A very entertaining AND educational thread :lol:
Having read all replies I tend to agree AND disagree with everyone.
This posting is intentionally short to lessen the chance of any grammatical "****-up"
Well, ya strayed two words too long. Fuckup doesn't need to be hyphenated. :rofl:
In all sincerity, I apologize for dragging this POS up from the dead. Hell, it's still kind of warm and worm free.
But to chime in with my thoughts on "Spelling and Grammar Nazis" (as if anyone gives a shit what my thoughts are) it all comes down to context.
If I see examples of kindergarten level spelling and grammar attached to some YouTube post, I simply consider the source.
But in technocentric environments such as motorcycle forums, then, at least to me, correct grammar, spelling and punctuation is necessary, at least from reply posters, if not just as important for topic posters.
Let me explain my reasoning:
If someone responds to a technically challenging question with a reply full of grammar, spelling or syntax errors, I tend to question the validity of that response as well as the technical acumen of the responder. It comes down to credibility. How can I "trust' a technical response from someone who can't correctly string together a few words into a cognitive sentence?
It even comes down to spelling. How can I be comfortable accepting advice on the best way to bleed the ABS system on my '04 when a responder to my post replies with something along the lines of "be sure to bleed your rear breaks before you due the fronts." Do I think "God, this idiot can't even spell brakes or use the word do effectively?" No. I think "If this person can't even spell the word brakes correctly or use do instead of due, maybe he doesn't know WTF he's talking about." By the same token, that same type of response elicits thoughts of "Christ, if he can't even take the few moments of time to proofread his response, maybe he takes similar shortcuts with his maintenance chores." Either way, I tend to be dismissive of these types of posts when it comes to technical issues.
Similarly, if I see a query post in a technical forum from someone who writes with, how to say it kindly, less than skill, again I don't react with thoughts of how stupid the poster is, but instead wonder if that person who's typing in all caps, poor grammar, bad punctuation, etc., can benefit from the advice given in said forum. Again, if that person can't be bothered to pre-read his post before hitting "Send" how can I believe he can bother reading all the steps necessary to successfully complete, say, a Throttle Body Sync.
As I noted, it's all a matter of context. I don't expect a typical 14 year old YouTuber to communicate with the skills of an astrophysicist, but I do expect someone giving me, or asking of me, advice on how to keep a 145hp motorcycle from killing him or me the credibilty to accept such questions or dispense such advice with a modicum of credibility.
If I come across sounding like an elitist, then label me as one. I'd rather be an elitist than an apologist.