How come Americans are so bad at spelling and grammar?

So you take criticism of the Dutch as an insult, but don't consider your criticism to have been insults? Sauce for the goose makes sauce for the gander. As it happens, i suspect that i'm older than you are. You say you have children aged 16 and 14--that means that the odds are pretty good that i'm older than you, probably by as much as 20 years. Now make another snotty remark about maturity, while complaining about insults.

Yeah Set.

Welcome to A2K. I think the blowback you are getting is not nationalism. People just disagree with you that following ancient rules of grammar are important in a living, growing language. Especially on the Internet, spelling and grammar are evolving and while some of us might not like the way it is changing, that doesn't mean that a new usage is wrong because it doesn't follow a rule from a century ago. If the person you are talking to understands your speech without difficulty, where is the problem?

Electronic media, and especially "text speak" are changing the language more rapidly than it has ever changed in the past. I've already pointed this out, but it seems to me that this lady, while throwing out insults right and left, is fond of taking offense.

You're so right about that. I just made an observation and most of them wanted to kill me I don't like to fight with anyone, I can only say "We agree to disagree". But I will not change my opinion either. If someone thinks grammar isn't important, so be it. To me it's important and always will be. In fact, when I learned English at school, I was taught British English rather than American English. When I came here, I had to learn so many words all over again (realize vs. realise, learned vs. learnt etc.). One thing I never got used to is the fact that punctuation should go inside the quotation marks in American English; I find that quite illogical. Language evolves, that's true, and grammar is just a set of rules, but they are there for a reason. Seeing so many people misspell or misuse basic words can only tell me they don't understand the mechanisms behind their language.

Insulting someone personally in a forum and calling them bad names for saying something like this is disgusting, to say the least. Why would someone think he has the right to call me a jerk, a sour-pussed old hag and all the other things he said about me? Talking about crossing the lines... hmm.

I see that you continue your selection bias--you can see what other people say as insults, but not what you say. No one wanted to kill you, but it seems to me that you enjoy fighting very much.

Where do you people get the idea that I think I'm extraordinary or superior? Is it because I care about using the language correctly? I think everyone should do that. Nothing extraordinary about it.

In more than one occasion you insulted not only the Dutch, but also me personally.

I'm 41. If you're 20 years older, I have to admit some of your posts were pretty childish for your age. Your comments about the Dutch were not criticism; they were pure insults. Not to mention that you keep insulting me as a person, as well.

They're not rules from a century ago. English has changed quite a lot in the past century. I'm sure it will keep changing and evolving naturally, but I don't think the rules should be changed just because some people are unable to grasp them.

As long as I'm able to understand what the poster is trying to convey, I, personally, don't care about trivialities.....the Internet is open to everyone, even those who do not speak or write correct English. There are some posters with disabilities who struggle to use the computer. Also, many people using the computer had never used a typewriter. My parents, when they acquired computers several years ago, made many typos; They have since gotten much much better. Many times when I am emotionally involved in a subject I might leave out connecting words; thankfully, with a2k sites, one can edit even after posting.

Your sensitivity regarding the way Americans speak English most likely tells us more about you as an individual.

You really can't see this, can you? You whine about insults, and you spread the insults around to the whole nation and to individuals at the drop of a hat. How is it that asking you what the Dutch are taught in school, and suggesting that the Dutch language is a Germanic language qualifies as "pure insults." Upon what basis do you allege that i am insulting you as a person, and how is that your remarks don't qualify for the same criticism?

Matthew, Chapter 7, verse 3, in the King James version:

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Once again, it seems to me that you like to fight very much.

Actually, in the Netherlands bad spelling and grammar isn't unknown at all, quoting a teacher from an older report ("Slecht spellen al jaren een probleem") in the Volkskrant:

I was taught to hold language skills in high regard. It's just the way I was brought up. And by the way, I wasn't talking about writing on Internet; obviously most people who use Internet are not even native English speakers.

You don't think "jerk" is an insult? When did I say something like that about you?

You don't think telling someone they are immature, or that you think they are about 18 years old is an insult? When did i say something like that about you?

I didn't say it's unknown or non-existent, but it's definitely not so widespread, and you won't hear many people say "it's OK if I speak or write incorrectly". I'm not claiming that the Dutch are perfect; if I see a spelling or grammar mistake in Dutch, I criticize that too. However, I think they have an advantage of being required to learn a foreign language from an early age, and they also learn Dutch grammar much more extensively. Not that I'm bragging, but some ESL and EFL teachers who worked in several countries told me that Dutch students tend to achieve the best results in English tests.

I said that after you said much worse things about me.

Bullshit . . .

This was my first post in this thread:



It was a joke for Christ's sake.

This was your reply:



You really do like to fight, and while quick to complain about insults from others (often dubious claims) you are completely blind to your own faults.

"We do it just to piss off arrogant, non-native speakers like you" sounds pretty judgmental and personal to me. You called me arrogant right away. Besides, I asked this question because I wanted some opinions and insight from Americans, and your answer really wasn't very mature.