Alright guys and gals it's time for another fun topic. Grammar. Specifically bad grammar. Now I'm not talking about overly nitpicky things like sentences that are too short or using slang that isn't validated by the dictionary like "nitpicky." Now "Nitpick" and "Nitpicking" are acceptable terms but "Nitpicky" itself is not. I'm not talking about those things. Mainly because I use a lot of similar things in everyday speech. I mean the common things like correct spelling, punctuation, and maybe a tiny bit of basic sentence structure. I know that last part makes me sound like a hypocrite, and I'm not saying I'm NOT since most people in the world are. Whether they admit it or not. No I'm mainly referring to things like this. "We need 2 do stuf wit u guyz mor oftan." That crap. It's inexcusable. Want to know why? I'll tell you with one simple sentence. "Spell check."
I know, I know. "But Coby, this isn't Microsoft Word! People make mistakes!" Or "People are just in a hurry." "They're not on a computer, they're using their phone!" Now while the very last thing is more of an acceptable counter point I offer you this as my rebuttal. EVERYTHING today has spell check functionality! Whether you're on a computer or a mobile device it is accessible to you SOMEHOW. Take this very post for example. If I misspell a word, like "awesome" for example, a little red line forms underneath the error and lets you know of the mistake. "I had an awsome time today." (Like so.) Fixing it is just as simple as figuring out you have an erroneous spot in your sentence. All you have to do is right click the word with your mouse and at the top of the pop-up window there are spelling solutions. Simple right? So then why are there so many people who can't spell? Are they all just that stupid? Now I know there are a lot of stupid people in the world but if I remember correctly grade school was mandatory to attend. Not to mention FREE OF CHARGE.
And now to kill that counter argument. "They're in a hurry." or "They're on a mobile device." While it is true that most mobile devices do not have spell check by default there are tons of free apps out there to make it applicable to just about everything, everyone, and everywhere. Which means there is absolutely no excuse. Mobile or not it's available. And before anyone can pull something like "what if they're in a hurry?" or something similar out again to smack me with there are also apps and programs that correct you as you type. And some with vocal input so that it types up what you say automatically. Now I know the main flaw in programs like this is that there are so many similar words that if you misspell one thing it might turn into something completely different but at least it's something different that's correctly spelled. It may not make complete sense but for the sake of this argument let us say the culprit is drunk and typing. Instead of "I shua ha somich ta drnk." It may turn out like this. "I shun had so Mich to drink." That's probably a long shot but if it worked out that way somebody could probably translate. Granted someone could have translated the drunken babble as well and possibly easier but I digress.
Now before I go off on some long nonsensical tangent and lose any and all validity of what may still be a valid argument I shall reiterate my main thoughts and close up shop. I suppose my core argument and point in all of this is as such. "There is no excuse for bad grammar in such a technical age. There are so many readily available, not to mention FREE, tools to help prevent this that you don't even really need much in the way of education. As horrible and sad as that truth may be. At the very least you can do what tons of people, myself included, do and use google as a spell checker. Whether you're at home on a computer or away on a mobile device the options don't disappear, they only multiply. There is. No. Excuse."
Afterthought - Sadly this can be said for just about anything in life now. Whether it's basic education or a specific skill, humanity has just about any and every option to learn. For free or otherwise. If I want to learn about something I do research on the internet. whether it's a skill or "book smarts" all you need to do is do research on the net. But this is another topic entirely.
Thank you all for reading and God bless.
~Coby
Merriam Webster School Dictionary, Grades 9-11, Hardcover (Google Affiliate Ad)
Franklin BES-2110 Merriam-Webster Speaking Spanish-English Dictionary (Google Affiliate Ad)
No comments:
Post a Comment