Felice wrote on Thu, 9 Aug 2007 15:26:31 -0400:


FF> "Peter A" > wrote in message
FF> ...
??>>
??>> If people write sloppy English, so be it - they may still
??>> have something interesting to say. I don't want to be a
??>> "grammar nazi" or anything like that. My goal is not to
??>> say "Hey stupid, I'm smarter than you" but rather to say
??>> "perhaps you would like to know this."
??>> Unfortunately, insecure people are so touchy about any
??>> criticism, they would rather remain ignorant than learn
??>> something new because of their stupid pride. -- Peter
??>> Aitken

FF> Perhaps, Peter, people are simply "touchy" about having
FF> their grammatical errors corrected in public. If you truly
FF> feel they would appreciate your criticism, you could email
FF> them or post a grammar hint in a separate thread addressed
FF> to the newsgroup as a whole.

FF> I am a retired newspaper editor and never once corrected a
FF> reporter's grammar within anyone else's hearing. I spoke to
FF> them privately or posted a general note (usually light in
FF> tone) on the newsroom bulletin board.

I agree Peter. Grammatical correction should be done privately,
not in public, especially since many of the self-confident
pundits are often just plain wrong. Unsolicited public
correction of a person's grammar is frequently just bad manners.
I don't know if anyone can guarantee that they never make
mistakes either while speaking or writing to news groups.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not