Funny Sh!t

[thisOne]

That is some nice audio bling

 

[MunkeyQ]

Seriously, "young people" can't spell these days,

I'm 17.

Although I have to agree that nowadays, grammar really has gone to pot. I can't stand to see people writing in short form (i.e. you = u, etc) on forum posts - it really makes me think bad of the writer.

 

[panhead]

You just gotta love those injection molded speakers :thumbsdn:

 

[Arkay]

I see plenty of those hideous things in the audio wholesale market here in Hong Kong. I try not to look ("See no evil"...), but sometimes I do, in that same way that one sometimes feels compelled to look at a traffic accident scene. I can't believe he paid $399 for one of those. Their highest use would be for background props in a sci-fi movie.

ALso liked the way he needs the money for an XBox, and he needs to pay off debt. Maybe he needs to lower his credit card balance, so he can charge the XBox?

I'm 17.

Although I have to agree that nowadays, grammar really has gone to pot. I can't stand to see people writing in short form (i.e. you = u, etc) on forum posts - it really makes me think bad of the writer.

Munkey, I appreciate your honesty and opinion of "short form" writing. Let me helo you out with two things: (1) "Nowadays" is okay to use on a forum like this, but be aware that it is a very casual word (or non-word, to some picky logophiles) so don't use it in formal writing such as school essays. (2) You should say something makes you think badly of the writer, not "bad". The adverb "badly" is modifying the verb "think". To use the adjective "bad" here, while a common mistake, is still a mistake. It would be correct, however, to say that something "makes you think bad thoughts", because the adjective "bad" in this case is modifying the noun "thoughts". Get it? [Please don't take this as a criticism; I used to teach English part-time, and it's an old habit where young people are involved to try to help them improve. It's one way we can try to slow the deterioration of the language. ] it's great to see teenagers like you here on a site about vintage audio, too. Gives us old fogeys hope that someone will be around to preserve the gear we like so much.

 

[70salesguy]

My sister-in-law retired from teaching after 33 years.

She says the whole trend of "text messaging" is sending grammar and spelling to heck in the express lane. :sigh:

 

[Sandy G]

I NEVER have understood why SO many people are completely flummoxed by simple grammar & spelling..."Hit AIN'T Rockitt Siense, peepul..."

 

[mswer]

My sister-in-law retired from teaching after 33 years.

She says the whole trend of "text messaging" is sending grammar and spelling to heck in the express lane. :sigh:

I certainly don't mean this as a criticism of your sister, but I've heard that assessment, and I think that's a cop out. My generation (I'm 23) wasn't taught phonetics, although I believe there is a move back to teaching English that way now. I learned how to read and spell with the Whole Language system. I can attest that it doesn't work. I'm a less than stellar speller and, especially when I was younger, struggled to pronounce words I hadn't read or seen before.

The grammar issue is a separate one, in my mind. I finally actually learned grammar when I was a junior and senior in high school, and I only learned it from my SAT prep class/tutor, and even then only because I expressed a specific interest in actually learning it, not just learning how to do it on the test. I wouldn't say my grammar is perfect (I'm not 100% rock solid on when commas should be used, for example, though this rule is somewhat flexible depending on the circumstances), but it's pretty damn close. I think the reason I had never really learned grammar up until that point is that every teacher I had in middle and high school presented grammar in more or less the following way: "OK, I know that grammar is really boring and no one wants to do it, but I have to teach it, so let's just get through it so we can move on." I've had that explicitly said, but even when it hasn't been, that's been the attitude. There's no way you're going to get someone to learn something when it's presented that way. I think if it was taught younger, and presented more like "Hey, here's something really easy that will, on it's own, make you a much better writer, qualify you for tons of jobs, and allow you to enjoy spoken and written English much more," more people would pick it up.

But really, that's just a symptom. Of what? Our failing (or, perhaps already thoroughly failed) public education system. I had the extreme privilege of going to a private school for my elementary and college-preparatory education and I still effectively ended up learning grammar on my own, and most people aren't as lucky as I was to have that option.

What can I say...everyone cross your fingers/knock on wood/do whatever you do for luck for a President in 2008 that will actually do something about it.

 

[Aage]

There is an elementary school about a mile from my house that has some construction going on.

One large sign at the site says : CONSTRUCTION VECHICLES ONLY!

I have to laugh at how many teachers see that sign every day!

And I love the way it's pronouced in the South: "vee-HICK-els" emphasis on the HICK.

 

[Aage]

Thanks for making me read through that; I have a headache now. Never mind the stuff he is selling - I would like to strangle that guy just for his butchering of the English language.

Wait till you hear him in Norwegian, Njord! Jah, shoor!

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi,

The question will be whether Bokmal or Nynorsk grammar gets mangled! Legalize Lutefisk!

 

[70salesguy]

Well!

I checked out the reference to the "whole language system" and found this quote : "reduced emphasis on other skills.....such as grammar, spelling,capitalization and punctuation"

I guess that explains it all!

You had the "extreme privilege of going to a private school for your elementary and college-prepatory educaton and still ended up learning grammar on your own"?

Just what were they teaching there?

I had the extreme privilege of attending public schools when they would kick your butt if you created problems and they didn't tolerate any BS. Of course, we did have less History to learn back then.

I have to be curious as to just what you think our next President can and should do about this?

Everywhere I go and deal with younger people in the business world, when I say "thank you", I get "no problem" as a reply. They don't even know to say "You're welcome".

If you took it upon yourself to learrn grammar, kudos to you! YOU will be the beneficiary of your effort. You will find yourself with a definite advanage over your peer group when it comes to the job market.

I read articles in business magazines that comment on the lack of good verbal and written communication skills from the current crop of job applicants for corporate type positions.

My wife is a Director for a mid-sized financial corporation. She says that a lot of people have atrocious communication skills. She says that often people there choose not to have these people work on their project for just that reason, in spite of the fact that they may have excellent computer skills!

Perhaps a whole generation has been lost due to this "whole lanquage system". Of course, they all probably still feel pretty good about themselves, since they were most probably told how wonderful they were.

 

[Arkay]

I see plenty of those hideous things in the audio wholesale market here in Hong Kong. I try not to look ("See no evil"...), but sometimes I do, in that same way that one sometimes feels compelled to look at a traffic accident scene. I can't believe he paid $399 for one of those. Their highest use would be for background props in a sci-fi movie. For that purpose, they aren't bad.

Also liked the way he needs the money for an XBox, and he needs to pay off debt. Maybe he needs to lower his credit card balance, so he can charge the XBox on the card?

I'm 17.

Although I have to agree that nowadays, grammar really has gone to pot. I can't stand to see people writing in short form (i.e. you = u, etc) on forum posts - it really makes me think bad of the writer.

I completely agree! Nice to see a young person writing a coherent post without 'short forms' or biZzArE CaPItaliSAtiOn or other errors (except using "bad" where "badly" is correct ). Also nice to see a 17 year old with an interest in a vintage audio forum. There is hope for the survival of our vintage gear once all of us dinosaurs are extinct!

 

[x_25]

I'm 17.

Although I have to agree that nowadays, grammar really has gone to pot. I can't stand to see people writing in short form (i.e. you = u, etc) on forum posts - it really makes me think bad of the writer.

I'm 18 and also went to a private school. There, I was taught Shurly Grammar. It had a jingle for everything. From how to write a sentence, to the pronouns, and all the way to the proper use of commas. I learned that in fourth grade and I still have some of the jingles stuck in my head.

 

[mswer]

Well!

I checked out the reference to the "whole language system" and found this quote : "reduced emphasis on other skills.....such as grammar, spelling,capitalization and punctuation"

I guess that explains it all!

You had the "extreme privilege of going to a private school for your elementary and college-prepatory educaton and still ended up learning grammar on your own"?

Just what were they teaching there?
.
.
.
Perhaps a whole generation has been lost due to this "whole lanquage system".

Sadly, Whole Language. It was all the rage when I was of the age that I could have been learning, before the controversy noted in the Wikipedia article had even begun. Going to private school did, however, put me in the position to seek out someone who would teach me once I expressed interest.

Of course, they all probably still feel pretty good about themselves, since they were most probably told how wonderful they were.

But don't you know? It's much more important to feel good about yourself irrespective of circumstances than to feel good because you've actually accomplished something to feel good about! Self-esteem man! It's one of the inalienable rights written right into the Declaration of Independence! :thmbsp:

 

[Sandy G]

I'm old enough-50- to mercifully have been relatively unaffected by all the "New Theory" du jour method of learnin' to read gud. 4 years of McCallie School & 4 years of University of Richmond-minor in English- didn't hurt any. Biggest thing, however, that helped me was my dad buying me a copy of "World of the Automobile" by Ralph Stein when I was in the 1st grade, & refusing to read a word of it to me. It was NOT a "kiddee book", & as soon as I could, I was reading -AND comprehending- it. I was reading on a more-or-less adult level by the time I was in the 2nd grade.

 

[Aage]

Hell, y'all have all these worries ta talk about and you only have one official language!

"Harlez-vous Français?" which is mean, "Can you ride a French motorcycle?"

 

[caddisgeek]

I've got to agree with the "whole language" thing, the still teach that at my kids school, we teach them phonics at home. I agree with mswer, the system does not teach kids how to figure out how to read or say a word that they are unfarmilar with. OK if the only thing you read is the drive through menu at McDonalds, bit tricker for anything else.


And as for coherent writing................

 

[JesusChrysler]

I love you guys!!!


Matt

 

[x_25]

I love you guys!!!


Matt

Someone must have been playing with the switch. If not it takes real talent to derail a train on a strait track.

 

[pioneervato]

This individual most likely would not pass the writing portion of the AIM's test here in Arizona in order to satisfy the graduation requirements for high school.

Better check my spelling and grammar from now on. You guys are vicious.