topic headings, spelling and grammar.

[gwfan]

Could we all agree to post topics to the correct board?

Could we also agree to head topics with enlightening headings and not "help" or "santa fe problem" or "couplings" or any of the other shorthand that wastes peoples time?

Could we also agree to check our spelling and grammar before we post so at least to make it half understandable - we are not all texters.

Could we agree not to post comments and answers to genuine queries where we obviously have no idea ourselves? ( an answer given a few weeks ago was "I don't know but I'm sure someone out there will tell you")

Regretfully the message board seems to have degenerated of late. If we really wish it to be a useful tool we need to write clearly. If you need lessons on how to write to make yourself understood, then look at Curmudgeon's posts or Kevin Strong's.

I await with interest your comments and, hopefully, your support.

Chris

[SteamGene]

Chris, I agree.  I see older members indulging in textspeak to some degree.  That would be a second language - or dialect.  Younger members using the same format reinforce those behaviors and, I'm afraid, forget in the classroom sometimes.  Typos will occur - I assume your "peoples" instead of "people's" was one such - but "kan u hep me witha up disel prob" sure isn't.
Gene

[Guilford Guy]

Chris, I agree.  I see older members indulging in textspeak to some degree.  That would be a second language - or dialect.  Younger members using the same format reinforce those behaviors and, I'm afraid, forget in the classroom sometimes.  Typos will occur - I assume your "peoples" instead of "people's" was one such - but "kan u hep me witha up disel prob" sure isn't.
Gene

Well stated!
In reality, text typing is rarely, if ever, any faster that proper English.

[Woody Elmore]

Professionals who study language are noticing that texting abbreviations are being used more and more in what is called "common usage." Languages are "living" and change as the populus changes. Try reading Milton or Spencer or "Beowulf" written in middle English.

Sociologists claim that the change in English usage is due in part to the advent of the cell phone and the dawning of the age of instant communication. If you think about it, the military has been using abbreviations for many years - MRE is one example (or the BAR of WWII.)

I will say that I have seen some really bad gibberish written on this board.

[Jake]

Also, overuse of the smilies is another annoying thing. One "" does just about the same job as " "

[SteamGene]

Hey Woody, Milton and Spencer wrote in Modern English.  Perhaps one might say "Early Modern English" to seperate it from the "Archaic Modern English" of Shakespeare.  BEOWULF was set down in Old English.  <g>Chaucer wrote Middle English:
Whan that Aprille with hes shoures soote,
The draughte of May hath piereced to the roote,...

Do note that Chaucer used capitalization and punctuation and used all the words necessary for his intended reader (an educated upperclass Englishman of the 15th Century) to understand him.  
Gene

[Santa Fe buff]

Could we all agree to post topics to the correct board?

Could we also agree to head topics with enlightening headings and not "help" or "santa fe problem" or "couplings" or any of the other shorthand that wastes peoples time?

Could we also agree to check our spelling and grammar before we post so at least to make it half understandable - we are not all texters.

Could we agree not to post comments and answers to genuine queries where we obviously have no idea ourselves? ( an answer given a few weeks ago was "I don't know but I'm sure someone out there will tell you")

Regretfully the message board seems to have degenerated of late. If we really wish it to be a useful tool we need to write clearly. If you need lessons on how to write to make yourself understood, then look at Curmudgeon's posts or Kevin Strong's.

I await with interest your comments and, hopefully, your support.

Chris

I agree, but I don't care on some of the stuff, again, most of what you typed is very considerable. I downloaded my Google toolbar for the spellcheck, so I have no reason for any error.

[kevin2083]

Replying to every topic on a board just to say very little is also annoying.

[Santa Fe buff]

Replying to every topic on a board just to say very little is also annoying.

I'll stop, I'm going to another board for a bit too.

[James Thomas]

Do we really need to repeat (copy and paste) the post we are replying to? 

[Paul M.]

Do we really need to repeat (copy and paste) the post we are replying to? 

It's somewhat helpful sometimes, but when you're quoting more than one post in your post, that gets old fast.

[richG]

Lets lighten up guys. Generally it is children needing attention. We all did it growing up.
As far as posting in the correct forum, some people are clueless. No big deal.
Lets move on to model railroading.

Rich

[Yampa Bob]

I have always had pride in my spelling, punctuation and grammar, even though English was not my best subject.  During the past year, I misspelled one word and was called on it.  I didn't mind too much, the word was "facetious". I rarely use the word, but it did fit my purpose at the time.  However, if the person who corrected me ever misspells a word should I correct him in kind?  

At one time I could spot a misspelled word a mile away, but with old age comes diminished vision, I can barely see to read my draft posts, and never post without doing a preview first. I am doing the very best I can with my handicap. I will shortly be declared as "legally blind", so are you willing to "cut me some slack"?

Now, where do you want to draw the line on this matter of spelling and grammar?  I see many "typos" in posts but never mention them.  For example, the spelling of "separate" as "seperate", in this thread.  Far be it for me to correct a retired English teacher.

This forum is about model railroads, not a class in the English language, but if you wish, I will start correcting every misspelled word and grammatical error I see.  Is this really what you want?  

In reference to another comment made by Chris about not knowing the answer.  Sometimes I see a member's post drift to the bottom of the first page with no response.  If the post ends up on the second page, it will probably go unanswered, so as a courtesy I usually "bump" it to the top for a new exposure. It is also a reassurance to the member that he or she is not being ignored.

Model railroading is not a sacred cow, to the masses we are just overgrown boys playing with expensive toys.  If the intent of this forum is to produce a "perfect race" of modelers, perfect in every respect including lanquage, then count me out.

It has taken me an hour to write this post, for fear I might commit an unpardonable error in grammar or spelling. I am posting less anyway since the new site format is almost impossible to use with my slow dialup, and I can't afford satellite.  Another case of "progress" leaving the little people behind.  I love the forum, but I can live without it.  

That's my dollar's worth.  I have enough aggravation in life to deal with as it is.

[gwfan]

This is really a reply to Rich. My original topic was intended to ask that we could be clearer and make an effort to write in English. I also wanted to point out that some people were not making the effort to understand the forum and posting incorrectly to the wrong board. I personally don't have time to trawl through all the boards in case somebody has posted an item of interest to the wrong board.

Also it is pure laziness to provide a heading that doesn't provide an indication of the content. However, I'm probably wasting my time as a glance at present headings will indicate. So what is "0-6-0" asking – if he/she believes that I am going to make an effort to reply (or even open the heading) he/she's mistaken.

I started this topic in a spirit of suggestion - I don't need to be reminded to lighten up. Sorry but some of us have less time than others to devote to this wonderful hobby and trawling through garbage is just plain annoying.

Chris