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I am surprised at the persistent slovenliness of the language used in the Coffee Room and commenters on the YWN news articles. I am surprised because the bulk of the writing comes from educated people, who have studied at least two languages (English and Hebrew) and may be fluent in others (Yiddish, Farsi, Arabic). Much of internet writing is far inferior to anything on YWN, but I am nevertheless puzzled by the mediocrity of expression on this site. Perhaps it is, in part, attributable to commenters and posters who are accustomed to “texting” and tend to be extremely colloquial, as if they were texting to friends, using school-child abbreviations and omitting punctuation.
YWN represents an opportunity for serious discussion in front of an educated audience. Why do so many posters and commenters choose such a mediocre level of speech?
I am surprised that you would write a post about the language on YWN, without mentioning the substantive language problems–like people using the words retard and molester.
Somehow I’m not feelin guilty but I’m willing to listen if you would like to present an idea in a way that would make me feel that it is what hashem wants for me to abide by that idea.
Agreed but besides the grammalicious quality of language –
People should watch the mussar and menchlichkiteness of their speech. Just because it’s not in person and you’re speaking with a fake name doesn’t mean you could insult people and make them feel bad. THINK before you speak (and you even have a few seconds after with the ‘edit’ button)
Dear OP: There are a number of children posting here.
nfgo3: I agree completely.
Or, to put it in the current vernacular: +1
(Paging Haifagirl…)
Meh. Stilted language is much worse than handicapped language.
Patri: Are you sure?!? (btw – that’s by the way, Mommy let me post tonight!!)
As long as posters get their point across clearly, I don’t care how “mediocre” the language is.
Well, I never learned to type and i type with 1 or 2 or three fingers. so i dont care
. what counts anyway is that im right, not that i can use a computer.
Patri, we are all children at heart.
For the record, I am not nfgo3. However, if nfgo3 is male and single, let’s talk. 😉
hey mod-42,why only at heart??
It’s very difficult to find a man, especially a frum one, who has even the vaguest concept of grammar. When I find one, I try not to let him go so easily.
Haifagirl: Is that really true? Most of the Frum people I know have at the very least a decent, if not good, command of the English language. Hebrew, on the other hand, is another story entirely.
nfgo3- you assume the posters have had a decent english education. Dont assume that. Writing a book report in 6th grade isnt going to teach someone how to write.
nfgo3
I think you need to take a deep breath, but I’m not sure. Its just what i think.
In defense of Haifagirl, I take great pride in the fact that my husband cares enough to make corrections to the letters my son’s English teacher sends home.
No, we don’t send them back, but one day my son might do the correcting before we see it, and I just hope we’ve ingrained in him the importance of ‘asking for clarification’ with derech eretz…
I was recently a guest at a meal in someone’s home. I was the only BT. At one point I just screamed. Seriously. To me, bad grammar has the same effect as nails on a blackboard.
The scream was caused when somebody said, “He had went . . . .” That was immediately followed by somebody else’s saying, “He had came . . . .”
It was painful.
nfgo3, I understand haifagirl perfectly, I’m sure she wants much more than a boy with good grammar, but it’s a starting point. Educated people usually have a good command of their native language. A person who doesn’t spell correctly reflects poor intelligence.
If I were you, I would take haifagirl’s offer very seriously.
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