[quote]flynniec6 wrote:
This topic comes up a lot here but I really don’t think the “Spelling Shouldn’t Be That Important” side get it.
If you’ve ever talked to someone from another country who was just learning English, you might be able to understand what it’s like to have to read sloppy English with crappy punctuation. No, it isn’t always necessary. No, it shouldn’t count against you and no, it doesn’t have to be perfect.
However, it is draining; it is physically and mentally a challenge to put up with. I live in a foreign country and God knows I inflict my atrocious accent, lack of basic grammar and dreadful spelling on the kind Spanish folk on a regular basis, and they forgive me a lot.
I also meet a lot of Spanish people who want to practice their English and I show them the same patience as I receive. But ask anybody here who’s in the same situation and they’ll all tell you that there are some days that it fucking drives you nuts, the amount of effort that needs to be put into listening and having a conversation. There are days when I’d rather poke a sharp stick in my eye than answer yes to the cute cashier who asks “You’re not Spanish, are you?” Really, you have to experience how bloody aggravating it is.
It’s an absolution of responsibility to put the onus of understanding on the listener; it’s your pie-hole that’s flapping, so the work is yours to do. I’ll forgive and make allowances for a variety of people: hot girls, foreigners, the mentally challenged and amiable drunks at the end of the bar. Sometimes they can be the same person. However I will not show the same patience for ordinary, everyday, supposedly-educated, no-fucking-excuse-except-laziness chumps who can’t be arsed to press a shift key or use a full stop.
So take it into account, if you’re typing anything on the forums here in the first place, it’s because you want it to be read. You want to be heard, you want to contribute, you want to be a T-Nation member and be part of the group. Don’t be lazy, don’t goof off, don’t assume that details don’t count. Because they do.
Incidentally, a lot of non-native English speakers post on these forums and it is patently obvious that they’re not stupid or lazy, just not at the native level of speaking. Not only do they spend time going to the trouble of formulating their questions and answers in another language different to their own, they also apologise in advance for any problems caused. And they still manage to appear more literate and intelligent than the bulk of so-called native speakers that post here.
Whoa. That turned into a rant, didn’t it?[/quote]
Yes!
“Draining” is such a good description.