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How important are someone's writing skills when communicating online? Does the person's writing style affect how you view them? Does it affect how you perceive them in terms of starting a relationship with them?

I admit to being a grammar snob, after years and years of research writing and teaching/tutoring/proofreading. However, online I do relax a little and try to just enjoy conversations without worrying too much about whether someone uses "your, you're" correctly. Unless the writing becomes difficult to understand (anything from extreme pedantic mambo jambo to childish babble), I just assign someone's writing style as part of their uniqueness.

graceylou 8 July 17
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42 comments (26 - 42)

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1

I have taken a few personality and IQ tests over the years and found something out. I am above average when it comes to speaking, syntax and vocabulary. Yet woefully average in my writing skills and descriptiveness. I do find it very telling if someone uses to when too is correct and other small mistakes. It does bother me when there are too many spelling mistakes.

1

It depends, like you said. I can let things go and relax a bit, but if they type like an illiterate child or are overly pedantic it annoys me. I don't want to sit here with a decoder ring or an american law dictionary.

my main problem is when people use run on sentences that are disconnected and show no clear and valid thought process

1

Good question. I think it’s important, but I can let some things pass. For me it’s probably a cumulative thing. When the grammar, spelling and punctuation hit critical mass, I jump ship. I also include the wacky cliches like “I know, right?”. To all intensive purposes is a deal breaker lol

1

I say writing skills are critical if you want primarily use written communication primarily. If you can’t write, you have to go meet people in person and hope there isn’t an essay test involved.

I would excuse all the damage auto-correct does. They’re ain’t to many ways too fix that.

1

I do. I take a few things into consideration: how they convey themselves, how they deal with new ideas, how they maintain themselves physically, and how they keep the immediate area around them. No one is perfect, obviously... including me. If a person can't convey intelligently, are closed off to new kinds of thinking, are woefully out of shape, or they are a total slob, then I can't help but feel like they squander their time on things that don't help themselves grow.

Still, a curious person with a good sense of humor goes a very long way to counter that opinion. Someone that is curious and laughs well has love of life in them and they can adapt. They'll improve.

1

It would depend on the topic and point one is trying to make.

Mokvon Level 8 July 18, 2018
1

Poor English makes me think that it is someone pretending to be someone he isn't.

Interesting perspective.

@graceylou You hear stories about people from other countries trying to scam people. Maybe I'm paranoid, but when someone writes poor English, I wonder if they are from one of those places. I get suspicious when they start asking the sorts of questions used for password recovery saying that they just want to get to know you better.

1

I commit tons of typos, especially when I’m using my phone. If there are a lot of grammar and spelling problems, then maybe I start questioning the person’s level of education. There are plenty of intelligent people who don’t always use correct grammar or maybe didn’t get very far in school, and the way they write or speak makes them appear stupid. I’ve met several well-educated people who were complete idiots and I’ve met several intelligent people with less than a high school education. Yet even though I’m aware of this, I’ve been guilty of making assumptions about people solely based on their poor writing skills.

Hermit Level 7 July 17, 2018

I think I’m the same when it comes to those assumptions and I hate making assumptions. So I try to get to know the person behind the writing and not rely completely on the writing. Once I had to grade a university class paper and there was one that was beautifully written but so convoluted and pedantic I couldn’t begin to understand what any of that meant. I gave it to the professor to grade because I had no idea how to. She didn’t have a clue what the paper meant either. LOL. It seemed so well written it made no sense.

1

It doesn't matter so much to myself, unless they clearly don't know english well and it obviously affects communication with them. Im no English expert but i do my best to use the right words when talking online

Yup. Same with me. And well there are more important things in our writings aren’t there?

@graceylou yes for sure thats right i agree with you

1

Glad you relax here, I'm dyslexic and can't write for shit. But I do try and communicate ideas that are important to me although sometimes I find it hard to express those ideas precisely. Maybe I can hire you to coach me. 🙂

I worked with students with learning difficulties in the past. I understand writing can be a challenge for some. We can’t always assume level of education or intelligence. I can help but not for hire.

1

I have a few things that do bug me, they misuse of words like There, they're and their.
And your, and you're.

I do have to admit though that I make quite a few typo's because I mostly make comments and posts on my phone, and my fingers are too big to type correctly. But I do try to do my best.

My biggest pet peeve is the misuse of “its and it’s”.

1

And, I’m not perfect - I use too many commas, etc.

1

I try to not be too critical, but if the grammar is so poor that it’s hard to understand what is trying to be communicated, I am totally uninterested. Sorry!

1

I am pretty much as yourself on this. I do make mistakes (mostly spelling) and sometimes do a separate write-up before entering. Often I will note that, at my first response, mistakes were made that I missed so doing a separate writing and reviewing helps. I don’t expect perfection in myself so why in others.

1

I make a pronounced effort with my spelling and grammar, but the size of my phone's keyboard and the autocorrect often make it pointless. I'll correct errors I see in time but I won't bother going back to edit a mistake unless it's likely to cause confusion. I'm more forgiving with others. Besides from my own perfectionism I don't see it as a big issue as a rule. Too much of this txt spk can get annoying and can suggest a lack of intelligence, but I also feel that's not a great attitude to take. We don't know how language will change over time, only that it inevitably will. I'd hate to be considered in a hundred years as a typical early 21st century lingo-puritan.

Salo Level 7 July 17, 2018

Yup, totally agree. The language is changing. I’ve seen that when grading or proofreading works written by the younger generations. If they all make this particular “mistake”, I just let it go. I don’t want to be that outdated older generation that’s resistant to change.

0

With many people nowadays, giving written input from their cell phones, I try to bend a bit and make allowances for poor spelling, grammar etc.. But I'll admit, I love words, and can be turned on when someone really knows how to use them with style ! So yes, I'm definitely influenced by how someone communicates on "paper" - or the screen as it were.

0

Extremely important. Online it is your first and second impression. I figure if someone can’t take the effort to know their their from their they’re then they’re not worth my time. There.

PDF Level 5 July 17, 2018
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