I'm beginning to wonder...

does anyone dispute that the subjects of diction, spelling and grammar does not belong on this forum ?

I appreciate all of the responses, but I think my question was a little misunderstood. A lot of the responses are from members who obviously speak english, but are apologizing for being sloppy. I am saying that some of the "english" is so outrageously incomprehensible that it can't be fairly said the the writer even speaks the language. While I'm at it, one more gripe. Posts that read like this:
"Opinions wanted on using X231/J with 455XP".

How can I have an opinion when I don't even know what these two components are? We all know what a DQ10 is or an MC275 but some people are using obscure numbers without brand names. I am always left sitting there and wondering if it's only me.

Has no one heard of iSpell?
http://www.iespell.com/download.php
It's a simple download, and it's free. I know it works with all versions of Internet Explorer above v.5. There may be apps for other browsers as well.

It works from the 'Tools' menu in IE, or if you happen to be on a forum, there's even an icon in the posting window of current versions of v.Bulletin. And you can double click a single word to spellcheck it, just like in word processing programs.

No more whining ;-)
.

Mt, you may have missed that this is a written forum and the discussions are in writing. Also, in case you're interested I have an old keyboard with at least one working SHIFT key. If you'd like it...

Seriously though, written communication is fast becoming a lost art. Gutter English has become the norm in speech and texting is killing off what's left of the rest.

So we're back to an old position: adapt or parish... ;-)

HEY- This is America!! Speak Spanish!!

the basic question is:

why is one so compulsive about the written word ?. i believe audiogon is primarily a forum for conversing about subjects of an audio nature.

there are other forums on the internet where criticisms of the sort raised in this and another thread are appropriate.

I consider myself a good speller, but sometimes I submit a post without previewing it and find a misspelled word afterwards. Sometimes my fingers are like toes and so there are some typos as well. I think maybe other people have a tendency to do this as well. However, there are some posts where it is obvious that the person is not only a poor speller, but they also have a problem expressing themselves clearly.

Sadly, I consistantly have errors in my posts. Not only do I live in the USA, but my father was a high school English teacher who would berate us for any and all grammatical errors in both written and spoken English; so I have no excuse.

In fact, I am the guy at work who everyone comes to when they have any written correspondence to send out. I am the defacto internal grammer-nazi. But if I don't spell check, as I don't on these posts, I mess up both the spelling, and the grammer. If it's a classified I just edit, if it's a post I just look like an idiot. Well, all of us are pretty much idiots since we spend all this money on making something sound 0.000005% better. So, I just take solace in that fact.

Compose in Word, spell-check, then post to Audiogon.

Although it can sometimes be pretty comical when people over-rely on spell-check, and don't bother to proofread what they've written. Spelling and grammar checkers often will not flag an error in which the words are spelled correctly, but the wrong word is used.

A while back I had occasion to create the following test sentence. The spelling AND grammar checker in Microsoft Word 2002 did not pick up any of the six errors I introduced:

Intended sentence: "I wish to convey my compliments to the chef."

Sentence with 6 errors introduced, none of which were picked up by Word 2002's spelling and grammar checker:

"I wise to convoy me complements two the chief."

-- Al :)

And now, how about a rousing chorus of that Mac Davis Country classic:

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way.
I can't wait to look in the mirror

'cos I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me

I must be a hell of a man.
O Lord it's hard to be humble
But I'm doing the best that I can.

I used to have a girlfriend
But I guess she just could'n't complete
With all of these lovestarved women
Who keep clamouring at my feet.
Well I probably find me another
But I guess they're all in awe of me

Who cares I never get lonesome
Cause I treasure my own company.

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way.
I can't wait to look in the mirror

'cos I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me

I must be a hell of a man.
O Lord it's hard to be humble
But I'm doing the best that I can.

I guess you can say I'm a loner

A cowboy outlaw tough and proud
Well
I could have lots of friends if I wanted
But then I wouldn't stand out from the drowd

Some folks say that I'm "egotistical
Well I don't even know what that means
I guess it has something to do with the
Way that I fill out my skintight blue jeans.

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way.
I can't wait to look in the mirror

'cos I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me

I must be a hell of a man.
O Lord it's hard to be humble
We are doing the best that we can.

I am not sure what percentage of Audiogoners may be native English speakers. I for one was born and raised over the Pond. The Queen's language is not my first language, not by any stretch of the imagination. It's my 4th one, hence my occasional lapses into homophones, gallicisms, and otherwise unusual syntax. There are myriads of reasons why some Audiogoners may write with rickety grammar or creative spelling. . . ESL is just one of them. . . then there is dyslexia, a very common condition in the North American human male. . . some of us may have excelled in subjects other than English composition during our long gone school days. . . some of us just plain forgot to remember that 'similar' may sound 'familiar', yet it does not spell 'similiar', that 'audition' has really 2 'i's instead of 1, but that 'comparison' has only 1 instead of 2, and 'and many of us are just tired by the end of day, and we rather apply our finesse to the Muse rather than to the pen. . . hence our admitted imperfections. G.

Anyone who cannot spell a word more than one way is creatively challenged.

I agree!
Compose in Word, spell-check, then post to Audiogon.
It shouldn't have anything to do with who you are or where you're from.

The strange thing is that the post will be answered by several readers with no mention of the poor writing.

Some don't recognize the poor writing themselves because of their own poor language and writing skills, and others look at these flawed attempts at communication as ok as long as the real meaning of the post is understood.

What I am beginning to wonder about is what percentage of Audiogon members speak (or write) english as a first language.

All we can do is guess at that answer. My thought is that probably 75% of Audiogon members speak and write English as a first language, the rest are ESL (English as a Second language).

First I am truly spastic and typing is especially hard please try to hold in your inate desire to point out my typos.
Second I am dyslexic certainly not an expert writer and have no command of the language. Again avoid flame throwing for my bad writing.
This thread concerning general U.S. audiophile literacy has been discussed ad naseum.
The truth is obvious, we all comunicate in order to thrive. I think there is abundant evidence that the syntax chosen by the author demonstrates that English is not their first language. I know that in the urban mid Atlantic the illiteracy rate is on the order of 10-20%. I hope that answers you.
Perhaps a better language topic woould be "How do you begin an ad?" I have seen "Up For Sell" a few too many times.