Hello. Sorry for disturbing your peace with this thread but this has been bugging me for a while now. Why, oh why, do so many people use "of" instead of "have" or "´ve"? I don´t know why but that annoys me even more than the lack of punctuation or serious spelling mistakes. I seriously want to slap anyone using it that way. I know that sometimes some spelling mistakes become allowed in a language once they´ve been used enough. Maybe this has happened in this case too already. I hope not though. And it seems to be affecting the Brits and Aussies most. Guys that otherwise have perfect spelling and make useful and reasonable posts but to me "of" sticks out like a big red flashing light. Maybe I´m just weird. Anyway, don´t hold a grudge. Peace.

I agree, these people really need to get they're asses whipped.

Same for me... "Have" isn't even anything like "of" anyway, i would of () though that'd be an easy one to get right...

It should be Could have, but that can be shortened to Could've, which sounds like 'Could of' when you say it

Not all people have perfect punctuation like me, not everyone can be perfect, what is wrong if someone makes a little mistake. I know you don't mean harm by this thread but some people just need to carm down abit on punctuation. It sounds like a lot of people talk posh on this forum because people always want to correct it. People I've known have came up to me and corrected me I just normally say I know how to speak English and I'll speak the way I want to. No offense by this post just stating a fact that not everyones punctuation is perfect.

Quote from Kalev EST :

Why, oh why, do so many people use "of" instead of "have" or "´ve"?

I only came in here to correct you on your thread title.

Quote from sam93 :

Not all people have perfect punctuation like me, not everyone can be perfect, what is wrong if someone makes a little mistake. I know you don't mean harm by this thread but some people just need to carm down abit on punctuation. It sounds like a lot of people talk posh on this forum because people always want to correct it. People I've known have came up to me and corrected me, I just normally say I know how to speak English and I'll speak the way I want to. No offense by this post, just stating a fact that not everyones punctuation is perfect.

You say you have perfect punctuation?

Sorry, had to be done

Quote from Alex_Ward :

You say you have perfect punctuation?

Sorry, had to be done

No I said I don't have perfect punctuation, it's just annoying that people need to correct others. We know how to speak and we can speak how we want, when I say how we want it has to be between some guidelines or no one will understand you.

Not all people have perfect punctuation like me,

What does that mean then?

Quote from Alex_Ward :

You say you have perfect punctuation?

Sorry, had to be done

Nowt wrong with the punctuation there.

Spelling maybe

That was close! I nearly corrected the thread title without coming in here to see!

It's a pet peeve of mine, this one. I even read it in a Harry Potter book. I had to check myself, because whether it's right or wrong, it is contemporary language, sadly.

We should start seeing new double contractions soon, if they haven't started appearing already. Shouldn't've, wouldn't've, couldn't've aren't far away.

Quote from Bean0 :

Nowt wrong with the punctuation there.

Spelling maybe

[picky]

A few commas wouldn't go a miss.

[/picky]

Ok, it's too late for this.

Quote from sam93 :

Not all people have perfect punctuation like me, not everyone can be perfect, what is wrong if someone makes a little mistake. I know you don't mean harm by this thread but some people just need to carm down abit on punctuation. It sounds like a lot of people talk posh on this forum because people always want to correct it. People I've known have came up to me and corrected me I just normally say I know how to speak English and I'll speak the way I want to. No offense by this post just stating a fact that not everyones punctuation is perfect.

Have you ever though that for someone that doesn't have English as a first language such posting is very hard to understand? Sometimes regular english is hard enough, without people throwing in mistakes and teh l33tsp34k. I consider posting like that to be a massive lack of respect for others that don't comprehend English as well as you.

Edit: i know you don't mean punctuation but spelling, but your post is a classic example of how wrong punctuation can completely alter a post's meaning.

Quote from SamH :

That was close! I nearly corrected the thread title without coming in here to see!

Same here.

I think everyone has an issue with written languages. Everyone spots problems, yet fully admits that they make them, themselves. It's not a case of it actually being wrong, but more of a fact that you've not made the mistake...

If that makes sense?

Yeah it's easily acceptable for someone who isn't from an English speaking country. You can easily tell by the flag next to their name. But what does get on my nerves is if someone makes no effort at all.

Quote from AndroidXP :

I agree, these people really need to get they're asses whipped.

Their, THEIR, THEIR

With your they're it's meant as they are.

Geesh

The reason languages have rules and spelling and punctuation is to enable them to be understood. Forgoing any of them increases the chances of misunderstandings, as we saw with the sam93 thing above.

Why bother with punctuation? Because it enables us to write sentences that are easy to read, easy to understand, and non-ambiguous.

Of course nobody minds the odd mistake in spelling or punctuation - we all do them. The difference is some people care about how they come across, and others are happy with looking a bit thick (but they think they look cool). A tiny percent have real disabilities, but most are mis-diagnosed, and then use their 'disease' as an excuse not to bother trying. It should be an encouragement to overcome your problems...

I would also suggest that anyone whom has ever used 'text-speak' in an email, SMS or letter (without it being 100% in jest) is a complete wa..er with no brain. And the great thing is that they won't be able to understand my sentence taking the piss, and so they'll continue with their lives of ignorance replacing letters with numbers and removing consonants at will...

Quote from pearcy_2k7 :

Their, THEIR, THEIR

With your they're it's meant as they are.

Geesh

I've detected a broken Sarcasm Detector... Do we have a specialist in the area on hand? It's urgent!

Quote from pearcy_2k7 :

Their, THEIR, THEIR

With your they're it's meant as they are.

Geesh

You could of realized that it was meant as a joke.

But seriously, they do need to get there asses whipped!

I once had near perfect written English skills, I actually started out my life intent on becoming a journalist. Even in the days of BBS' where abbreviations were frequently used to save money on telephone costs I refused to leet my written messages after the obligatory "hi m8".

Then I lost the ability to write in an incident when I suffered some brain damage. I could write words but not sentences, it is not an easy thing to explain but basically I had to learn again. I can still get words muddled but I think now I'm atleast up there with non native speakers who - to coin a phrase from this thread - "put the effort in".

What the experience taught me is that the most important aspect of communication is to be understood, it is not a demonstration of my adeptness at the written word, nor is it a measure of my intellect. Communication is particularly just a tool to exchange a thought, idea or to express ourselves.

Anyone who treats language any other way by judging others written abilities is still doing just that except the message they are conveying is not as clear, specifically the act of being a "spelling Nazi" is a form of expressionism, and demonstrates ones anal retentativesness.

Expression is an important concept too, in MSN with some people I'll often totally change my written style to a less formal one, using spellings such as "sommit" instead of "something", as a means of expressing a more casual tone.

As far as I am concerned the biggest culprit in cases of corrected spelling on forums is usually the correctee, I say usually because some muppets really dont get their message across when posting, which defeats the purpose of wtitting anything in the first place.

Quote from zeugnimod :

You could of realized that it was meant as a joke.

But seriously, they do need to get there asses whipped!

Seriously, if so many posters here use of instead of have, people will believe that they are right about it.

Quote from Fuse5 :

Seriously, if so many posters here use of instead of have, people will believe that they are right about it.

OMG. :faint:

I swear, first americans don't get sarcasm, then the world.

Thank god I amn't in a bad mood.

Pretty amazing thread, guise.