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Help me read the posts

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  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Sunday, February 21, 2016 1:38 PM

DAVID FORTNEY

Wow what a bunch of elitists. I never knew so many of us could offend so many people who post here. For what? Spelling issues, run on sentences, etc. 

This is a train forum not high school, we don't need posters criticisms on how other people write their post. 

No wonder we don't have more people contributing here. 

If you don't like the post for whatever reason, then pass it by and save the rest of us your condescending comments. 

 
David, I don't think the real issue is spelling or even run-on sentences, but rather the cramming of an entire long post into one huge paragraph that makes it nearly impossible to read.  It is a physical appearance of the text thing, not an English grammar thing. 
 
Often a writer has put real effort into a lengthy post and simply by posting it here they obviously have a desire to communicate with others.  If communication is not taking place and thus their effort is being wasted it is hardly elitist for the others to point out how it could be improved.
 
And that is by simply creating new paragraphs, presumably each beginning with a topic sentence.  Even run-on sentences become more understandable if they are gathered into smaller paragraphs.
 
Fragments, too.
 
Dave Nelson
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Sunday, February 21, 2016 1:40 PM

charlie9

Some of us are right and some of us are wrong.  Those who are right get to decided which is which.

Charlie

 
Thanks for that, Charlie.  I literally laughed out loud. Laugh  (That's LOL for the non-literate among us.)
 
Spell check, when it's working and available, usually spells American, which isn't, in many cases, English.  It's too bad that the early Americans were so angry with the British that they deliberately changed the spelling of many words (Webster apparently had an axe to grind, and in the process ground the "e" off it) and then it was decided that a gallon wasn't really a gallon.
 
The French later showed up with metric and messed things up for all of us (except, of course, my American friends who blithely carry on in their own little world).  Smile, Wink & Grin
 
My spell check is set for British English, but that's often overridden on some sites.
 

DAVID FORTNEY

Wow what a bunch of elitists. I never knew so many of us could offend so many people who post here. For what? Spelling issues, run on sentences, etc......

I ran into a similar issue not too long after joining this Forum, and was upbraided for asking a new Member to clarify his post, which was a run-on sentence with no capitals or punctuation and poor spelling.  A number of folks jumped on me, suggesting that perhaps the person had a disability and could do no better.  After several angry reprisals, the OP chimed in with a revised version, which was at least understandable.  Who knows?  If I had said nothing, would he be here still, asking unreadable questions and getting no answers because he couldn't be understood?  Until his second effort, no one had answered his original question.
 
DAVID FORTNEY

....This is a train forum not high school, we don't need posters criticisms on how other people write their post. 

No wonder we don't have more people contributing here. 

If you don't like the post for whatever reason, then pass it by and save the rest of us your condescending comments. 

 
I disagree:  if a person cannot make their point in a manner understandable to the majority, what hope is there of them getting a useful response? 
Spelling errors, for the most part, are easy enough to overlook, but a person who speaks without pause or even taking a breath quickly becomes unintelligible, and the effect is similar when translated to the written word. 
Like most, I will make wide allowances for those for whom English is a second language, but this doesn't seem to be the case.
 
For someone who appears to be so disinterested in a response that they can't bother to frame their query in an understandable format, I think yes, they do need responders' criticisms.  Otherwise, will they come back if they repeatedly get no answers because no one understands them?
 
Wayne
 
EDIT:  Oh, I think that your first sentence should have read: "Wow, what a bunch of elitists.", or perhaps "Wow!  What a bunch of elitists.".
 
Just funnin', David.  I do get your point, even though I disagree with you.
 
Wayne
 
 
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Sunday, February 21, 2016 3:49 PM

As an accepted bond between every forumite and those with whom he/she interacts, each bears a responsibility to 'speak up.'  The poster has the obligation to make himself understood, while the person replying has the obligation to seek clarification or to respond with what she has to offer that is topical.  Wayne and I agree; it is better to let a person know that each of us experiences an impediment that leaves us confused or doubtful, and that includes requests for a more organized and clear expression, such as including some paragraphs or punctuation.  If this is done civilly, so as not to seem uncaring or snarky, it should be resolved easily.

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
  • 2,311 posts
Posted by jjdamnit on Sunday, February 21, 2016 6:06 PM

Hello all,

As a trained journalist we are taught to break down large, intimidating, blocks of text to manageable, readable, blocks.

In writing it is taught that a paragraph is a series of linked thoughts related to each other.

With newspaper writing, a paragraph can be a single sentence that might or might not be related to other sentinces relating the same thought(s).

Breaking down large blocks of text might not be grammatically correct, but doing this makes the reading easier to the viewer and less intimidating.

If you doubt this, look no further than any publication intended for public consumption; newspapers, magazines, et al.

This is why I prefer doubble-spacing between paragraphs in forums over single-spaced, indented, paragraphs.

It breaks up the visual space and invites people to read indepth rather than just glance-over.

Hope this helps.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Sunday, February 21, 2016 6:21 PM

Sorry if asking to understand posts is "elitist" of us. 

But, I, for one, would like to understand others, and be understood.

And, I do not feel that basic understanding of each other is "elitist" in any way, shape, or form. 

Let's all just make things easy to understand, and try to get along here. It is much better that way.

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Sunday, February 21, 2016 9:45 PM

Ricky.

Yes

I was wondering how to state my response politely.

Thanks.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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