# I pit assholes who instantly mock new users if their posts aren't grammatically correct **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 26, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811 "2017-11-26T23:04:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/21 "2017-11-27T01:26:31Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > That evades my main point, which is why folks don’t just ignore the trolls. My working theory is that they can’t pass up the opportunity to show how clever they are. Yeah? So? > [@](#): > > By all means, carry on if that’s what you like to do. Thank you. I shall. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogantly\_Ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Arrogantly\_Ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogantly_Ignorant)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/22 "2017-11-27T01:46:30Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s probably a bit more complicated. I suspect those people criticizing his grammar thought “troll”, and that the bad english was a ruse. When someone pops in here out of the blue with some personal problem, “troll” is not an unreasonable assumption to make-- it happens pretty frequently. Once you’re at “troll”, all bets are off as to how honest the poster is being about anything. > > Having said, those types of comments belong in the Pit, and I agree with the moderator action taken to stop the insults. Thank you for the kind explanation. This makes a certain amount of sense. Looking at the thread now, it appears he may have created a sock account. So, their assumption might not be unwarranted. It just struck me as mean when it appeared the poster was just looking for advice. I was honestly shocked. It seemed so childish and that’s not the tone I generally see from this board, especially outside of the Pit. > [@cochrane](#): > > \*\*I think posting grammar advice as coming out of a genuine concern for clarity is acceptable, such as: > > “OP, your post was hard for me to read because of the lack of punctuation and paragraphs.”\*\* > > I agree that posting things like: > > is bad advice in those forums. (Bolding mine) Yeah, that’s fine. It was the mocking that bothered me and the number of people doing it. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/23 "2017-11-27T01:49:50Z")
> [@Arrogantly\_Ignorant](#): > > In one instance you’re mocking someone because of how they talk. They have an accent because English isn’t their first language.\* In the other, you’re mocking someone because of how they write. They’re writing like that because English isn’t their first language.In both cases, you’re mocking someone for not conforming to a set of rules (grammar vs. pronunciation). How does grammar having a more “objective” standard mean you’re not doing the same thing? You seem to have several different forms of comprehension deficits. Language-specific grammar can be learned, and most intelligent writers seek to do so to avoid being incomprehensible or sounding like ignorant morons. Whereas accents tend to become deeply ingrained and are not normally barriers to communication or obvious indicators of intellectual lassitude. You are also deficient in understanding the worst problems of the OP in question. It suffers from a lot more than just mistakes in what may not be a first language for the poster. The rambling run-on incoherence defies the fundamental structure of the universal grammar common to all human language. Intelligent people just don’t talk that way, in any developed culture, in any language. > [@Arrogantly\_Ignorant](#): > > Also, mea culpa on the misuse of cognitive dissonance. Want to know something that makes it even _more_ stupid? I have a BS in Psychology. Want to know something that makes your comment even more stupid? I have known Ph.Ds in psychology (and other fields, too) who were fucking morons. So if I’m supposed to stand in awe of your BS, sorry. And I mean that in both possible interpretations of “BS”. Incidentally, the word “psychology” when used as a generic descriptor of a discipline, the way you used it, should not be capitalized. I realize that capitalizing a word is a technique routinely used by illiterate morons to draw attention to it, but when it’s not a title or a proper name, it’s usually wrong. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/24 "2017-11-27T02:07:13Z")
I should add something to my post above, lest it be misinterpreted. I do not in any way condone mocking someone just because their English isn’t perfect, a practice that I would find totally reprehensible. In fact, in another thread here, I strongly defended a valued poster whose first language is not English, and who was being attacked for grammatical quirks, but who makes very valuable contributions to this board. What I support – mainly in the Pit – is the creative mocking of fucking idiots who deserve it. There’s a difference. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/25 "2017-11-27T02:22:10Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > That evades my main point, which is why folks don’t just ignore the trolls. My working theory is that they can’t pass up the opportunity to show how clever they are. > > All that’s a fancy way of saying you want to be able to show off regardless of how much it perpetuates nonsense threads to hang around on the first page much longer than they otherwise would. You think I take that seriously? It’s only annoying, but once in a while I feel called on to call out this behavior amidst all the self-congratulatory pseudo-cleverness. By all means, carry on if that’s what you like to do. So your working theory is to assume the worst of your fellow posters, that they are all arrogant assholes? You can’t come up with even a slightly better interpretation? **They are having fun.** A troll that gets a joke reaction isn’t getting what they came for, so they aren’t being fed. And, even if they do stick around for a bit, everyone knows they are a troll, so there is no harm. What’s more, these are jokes, meant to make other people laugh. So not only are they having fun, but they are helping other people have fun, too. Apparently that doesn’t work for you. Fine. Senses of humor are different. I admit that I don’t tend to read those threads myself, because the troll sours any of the fun for me. But, while I’ll harp on people being jerks, I do my best to not jump on people for just having fun. And I would invite you to do the same. If the threads aren’t for you, don’t read them. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogantly\_Ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Arrogantly\_Ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogantly_Ignorant)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/26 "2017-11-27T02:41:20Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > You seem to have several different forms of comprehension deficits. \*\*Language-specific grammar can be learned, and most intelligent writers seek to do so to avoid being incomprehensible or sounding like ignorant morons. Whereas accents tend to become deeply ingrained and are not normally barriers to communication or obvious indicators of intellectual lassitude. > \*\* > You are also deficient in understanding the worst problems of the OP in question. It suffers from a lot more than just mistakes in what may not be a first language for the poster. The rambling run-on incoherence defies the fundamental structure of the universal grammar common to all human language. Intelligent people just don’t talk that way, in any developed culture, in any language. > > Want to know something that makes your comment even more stupid? I have known Ph.Ds in psychology (and other fields, too) who were fucking morons. **So if I’m supposed to stand in awe of your BS, sorry. And I mean that in both possible interpretations of “BS”.** > > Incidentally, the word “psychology” when used as a generic descriptor of a discipline, the way you used it, should not be capitalized. I realize that capitalizing a word is a technique routinely used by illiterate morons to draw attention to it, but when it’s not a title or a proper name, it’s usually wrong. (Bolding mine) NONE of those distinctions mean that mocking a non-native English speaker for their accent isn’t the same as mocking a non-native English speaker for their writing. You have no idea how long ago the person learned English or if they’re still learning when you criticize them for their writing. You really think accents aren’t generally a communications barrier? Really? Even if true, the grammatical mistakes in the referenced post weren’t either. I understood him. Everyone did. They just didn’t like how it was written. What the actual fuck? Where did I remotely imply that you should be in awe of my degree? I mentioned it because the irony didn’t escape me. If you think I’m going to stand in awe that you’ve known people with PhD’s in Psychology (and other fields too!), you’'re full of shit. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/27 "2017-11-27T02:50:57Z")
> [@Arrogantly\_Ignorant](#): > > (Bolding mine) > > NONE of those distinctions mean that mocking a non-native English speaker for their accent isn’t the same as mocking a non-native English speaker for their writing. You have no idea how long ago the person learned English or if they’re still learning when you criticize them for their writing. You really think accents aren’t generally a communications barrier? Really? Even if true, the grammatical mistakes in the referenced post weren’t either. I understood him. Everyone did. They just didn’t like how it was written. > > What the actual fuck? Where did I remotely imply that you should be in awe of my degree? I mentioned it because the irony didn’t escape me. If you think I’m going to stand in awe that you’ve known people with PhD’s in Psychology (and other fields too!), you’'re full of shit. Pussy ---
**Author:** ![Arrogantly\_Ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Arrogantly\_Ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogantly_Ignorant)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/28 "2017-11-27T02:57:30Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Pussy Dick? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/29 "2017-11-27T03:31:36Z")
Is there really a language whose only form of punctuation is ellipses? ---
**Author:** ![Arrogantly\_Ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Arrogantly\_Ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogantly_Ignorant)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/30 "2017-11-27T03:37:27Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > Is there really a language whose only form of punctuation is ellipses? Actually, yes. It’s called Elliperanto. It’s a thriving language, I hear. ---
**Author:** ![Lickety\_Split\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@Lickety\_Split\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lickety_Split_1)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/31 "2017-11-27T04:04:47Z")
> [@Arrogantly\_Ignorant](#): > > This has always been a pet peeve of mine, but I started this thread because of the replies to this one:[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=842509](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=842509) > > Do you know what I thought when I read his first post? Wow, English probably isn’t this guy’s first language. Other posters? They just mock him. To a new poster who seems to be legitimately looking for advice. But how could they know English wasn’t his first language, you might ask. They could have fucking asked _before_ they started mocking him. The irony? I think most of the posters who mocked him would be offended if they heard someone mocking another person’s accent. No cognitive dissonance there, people? You’re doing the exact fucking thing. Yeah, I have to agree with your pet peeve, my friend. Whenever I read or hear somebody speaking in broken English I always try to remember something that prevents me from being tempted to mock them or joke about their grammar. I remind myself that their English is almost certainly better than my level of proficiency in their native tongue! Especially since the only other language I speak and also can read and write a bit of is Spanish. And since my reading comprehension\* para espanol es, quizas, solomente sientese para ciento\* (my Spanish reading comprehension is only around 70%)…I dare say that I very well might nt be able to participate effectively in an all-Spanish forum. Thus, I actually tend to admire somebody _con el cojones_ to post in their second or even third language. And…yeah, the Pit! I have learned that place is a haven for a veritable plethora of intellectually-challenged Keyboard Warriors who are beset with such teeny tiny lives that they glean their sole enjoyment in this world by mocking and insulting unwary visitors. A goodly percentage of the denizens of The Pit would not last more than a couple days on most other Internet Forums before being banned permanently. And indeed, ten bucks and my left nut say many of them HAVE been banished elsewhere. Hence their hyena-like presence and actions in Das Pit. It is their final refuge! LOL. It’s really maddening when one know’s full well that the person(s) attacking you are imbued with room temperature IQ’s. But your hands are pretty much tied what with the Pit’s “any insult goes” policy. All one can do is refuse to stoop to their level by being sure not to write a single insult or vulgarity–which is what I did during my last (and final) ill-advised sojourn to those cursed environs. LOL ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/32 "2017-11-27T04:05:29Z")
What bothers me is that I’ve seen some people who don’t look like trolls get run off. They might’ve been good posters. People gave **Beckdawrek** a pretty hard time, but she stuck around and I think she’s a good addition to the board. I sometimes get sucked in when a newbie posts misogyny or homophobia which was probably their intent, but otherwise, I _mostly_ ignore the clueless ones. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/33 "2017-11-27T04:32:05Z")
Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/34 "2017-11-27T04:34:13Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > If the threads aren’t for you, don’t read them. Normally I don’t. I didn’t think this was one of them. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/35 "2017-11-27T05:50:57Z")
> [@Lickety\_Split](#): > > Yeah, I have to agree with your pet peeve, my friend. Whenever I read or hear somebody speaking in broken English I always try to remember something that prevents me from being tempted to mock them or joke about their grammar. > > I remind myself that their English is almost certainly better than my level of proficiency in their native tongue! Especially since the only other language I speak and also can read and write a bit of is Spanish. And since my reading comprehension\* para espanol es, quizas, solomente sientese para ciento\* (my Spanish reading comprehension is only around 70%)…I dare say that I very well might nt be able to participate effectively in an all-Spanish forum. Thus, I actually tend to admire somebody _con el cojones_ to post in their second or even third language. > > And…yeah, the Pit! I have learned that place is a haven for a veritable plethora of intellectually-challenged Keyboard Warriors who are beset with such teeny tiny lives that they glean their sole enjoyment in this world by mocking and insulting unwary visitors. A goodly percentage of the denizens of The Pit would not last more than a couple days on most other Internet Forums before being banned permanently. And indeed, ten bucks and my left nut say many of them HAVE been banished elsewhere. Hence their hyena-like presence and actions in Das Pit. > > It is their final refuge! LOL. > > It’s really maddening when one know’s full well that the person(s) attacking you are imbued with room temperature IQ’s. But your hands are pretty much tied what with the Pit’s “any insult goes” policy. All one can do is refuse to stoop to their level by being sure not to write a single insult or vulgarity–which is what I did during my last (and final) ill-advised sojourn to those cursed environs. LOL _“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/36 "2017-11-27T06:00:58Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > You seem to have several different forms of comprehension deficits. Language-specific grammar can be learned, and most intelligent writers seek to do so to avoid being incomprehensible or sounding like ignorant morons. Whereas accents tend to become deeply ingrained and are not normally barriers to communication or obvious indicators of intellectual lassitude. > > You are also deficient in understanding the worst problems of the OP in question. It suffers from a lot more than just mistakes in what may not be a first language for the poster. The rambling run-on incoherence defies the fundamental structure of the universal grammar common to all human language. Intelligent people just don’t talk that way, in any developed culture, in any language. > > Want to know something that makes your comment even more stupid? I have known Ph.Ds in psychology (and other fields, too) who were fucking morons. So if I’m supposed to stand in awe of your BS, sorry. And I mean that in both possible interpretations of “BS”. > > Incidentally, the word “psychology” when used as a generic descriptor of a discipline, the way you used it, should not be capitalized. I realize that capitalizing a word is a technique routinely used by illiterate morons to draw attention to it, but when it’s not a title or a proper name, it’s usually wrong. God you are a sad little man. If you were half as smart as you think you are, you would be Einstein squared. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/37 "2017-11-27T11:10:01Z")
> [@Lickety\_Split](#): > > A goodly percentage of the denizens of The Pit would not last more than a couple days on most other Internet Forums before being banned permanently. Countdown for when this statement becomes ironic? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/38 "2017-11-27T14:19:24Z")
> [@Lickety\_Split](#): > > A goodly percentage of the denizens of The Pit would not last more than a couple days on most other Internet Forums before being banned permanently. And indeed, ten bucks and my left nut say many of them HAVE been banished elsewhere. I’d say a goodly percentage of people who post in the Pit don’t hang out here. We post in the other forums, too, and behave ourselves there. We follow the rules, don’t pile up mod notes and warnings, and, you know, actually contribute to discussions. We just come here to vent where the rules are looser and the posts aren’t as strictly moderated. And not all of the threads here are about other posters. If you’d actually take the time to read the first page, you’ll find that most are about the everyday things in life that frustrate us, such as Donald Trump, Amazon, or stupid drivers. So, you owe me $10. You can keep your nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/39 "2017-11-27T14:28:53Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > God you are a sad little man. The irony it burns. > [@](#): > > If you were half as smart as you think you are, you would be Einstein squared. If you were half as smart as **wolfpup** , you would be ten times smarter than you appear. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811/40 "2017-11-27T15:08:05Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The irony it burns. > > If you were half as smart as **wolfpup** , you would be ten times smarter than you appear. That’s puts him in the bimbo range. Seems legitimate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-assholes-who-instantly-mock-new-users-if-their-posts-arent-grammatically-correct/802811.md?page=3)