General Discussion

MineralMan

(151,309 posts)

74. I'm not sure that is the best course.

Wed May 22, 2013, 03:28 PM

May 2013

If English is not to deteriorate, some effort needs to be made to use it correctly. Of course, I earn my living with writing, so correct English is essential, as it is to anyone who is a writer or journalist. Errors can muddy the meaning of what you write, and that is never a good thing. Anyone who writes for publication should take special care not to make errors in the use of the language, I think.

Beyond that, how a person uses language affects how that person is seen by those reading or listening to that person. If the person doesn't care, then he or she can write or speak in any way. The judgment will still be made by others, though.

Learning to use your native language well seems essential to me. If you plan to make writing a profession, it is not optional.

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When English is Not a DUer's First Language, [View all] MineralMan May 2013 OP

True, except for many the internets is a place to prove ones superiority. Thus any opportunity to KittyWampus May 2013 #1

You're right, and I've been guilty of that, myself, sometimes. MineralMan May 2013 #3

Two DU members come to mind as I read this. They take abuse for this and it's embarrassing. NYC_SKP May 2013 #2

There are several DUers I know of who don't have English as their MineralMan May 2013 #4

I called it bullying once. And you're right -that's exactly what it is. randome May 2013 #6

I have to say you achieved that goal. rug May 2013 #5

I was expecting that. Thanks. MineralMan May 2013 #7

Airman, you left one important detail out of that story. Gormy Cuss May 2013 #61

Putin? n/t VWolf May 2013 #63

DUZY! tavalon May 2013 #104

Let's hope his next attempt wasn't the synonym "tramp". Spitfire of ATJ May 2013 #66

My English-Russian dictionary says that would be 'Putin.' n/t Gormy Cuss May 2013 #67

Probably the best word is MineralMan May 2013 #75

Each and every person who has studied a foreign language has made a similar mistake. Ednahilda May 2013 #8

Yes. I learned to always reverse translate that day. MineralMan May 2013 #10

yep. laundry_queen May 2013 #41

One of the things we had to do in the Russian immersion school MineralMan May 2013 #58

That would be tough laundry_queen May 2013 #71

Ukrainian is very similar to Russian, MineralMan May 2013 #73

Reverse translation is also very useful when using Google Translate. MineralMan May 2013 #81

The funniest one I came across Ednahilda May 2013 #102

That's funny! MineralMan May 2013 #105

Having worked with non-Native English speakers and lived in another country, SharonAnn May 2013 #9

I work closely with a man whose first language is Mandarin. MineralMan May 2013 #13

Since the early days of DU, grammar and spelling have been critical here liberal N proud May 2013 #11

It all depends on how it is done, I think. MineralMan May 2013 #16

Agreed, but the peer pressure is good liberal N proud May 2013 #20

I don't see pipi_k May 2013 #23

That's a good point. That reminds me of a conversation I had with a my DIL's father, Tien, who is Arkansas Granny May 2013 #12

English is a great language, but has many, many words with multiple MineralMan May 2013 #15

Great story, MM. R&K nt longship May 2013 #14

Thanks. I love laughing at myself. MineralMan May 2013 #17

I learned that one, too, at my father's knee. longship May 2013 #19

I hope you keep your own advice in mind the next time you think it funny when someone uses a sabrina 1 May 2013 #18

Schtick is not an English word. MineralMan May 2013 #21

No need to thank me. I did not say 'schtick' was an English word, but when it is used by someone sabrina 1 May 2013 #27

Actually, this thread is not about that at all. MineralMan May 2013 #28

Lol! n/t sabrina 1 May 2013 #32

The person you're referring to pintobean May 2013 #80

This thread is not about that person at all. MineralMan May 2013 #86

Cool schtick, bro. pintobean May 2013 #92

I'm a native English speaker and most of the time SheilaT May 2013 #22

That's true. And automatic spelling checkers on MineralMan May 2013 #24

If you got a PM from another user SheilaT May 2013 #25

Yes. I just almost never initiate DU Mail. MineralMan May 2013 #26

my paternal grandparents were immigrants LittleGirl May 2013 #29

Interesting sentiment, considering how you've noted even the most minute mistakes of DUers. Octafish May 2013 #30

"Baited breath" is funny. MineralMan May 2013 #31

Yes, that's what this is all about. Thanks. The internets, you just can't say anything anymore and sabrina 1 May 2013 #40

It's a pathetic attempt to cover his tracks... SixString May 2013 #52

America! What a country. SCVDem May 2013 #33

Learning a second language or more is a great idea! MineralMan May 2013 #34

That would be me I was fluent in gopiscrap May 2013 #35

I would never have guessed that you had other languages MineralMan May 2013 #36

Yes it sure is. gopiscrap May 2013 #39

American English was my first language. MineralMan May 2013 #42

It was pretty funny gopiscrap May 2013 #44

British and American English keep getting more and MineralMan May 2013 #45

I agree gopiscrap May 2013 #46

I'm not sure that "devolved" is the right word. MineralMan May 2013 #48

yeah maybe you're right gopiscrap May 2013 #49

LOL! MineralMan May 2013 #51

attacking anyone on grammar is petty BainsBane May 2013 #37

+1 lunasun May 2013 #53

My high school had a course in Russian snort May 2013 #38

Yah, nobody much teaches profanity. You have to get that MineralMan May 2013 #43

I usually don my pedant's cap only when asked Warpy May 2013 #47

Homophones are about the most common sort of errors. MineralMan May 2013 #50

Eto pravda? Ochen xoroxo! xtraxritical May 2013 #54

Spasibo! MineralMan May 2013 #55

Bonjour, c'est mon cas (Hi, it's my case) :) Amonester May 2013 #56

Vous avez une bonne attitude. MineralMan May 2013 #59

Vous aussi ! :) Amonester May 2013 #64

Zut alors ! J'ai oubli� �a. MineralMan May 2013 #65

Des fois oui, des fois non. Amonester May 2013 #68

C'est tr�s d�routant. MineralMan May 2013 #69

Oui, c'est tr�s compliqu�. Amonester May 2013 #72

Well, you learn something new every day! laundry_queen May 2013 #76

As I know it, the true rule is a space is required, but in French Amonester May 2013 #96

Great story; but understand ... 1StrongBlackMan May 2013 #57

Stuff happens, doesn't it? MineralMan May 2013 #60

Stuff???? 1StrongBlackMan May 2013 #62

If you understand the context and meaning.... N_E_1 for Tennis May 2013 #70

I'm not sure that is the best course. MineralMan May 2013 #74

I'm afraid there are too many English speakers to OldEurope May 2013 #83

Yes, English is widely used - and misused. MineralMan May 2013 #85

That's why my husband only reads JustAnotherGen May 2013 #77

thinking in another language and then trying to translate it into words of another loli phabay May 2013 #89

English isn't my first language Socialistlemur May 2013 #78

The basics of Russian aren't too hard to learn, IMO. MineralMan May 2013 #79

When I was a child, half a century ago, I visited for several months in Mexico. Shrike47 May 2013 #82

That's funny. I like it. MineralMan May 2013 #84

Sounds like me in Mexico trying to get by on my "conversational Spanish" lessons ... Scuba May 2013 #94

Yeah, my Spanish vocabulary is mostly gone from lack of use but the accent sticks Fumesucker May 2013 #98

Interestingly, spell checkers (and DU has one) will pick up a lot of the common errors one sees here bike man May 2013 #87

So would re-reading what one has written, with an MineralMan May 2013 #88

I told our Italian CFO to "run" a program. She moved it. Then I tried telling her to "execute" it. ieoeja May 2013 #90

Interesting. Translation is difficult, to be sure. MineralMan May 2013 #91

I IM with people all over the world Skittles May 2013 #93

Ha! Offshore is more literate in our language than most us! NYC_SKP May 2013 #97

Great thread. Thanks Mineral Man and all the others who helped make it such a good read. Scuba May 2013 #95

My pleasure. MineralMan May 2013 #99

It's a gift when an ESL takes the time to speak with us in English. We can figure the words out. freshwest May 2013 #100

I once ordered a condom and nutella crepe. msanthrope May 2013 #101

Thank you tavalon May 2013 #103

My dad told me a story in the 1960's Wednesdays May 2013 #106

I remember hearing that one when I was posted to the NSA, MineralMan May 2013 #107

hahahahaa!!!! pipi_k May 2013 #108