I never said anything about ESL speakers/writers. I always look at the person's country of origin, and take into consideration where they are from. However, I have noticed that for the most part, ESL speakers/writers from other countries generally have MUCH better spelling and grammar than a LOT of people on here to whom English is their native tongue. That's truly sad to me.
And I'm not talking about one or two misspelled words and a few punctuation errors. We ALL do that. It IS the internet, a casual forum. I type things on a message board that I would never type in a "real" letter. I think it is safe to say that most of use more slang and more technically incorrect punctuation on the internet than we would, say, at work or school. That's a given, and I don't have a problem with it.
Everyone knows the type of posts I was talking about. We have all seen them, and all cringed. The posts that should be ten paragraphs and fifty sentences, but end up being one huge paragraph and four horrific run-on sentences. The posts where every other word is misspelled so badly that it takes an effort to figure out what was originally meant. The posts with no punctuation, and very few capital letters.
This does not mean you should comdemn or ignore them. Please be a little tolerant and understanding of others.
Please show me where I said I would condemn anyone. I didn't, and I don't. I am quite tolerant, I have never corrected anyone for anything on this board. I said I was tempted to at times, I didn't say I did it.
I do, however, think it is very sad when someone says they are going to school to be a "vetinarian" or they are going to start a rescue for "purebread blue healers." They lose all credibility with people ... especially potential employers, schools, etc. ... when they can't even spell their chosen field or specialty. If I were in that position, I would most certainly hope someone corrected me!
We ARE judged on our grammar, spelling and punctuation, just as we are judged by our clothing syle, pronunciation and appearance. Right or wrong, fair or unfair ... that is how human beings make order of their world. I can't imagine not knowing how to spell a word or punctuate a sentence, and not wanting someone to teach me!
"We give dogs the time we can spare, the space we can spare and the love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made" - M. Facklam
"We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers - thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams."- P.S. Beagle
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king." - J.R.R. Tolkien
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