelligent. It just means that they are lacking in a specific skill set.

Again, I do not see an inordinate amount of people "that are lower on the intellectual totem pole" in the reptile hobby. What I see is something that is right inline with the rest of society. Particularly any section of society that has a large number of younger folks (25 and younger) in it that have not yet completely developed nor realized the importance of communication skills.