Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
lols.. comma se yaad aaya.. I got a questionnaire from one of our associates office in France. They mentioned some rates quite differently. Instead of writing 1.5% they wrote it as 1,5%. I thought its a range, but when I checked rated applicable in Pakistan, I knew that they use (,) instead of ‘.’
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
lols.. comma se yaad aaya.. I got a questionnaire from one of our associates office in France. They mentioned some rates quite differently. Instead of writing 1.5% they wrote it as 1,5%. I thought its a range, but when I checked rated applicable in Pakistan, I knew that they use (,) instead of '.'
french meN comma use karte haiN decimal point ke liye aur dollar sign ba'd meN lagaate haiN jaise:
1,5$
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
A very good thread mahool :k:. Maybe we could start such threads every week dealing with different grammar issues and make them sticky for a week. On the 6th day give the guppies a test which they have to submit within 24 hrs. The one who scores the highest chooses the next grammar topic and tells you, then you post about it in the next thread ? How’s that?
If more than one guppy gets the high score, then the one who submitted the ans first chooses the topic.
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
This in itself is also ehsas e kamtari. If someone corrects you politely- as long as its not in a demeaning manner and is in private, you should learn from it instead of making excuses such as its not our first language or pointing fingers at them for not knowing their mother tongue. Don’t make it an issue of Ego.
Just like you want to cover up your imperfection in one language by proudly saying that its not your first language and you don’t have to be perfect in it, they may be covering up their imperfection in the mother tongue by proudly saying they don’t know it well and they manage with the knowledge of English language.
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
This in itself is also ehsas e kamtari. If someone corrects you politely- as long as its not in a demeaning manner and is in private, you should learn from it instead of making excuses such as its not our first language or pointing fingers at them for not knowing their mother tongue. Don't make it an issue of Ego.
Just like you want to cover up your imperfection in one language by proudly saying that its not your first language and you don't have to be perfect in it, they may be covering up their imperfection in the mother tongue by proudly saying they don't know it well and they manage with the knowledge of English language.
politely- *only if the person is intended to teach
**cover up your imperfection in one language *- we don't even consider it to be the part of being perfect
**they don't know it well and they manage with the knowledge of English language - what? manage with the second language? while not knowing your own? yeah, acceptable - but only if they don't become "Grammar Nazis" to those who are not perfect in the SECOND LANGUAGE
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
lols.. comma se yaad aaya.. I got a questionnaire from one of our associates office in France. They mentioned some rates quite differently. Instead of writing 1.5% they wrote it as 1,5%. I thought its a range, but when I checked rated applicable in Pakistan, I knew that they use (,) instead of '.'
yeah when we used to import from France, they used commas instead of points
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
This in itself is also ehsas e kamtari. If someone corrects you politely- as long as its not in a demeaning manner and is in private, you should learn from it instead of making excuses such as its not our first language or pointing fingers at them for not knowing their mother tongue. Don't make it an issue of Ego.
Just like you want to cover up your imperfection in one language by proudly saying that its not your first language and you don't have to be perfect in it, they may be covering up their imperfection in the mother tongue by proudly saying they don't know it well and they manage with the knowledge of English language.
My point is 'charity begins at home'. At least, we desis try to speak and write a foreign language (for whatever reasons), which is not the case with most of the non-desis.
On other side, being proud of weakness in ones mother tongue is actual inferiority complex.
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
politely- *only if the person is intended to teach **cover up your imperfection in one language *- we don't even consider it to be the part of being perfect **they don't know it well and they manage with the knowledge of English language - what? manage with the second language? while not knowing your own? yeah, acceptable - but only if they don't become "Grammar Nazis" to those who are not perfect in the SECOND LANGUAGE
The first point is exactly what I said.
As for the second point, if that is the case, then sure, let the other person know. But that doesn't mean it'll be the same for everyone.
And for the 3rd point, thats inferiority complex.
I for one correct ppl I care about so that they don't make the same mistake in public and love it when people correct me, as it avoids embarrasement in front of other people once I hv learnt from my mistake.
Yes, I need correction in English, Arabic as well as Urdu and I ask my friends and colleagues to correct me. If I'm corrected now, I won't make a mistake later on.
A recent example would be, I made a spelling mistake on gs in the word 'habit', queer corrected it. Now, I won't ever make a mistake in the spelling of that word.
Making a mistake isn't something to be ashamed of, but making a mistake and not wanting to correct it because of Ego is.
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
My point is 'charity begins at home'. At least, we desis try to speak and write a foreign language (for whatever reasons), which is not the case with most of the non-desis.
On other side, being proud of weakness in ones mother tongue is actual inferiority complex.
If that's inferiority complex , then, being proud of ones weakness in a second language is what ? Ego ?
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
If that's inferiority complex , then, being proud of ones weakness in a second language is what ? Ego ?
Its not ego.. Most of the time, people are not appreciated for the efforts they make, but they are criticized for little mistakes made by them. Grammar nazis are not necessarily to be well wishers, sometimes they pick on you for personal grudges (I've seen this on GS as well).
Many people make fun of people who make mistakes in speaking English (especially pronunciation) not because they want people learn, but they want to satisfy their ego that they knew more or can speak better than them.
One more thing, most of the time, grammar nazis do understand what the other party is saying, but still they keep on telling people how to say / spell a particular word.
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
They are not necessarily well wishers, but they are not always necessary ill wishers either.
The part where you talked about them being critisized for mistakes is Ego. It's not always critisicm, but the ego makes them think it's critisicm even when it isn't.
Ill wishers and well wishers both exist.
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
The first point is exactly what I said. As for the second point, if that is the case, then sure, let the other person know. But that doesn't mean it'll be the same for everyone. And for the 3rd point, thats inferiority complex.
I for one correct ppl I care about so that they don't make the same mistake in public and love it when people correct me, as it avoids embarrasement in front of other people once I hv learnt from my mistake. Yes, I need correction in English, Arabic as well as Urdu and I ask my friends and colleagues to correct me. If I'm corrected now, I won't make a mistake later on. A recent example would be, I made a spelling mistake on gs in the word 'habit', queer corrected it. Now,** I won't ever make a mistake in the spelling of that word**. Making a mistake isn't something to be ashamed of, but making a mistake and not wanting to correct it because of Ego is.
why? because you've got to know the right spelling OR you already knew it, and did that mistake unintentionally, and felt embarrassed? Now that means you'll never do it again just because you won't forget the incident.
All the things you've said is about learning. Learning is a good thing. I also don't mind if someone corrects me. That's how we learn
But learning is another thing and being proud of SECOND LANGUAGE is another..
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
If that's inferiority complex , then, being proud of ones weakness in a second language is what ? Ego ?
Doe's it really matter?
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
why? because you've got to know the right spelling OR you already knew it, and did that mistake unintentionally, and felt embarrassed? Now that means you'll never do it again just because you won't forget the incident.
All the things you've said is about learning. Learning is a good thing. I also don't mind if someone corrects me. That's how we learn
But learning is another thing and being proud of SECOND LANGUAGE is another..
But the thread wasn't about being proud of second language. But the inferiority complex turned a beneficial learning thread into a discussion about mother tongue, second language, inferiority complex, ego, well wishing, ill wishing and so on.
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
They are not necessarily well wishers, but they are not always necessary ill wishers either. The part where you talked about them being critisized for mistakes is Ego. It's not always critisicm, but the ego makes them think it's critisicm even when it isn't.
Ill wishers and well wishers both exist.
Agree that you will find variety of people who may be well wisher as well, but people don't like when all of sudden a hammer of criticism hit them out of context. When I'm conveying my point, I expect a counter argument, not correction of my grammar. This is where process of irritation starts.
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
Doe's it really matter?
Not really. All I was trying to say is that its the Ego which is stopping ppl from correcting their mistakes.
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
Agree that you will find variety of people who may be well wisher as well, but people don't like when all of sudden a hammer of criticism hit them out of context. When I'm conveying my point, I expect a counter argument, not correction of my grammar. This is where process of irritation starts.
Oh yes, everything has a place and time. I agree with you on this.
This is usually done to put down the other person in order to win the argument.
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
Finally.. some point to agree on 
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
That’s because I don’t disagree with the person, but the idea/view 
Re: Grammar Nazis and Apostrophe
But the thread wasn't about being proud of second language. But the inferiority complex turned a beneficial learning thread into a discussion about mother tongue, second language, inferiority complex, ego, well wishing, ill wishing and so on.
Beta 4 din ki mazeed leave le lo Gs se..i think you still need it