What is correct SPAG?

[buffygirl]

Just a little bit of fun... Thought this was the best place to post it.

Work-safe video.

I love it Mar. Fantastic.

Thant was brill Mar!

[princess_jessik]

I think the reason it's a bigger problem on this board than on some other TV boards I visit might have to do with the average age of the members. Now, I totally don't think that just because someone is a teenager, they're going to post in text speak, but I think there's a higher incidence of not attempting proper SPAG in this age group than in other age groups.

I mean, teenagers are at school all day (when they probably don't want to be) having to write essays they don't care about on subjects that don't interest them. When they get home they probably feel that going online is something they do to get away from school lessons and the rules / formality associated with them. And then this board gets new members all the time, so even as some people acclimatise to the rules, there are new members joining who might take a while to acclimatise. Obviously I know that there are many many teenage members who have great SPAG and interesting views on the show / life in general. But I think maybe the teenage demographic has something to do with it.

Maybe the degree to which people really care about proper SPAG reflects the type of discussion they're looking for, too? Many of the people whose SPAG shows little effort at all are posting messages that aren't particularly interesting / amusing / well-thought-out. Whereas those with generally good SPAG tend to make the most interesting posts, I think.

Although, it could be that messages written with good SPAG just convey their meanings more clearly, whereas those with poor SPAG tend to be vague as a result. I'm sure if everyone 'got' that posting with good basic SPAG makes other people more likely to find them interesting, they'd make more of an effort. Maybe.

With out being rude to anyone, but it seems to be the older people who complain more about the poor spelling & txt speak that teenagers use. My mum complains because she thinks that my friends & I use horrible spelling when sending text messages & using msn & emails etc etc. Personally, I think that most txt speak is fine, but I learnt my lesson because I accidently posted something on this website in the 'moan' thread that was ment to go on another forum. I go on heaps of forums and I would have to say this forum is SO strict on SPAG & other rules. Having said that, I do think maybe some times people are abit harsh and quick to judge.

Alot of people on this site seem to be alot older & mature then the people who post on other sites I go on. Whilst alot of you may disagree, in my opionion, you can have a perfectly fine post using simple txt speak like the @ symbol. Alot of people I know who are teenages, like myself use txt speak all the time, because it's something we are used to. Having said that I think there is a massive difference between using the occassional txt word & speakin lyk dis all da tym.

Anyway I just thought I would 'throw my 2 cents in' because of the warning I got yesterday for SPAG.

[MarMar]

Who old are these older members? 20? Because I am.. I have never seen "older" members comlaining.. The ones I have see are about my age, and up to 30? Approximately...

TabbyCool said something I think is a very valid point is this debate:

Also, many of the members here are from countries where English is not their first language, so it's probably hard enough for some of them to read normal posts, never mind ones that are written in txt speak or whatever! Sometimes, I find it really hard to read txt speak and other forms of shorthand, so I can't imagine what it must be like for foreign people who don't know English as well as I do.

And, by the way, you are still not following the SPAG-rule. *points to post* Why don't you edit that and use a bold-font instead of capital letters...?

[katya]

I tend to agree with you princess, I think the forum is really strict too, but at the end of the day rules are rules and we all agreed to them when we joined. That's not to say you can't post your opinion on them though. Debate is good.

[MarMar]

Debate is good, and rules can be changed, but I'm afraid that rule will not be. Other will be made more elaborate in the time to come. Hopefully to be more detailed and easier for the members, but also so that we can make this board even better.

[katya]

Other will be made more elaborate in the time to come.

Can you go into detail about them here?

[Love_peter_Baker]

I have trouble with my SPAG but ever since I have joined this board my SPAG is getting better.

Even though i have not been here long I am inproving in english aswell.

Thanks to everyone who put SPAG rules in, its helping me loads.

[MarMar]

Nothing to do with this debate (so it's actually a bit off-topic), exactly, but I can be brief; There has been talk about spoiler-free zones, so.. There will be rules about how and where spoilers can be posted. There will also be some clarification around avatars.

I have trouble with my SPAG but ever since I have joined this board my SPAG is getting better.

Even though i have not been here long I am inproving in english aswell.

Thanks to everyone who put SPAG rules in, its helping me loads.

Yay! Someone who actually liked this rule! You make my heart happy!

[katya]

Yay! Someone who actually liked this rule! You make my heart happy!

Lol, your reply there was funny Mercury Girl.

[Liz]

I *adore* the SPAG rule. Incorrect punctuation, spelling and grammar often makes me feel physically ill. Strange, I know, but perhaps it is the perfectionist in me.