I felt compelled to write this after seeing quite a few comments criticising the spelling and grammar on some of the IM posts.
People with poor spelling and grammar are generally aware that their skills in this area are not strong. They have lived with the knowledge that something they need to rely on daily is a struggle for them every day.
It takes an incredible amount of courage for someone to seek help and advice. For someone who struggles with writing, speaks English as a 2nd language, or for someone with learning difficulties, it takes even more courage.
Do you remember that feeling as a kid, when the teacher asked you to come up and write something on the board and you weren't 100% sure you knew how to spell it? Do you remember hoping no one would laugh if you stuffed up, that the teacher would be kind? That's how adults who struggle with literacy still feel. And it's magnified by 1000's when they know it's out there for the public to read.
To laugh at someone, criticise them or tell them you can't understand them makes you a part of the problem, not the solution. We are supposed to be supporting each other, not discouraging people from ever seeking help again.
3 Replies
Plus they are often in extreme mental duress when they write, making it even harder to spell etc.
Yes, mental stress can make skills drop!
Thank you!! I am the first to admit that I am a grammar nerd and that poor spelling and grammar do irk me - however I normally only become irritated when it's someone who I know CAN or SHOULD BE ABLE TO do better (think journalists etc). I know nobody on this site. I don't know their educational background, their ethnic background. I don't know how far through school they got or whether they read well.
I do find it hard to read things when they're stream of consciousness ramblings with no punctuation or paragraph breaks but I know that sometimes you just have to get what you're thinking down and out of your head!
Ok I agree about the grammar but constructively saying that someone is unsure as to what another person is saying is not negative criticism. I've seen several posts where it is difficult or almost impossible to understand what the person is saying/asking. In these cases I've often seen people say that they cannot quite understand what another person is saying. It's not an insult it's trying to help them get the advice they may require. In these cases I think it's great but if it's done to insult another person or be condescending than no it's not right.