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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Are you a Trade Chat grammar narc?
by Robin Torres 
Dec 13th 2008 at 8:00AM
Trade Chat, as you know, includes a lot of things besides Trade chatter: Guild recruitment, LFG, general help, gold spam and, of course, every topic under the sun. It also includes a lot of typos and grammar errors. Some of them are pretty benign, but others are so bad it's hard to decipher the meaning. And then there are the pet peeves.
You're a literate bunch. Do you correct people in Trade Chat? If not, do you mind or care when people do? And doesn't it take longer to type "ne1" than it does to type "anyone"? I know it does for me.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 6 of 8)
Balius Dec 13th 2008 11:46AM
I usually don't correct people, but the inscriptionist/inscriptor/inscriptionista/inscriptionator is a crime against all that is holy and good. There's already an actual word that means what all their fake words mean, and it's even much shorter!
Most of the time I'll reply "Someone who inscribes is called a scribe."
Occasionally I'll go with "Looking for leatherworkingitionist!" "Looking for tailoringinator!" "Is there an enchantingistador on?"
Tanglebones Dec 13th 2008 12:13PM
Actually, "inscriber" is a real word meaning, "One who inscribes; the writer of an inscription," as is "inscriptionist" which means, "The writer or carver of an inscription." Definitions courtesy of the OED.
There are few things in life more humorous than a grammar Nazi who doesn't bother to check his/her OED before posting.
Kia Dec 13th 2008 11:46AM
I'm a total grammar nazi, even in Trade. Unless they're using an acronym like 'WTB' or "WTS" anyway. Fortunately here on Moon Guard even Trade is often pretty coherent, and if it isn't there are enough people out there like me that the person ends up ridiculed six ways from Sunday. xD
Tabitha Dec 13th 2008 12:42PM
To Annoyingbear (who lives up to his name):
aluminium
/alyoominium/ (US aluminum) /aloominum/ (Oxford Dictionary)
The reason 'aluminium' was adopted was to fall in line with a number of other elements in the periodic table in 1812. It was also regarded as a more classical pronunciation. Aluminium was also the standard in America and can be found in the 1828 edition of the Webster's Dictionary. It was later altered to aluminum on the basis of being easier to pronounce with one less syllable.
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) adopted aluminium as the standard international name for the element
Herbalism
Herb"al*ism\, n. The knowledge of herbs. (Merriam-Webster)
Seems you didn't actually check the dictionary.
The only people in England commonly known to drop their aitches are cockneys - aka working class Londoners. Perhaps the reason aitches are dropped in America is because of influx of immigrants from that strata of society. It used to be and still is one of the many class distinctions.
Please do check your facts before spouting off your opinions.
Kia Dec 13th 2008 11:50AM
I think you may be the first person I've -ever seen- who actually spelled out the sound of a letter and wasn't joking by it. I don't know whether to be disturbed or just terrified. Maybe both.
geekahedron Dec 15th 2008 3:39PM
Way to try to sound smart without being accurate. "It was later altered to aluminum on the basis of being easier to pronounce with one less syllable." Acutally, Sir Humphrey Davy, who discovered and isolated the element, called it "aluminum" (as was his right).
Some stuffy British politician (as I will take liberties to imagine an anonymous contributor to a political journal would be) decided it would be better as "aluminium" instead of "aluminum" because the latter "has a less classical sound."
In truth, Sir Davy was robbed of the right to name his discovery in the name of a tradition that didn't actually exist.
Thankfully escaping the same fate were "molybdenium" and "platinium," among other "-um" elements that have been discovered before and since aluminum.
By the way, I believe that you are referring to Charles Martin Hall, an aluminum producer nearly a century later, who took out patents for his refinement processes using "aluminium" but shipped out crates and made flyers for his "aluminum." It was speculated that the spelling on his flyers was to make it more easily pronounced, but no one really knows the reasons for the discrepancies. In any case, although Hall dominated the aluminum production market for several decades, the real authority should rightfully rest with the original discoverer, Sir Humphrey Davy.
The IUPAC accepts both spellings for "aluminum," and its official publications in fact use both. What I find humorous is how suddenly their authority is to be questioned when engaging a Briton in debate over the spelling of "sulfur." Ha!
Finally, Merriam-Webster's pronunciation key lists: '(h)&r-b&-"liz-&m with the "(h)" in parentheses to denote the varied usage. Your citation appears to be from Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, which was published twice, in 1828 and 1913 and generally reflects more British (and archaic) roots than American or even modern British English dictionaries.
Interestingly to note, the 1828 edition lists "aluminum" and the 1913 edition lists "aluminium." Take from that what you will.
I would tell you to check *your* facts, but it's rather apparent to me that your inaccuracies and fallacies were constructed quite intentionally to make your point.
Mort Dec 13th 2008 12:00PM
"First impressions last the longest", and in WoW, that first impression isn't made by the way your character looks (although dressing in full t6/7, is sort of like wearing a formal attire) but by the language you use. Therefore, when anyone whispers me with "Ur a tank plz?!?!", I tend to treat them like the hobo on the street who's shouting at the pigeons and/or trying to sell you something out of a suitcase, i.e. paying them no attention and walking on...
SheldonLock Dec 13th 2008 12:09PM
There is a very simple way to put it... The only thing I like about Trade Chat is the Gold Spammers. Even though they may be Chinese, they type better English then anyone else in Trade Chat.
tabitha Dec 13th 2008 12:46PM
The product of a very tough but extremely good english teacher! :-)
zumacrume Dec 13th 2008 12:50PM
I only correct your and you're in trade chat. It drives me crazy.
~Zumacrume
Rynnix Dec 13th 2008 1:16PM
I usually let things slide around me and don't worry too much about correcting the general channels, but I will speak up about Guild Chat if someone is making a consistent mistake. Even then, I tend to whisper them so as to not make a big deal out of it: no one likes to look stupid in front of a group.
There is a certain amount of adaptable language in the game that we all tend to support: pwned, ganked, nerfed, ZOMG. All of these terms have developed as part of the in game communication culture and so, as such, don't bother me. I find myself offering 'gratz' to my guildies when they ding without even blinking: it just is what it is.
I do have my limits, however.
The one that really got to me happened last night in AV. Someone actually typed "prolly" for "probably." That's a pure case of bad pronunciation getting too big for its britches. Makes my skin crawl, I tell you.
And, yes, I, too, have an English degree. Dimes to donuts, I bet most of us who have replied to this topic do. lol
Dirge Dec 13th 2008 1:25PM
I AM THE INSCRIPTINATOR!
PHEER ME!
God. . . I hate the people in trade chat.
"LF Inscriptor" or "LF scriber"
or the best: "LF Inscriptionist"
ZOMGWTFBBQROFLMAO
Chuck Dec 13th 2008 1:30PM
Isn't it grammar narq?...
Robin Torres Dec 13th 2008 1:55PM
The origin of "narc" is from narcotics officer. During the hippie druggie days of yore, the nickname became generalized to cover any person who turns you in.
Some people do use narq, but that is actually a misspelling.
Christianah Dec 13th 2008 1:33PM
I'm notorious for being a spelling/grammar 'nazi' as my guild calls me. I'm the wife of a GM so I sort of get all the perks of the guild as well as never getting /gkicked for making people angry when I yell at them for having such horrible grammar. I used to be bad in Trade with correcting and what not but I've since turned trade off as I have no use for what others are selling anyway. I keep it in the guild. It's a love/hate relationship but without me, they know their gchat would be oh-so-boring. I even correct anything my husband types before he sends it out so as not to look like a doofus. He's the GM after all. The least he can do is type 'CAUSE' right instead of "CASUE". Give me a break!
Slaytanic Dec 13th 2008 1:38PM
My biggest typo pet peeve occurs mostly in BG's.
"OMG, we're going to loose."
ARGH. Not only is this a misspelling, they're actually using a different word. Your shoelaces become "loose". It's "lose", you.....you.......(grumble)....
butler Dec 13th 2008 1:37PM
The ultimate fail that I see ALL THE TIME:
: YOUR STUPID
FAIL
butler Dec 13th 2008 1:39PM
Um, apparently less thans and greater thans get filtered from comments.
I was trying to say an idiot says something stupid and a bigger idiot replies with "your stupid"
Omestes Dec 13th 2008 3:48PM
That is stupid.
You don't have the god-given right to be an imbecile. There is no right to be wrong. Ignorance never ends well, thus those of us who correct people are doing them a favor. Mature, intelligent, individuals enjoy learning from their mistakes.
If you defend your mistakes you really aren't worth my time, or anyone else's.
I think the idiotic idea of "self esteem" most kids grew up with did this. Why value self-improvement when you already think your the best thing out there. Self-respect, like actual respect, is earned, not given.
jurandr Dec 13th 2008 1:38PM
I make my own mistakes when I type fast, or with cold hands. Therefore, I am not in a position to be correcting others.