Is there a reason people today don't read, can't spell and refuse to enunciate?  \n  I've met college students who are lost when having to write anything without a spell check, high school students who have the reading level of grade-schoolers and I don't have the space to write how I feel about how we communicate ... is it schools today, early access to computers without the basics, or do people just not care anymore?
204866
As a preservice teacher (college student) and educator for many years that answer is simple. A LOUSY grade school education and a couch potato TV existence. For some moron reason the trend-favored method now is not to help students with the answer but let them reason it out by themselves. Well if that is the case then I guess I should just shoot myself and let the kids do their logical reasoning at home. Guess with that logic they don't need me to work anymore. Secondly the trend is to not to teach the fudamentals of grammer. Kids come out of high school with no clue as to what a noun and a verb are. Without the fundamentals of grammer a student is going to have trouble spelling, writing ect. \n\nA third trouble that people scream about is that education would be greatly improved if the funding improved because they need this and that supply ect. Well if my grandmother could teach children in the 50's to read and write properly with only pencil and paper at hand and no money for supplies then so can we in the new millinium.
269966
I think Yahoo! Answers is accidentally creating a new generation of lazy kids. It seems that they would rather play video games or text message their friends than write their term papers. However, I think it is good if someone needs something explained to them but I don't think the answers should just be given to them. These kids need to learn.
82634
In the past I have been asked to proof read papers people are writing for a college class.  Their grammar and spelling were so bad I just had to tell them to type it in Word and use its spelling and grammar tools to proof it.  Being obsessive compulsive, I just couldn't deal with the thought of it. \n\nI'm not perfect but the lack of grammatical skills most people possess amazes me.  What amazes me even more are the grades college students are getting turning in papers like that.  I imagine there is some point the teachers just throw up their hands and say, "f-ck it!"  \n\nApathy seems to be the root of the problem for both teachers and students; they just don't care.
571083
They're lazy.  That's all there is to it.  I'm surprised anyone in their right mind can read that gibberish.\n\nThe only reasons I take time to write properly are 1) I had several English teachers who were real sticklers for spelling & grammar, so much so that sometimes they counted for half my grade, and 2) force of habit due to #1.
597836
Sometimes I wonder about people who post here who say the are going to attend a university, yet they misspell words and their grammar is simply awful.  Makes me wonder what kind of university they will be attending.  Some questions posted are almost incomprehensible, what with poor spelling, and bad sentence structure.  Sometimes, I know very literate people will misspell on purpose... but I don't do that myself. I like to see words written correctly.  I try to correct my own sentences, most of the time. I don't know, is it that people want to sound/look dumb so they "fit in"?  \n\nI do realize that this site has people from all around the world, and for many, English is probably not  their native language, so grammar and spelling may be difficult for them.  I'm not frustrated, but I do censor what I read at times, based on the type question, and the literacy of it too.   I figure, if someone cannot write pretty much correctly, they will probably be clueless as to what I write in my replies.  Maybe that is presumptuous on my part, but I do like to use words that a barely literate person probably won't be able to read or understand.  \n\nThen again, spelling doesn't always affect my replies, especially with kids.
132864
dessert. as for misspelled words, I think almost everyone on yahoo answers skipped english/spelling class every day. that or they failed it miserably. i mean, they DO have a spell check on here!
616803
I do understand what you're trying to say, and I do not usually try to make a big deal out of the grammar and spelling mistakes of others.  However, I do get very annoyed when I am trying to read a post that is written so poorly that I have to read the words more than once to try and figure out what the person is saying.  There is also a spell check on this board, so there really is no reason for misspelled words.  Now, punctuation is a whole different story, I suppose.  In either case though, there is still no reason for someone to be mean about it or to make fun of someone for it, even if it is extremely annoying.
638892
This is what happens when kids are not graded, so as to spare their feelings.  \n\nIt's true; there's been a whole movement in the past ten years to allow children to root around and try to find the correct answers, whether in mathematics, or English, with no punishments or demerits for incorrect answers, and yet no rewards for answers that ARE correct.\n\nThe current crop of 12 to 20 year-olds can't read, write, compose or spell, and what's worse, they think their puny efforts are "good enough".\n\nSad, isn't it?
361604
Laziness and lack of accountability in school.  If no one has made them get assignments correct they see no reason why they should spend the extra time to do so.  After all it takes about three seconds to do the spell check.  Why should they waste those three seconds of their life just to show the public that they are actually educated?
53734
This is a pet peeve of mine as well.  I don't know how much of it is poor education and how much just not being able to type.\n\nWith computer use exploding, I would think that a typing/keyboarding class in school could be a core requirement.  It would surely reduce the amount of completely ridiculous text I'm forced to decode daily.
527267
Brett - I looked at your other question and I can tell you exactly why you got the answers you did.\n\nYou failed to say when you asked the question that you have dyslexia. As a result, people took your question as an attack upon people with dyslexia. If you had explained why you wanted that question answered I suspect you would have received a much more sympathetic response.\n\nJust as a matter of interest - why DID you ask the question when you are in a far better position to answer than most of us?\n\nBy the way - don't panic about the text messages. I have a friend who is extremely dyslexic and she texts all the time - it may take me a while to decipher, but I get there in the end. I figure that as she has dyslexia and I don't, it's up to me to figure it out. My partner and son are also dyslexic and it doesn't stop them texting either. The only thing that stops my son is lack of credit.
188987
I've been seriously puzzled by many many questions here.  I think younger kids assume we just know what they're talking about, as if we know all of their friends' names and everything.\n\nThen there's the incomplete sentence questions.  "What if I?"  What if you what?  It drives me crazy.\n\nKeep in mind English is not the first language for lots of these folks.  Ok, that explains some of them, the rest are just inept Americans who need more English in school.
218786
Apparently, proper punctuation and capitalization are also beyond most people.  \nI think most were never taught properly to begin with and now they just don't care.  \nIt doesn't seem to matter to them how they are perceived based on their writing.  \n\nI just hope they're not filling out resumes this way!  I wouldn't hire them!
103052
Unfortunately, young people spend that much time “texting” (horrible word!) that this is becoming the only language they can understand or communicate in, even in forums such as this or their school work, essays, etc.  I can understand the shortening of words or phrases for mobile ‘phone use (for speed / cost purposes), but for general written use it is just lazy! Don’t these people also realise that this type of language when written looks extremely childish? Do they also not realise that writing words the way they do when "texting" will not exactly endear them to any potential employers?
332274
hmmm- good question.\nA: People are so used to typing fast on Instant Messanger and things of that nature that they've learned not to care if they misspell words, plus they've made a new language so they dont have to type as much.\nB: Laziness.\nC:Spell Check sucks most of the time.  I gave up on it long ago.\nD: They forget. (sometimes)
435726
I think it's an example of everyone's growing laziness. I'm sure that I'm not the only who's noticing an epidemic of doing the minimum, not just with spelling. Especially with kids, though adults are also at fault, there is the rush to do the the smallest amount of required work in the smallest amount of time. And spelling is one of the places where it's worst. Most sites that I surf for info are published and spell checked, but forums drive me nuts. They're a great way to get answers, but I get pissed off because some many people have so many useful things to say, but their spelling is terrible. It's not too hard to decode some basic mistakes, but there are many large errors that compromise the meaning of a sentence (or should I say fragment).\nI find it very, very, annoying, but I don't see anything that can be done about it. Apparently the auto spell check that places a squiggly line under misspelled words and obvious check spelling button aren't enough. But at least there still are some who use the built-in spell check features.
196903
YES! as a teacher I completely agree with you, although i must say I am guilty of doing it myself when using the internet. I abbreviate most words when typing on the net because it is easier, but unlike children I know the correct way of typing as well. There are many examples I have seen at school where the internet has caused a decline in grammar and spelling ability! Text messaging on phones does the same thing. Often I will mark stories that include words such as 'da, cos, ya,' and so on.  I was reading the kids a book the other day, it said "....the cheetah laughed out loud" one of the kids put their hands up and said "that's LOL" I questioned them and then realised what they meant. On the internet typing LOL means laugh out loud. It is a real worry. I see kids who can't spell or write properly but can chat on the internet using perfect 'net language'!!