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Subject:
Spelling, Does it matter
Category: Reference, Education and News Asked by: kemlo-ga List Price: $2.01 |
Posted:
22 Mar 2003 01:37 PST
Expires: 21 Apr 2003 02:37 PDT Question ID: 179483 |
Does spelling and punctuation really matter when asking a question or posting a comment. |
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Subject:
Re: Spelling, Does it matter
Answered By: robertskelton-ga on 22 Mar 2003 02:07 PST Rated: |
Hi Kemlo, I think firstly I need to point out that: 1. Researchers are paid professionals. It is expected that they know English well, are reasonably well educated, adn are smart enough to use spell-checkers before posting an answer. 2. Questioners are customers, and customers are always right. As a questioner, apart from needing to use the English language, anything goes. Some times questions are intentionally cryptic, sometimes not. I think there was once a question which consisted of a single character. We can always ask for a clarification if we are not completely sure what is being asked. As a commenter, if the comment doesn't make sense, it will typically be ignored, with no harm done. Punctuation isn't really a problem. Thanks to the popularity of the Internet, we have learned that as long as the message is understood, the medium doesn't matter. Personally though, it irks me to see cut and pasted homework questions. Often they will appear in an ugly way, with the questioner making no attempt to tidy it up. This lessens my inspiration to answer the question. Problems -------- 1. If a vital clue, like a product, place, web site or person's name, has the wrong spelling, and it isn't obviously so, it makes it very difficult for everyone. Some researchers are quite good at guessing true spellings, but it shouldn't be necessary. Ultimately it usually just means that many Researchers search in vain for something that doesn't exist. 2. For some reason many clarification requests (often because of bad grammar or spelling) go unanswered. I suspect that the customers might have turned off email notification. Personally ---------- I prefer answering questions which appear to be written by an educated and reasonable person, who has put thought into their question and the answer they expect. Poor spelling and punctuation suggests to me a greater chance of a bad rating, without seeking clarification - or a prolonged series of clarifications which drift from the original topic and easily exceed the amount of effort I expected to put in for the fee offered. But ultimately the maxim remains - the customer is always right. Best wishes, robertskelton-ga |
kemlo-ga
rated this answer:
A pleasent and succinct answer. Thank you for your prompt attention to my question Kemlo |
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Subject:
Re: Spelling, Does it matter
From: xarqi-ga on 22 Mar 2003 02:39 PST |
"...well educated, adn are smart enough to use spell-checkers..." :-) |
Subject:
Re: Spelling, Does it matter
From: robertskelton-ga on 22 Mar 2003 02:42 PST |
It's called irony ;) |
Subject:
Re: Spelling, Does it matter
From: probonopublico-ga on 22 Mar 2003 09:43 PST |
Pleasent, Simon? Did you mean pheasant? |
Subject:
Re: Spelling, Does it matter
From: kemlo-ga on 22 Mar 2003 11:30 PST |
Bryan, I'm just a rude pheasent at heart. Hence my latest question (smilies) regards Simon |
Subject:
Re: Spelling, Does it matter
From: neilzero-ga on 22 Mar 2003 16:16 PST |
I frequently make spelling errors on the comments I make, partly because answers google does not supply a spell check for comments (or I don't know how to access the spell check?) Occasionally I look in the dictionary, but this is time consuming if I am looking for enclose which I think is spelled inclose. Generally people can figure out what you mean if you make one or fewer errors per sentance, but on rare occasions a serious misunderstanding occurs from a very minor spelling or grammer error. Neil |
Subject:
Re: Spelling, Does it matter
From: probonopublico-ga on 22 Mar 2003 21:26 PST |
Hi, Neil Sorry, but I can't understand your last SENTENCE ... Have you been in JALE? And which GRAMMAR are you REFFEREERING to? ... Is it yer MATERANIAN WUN? Or t'other WUN? The Big One |
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