I write like an illiterate!
By raydene
@raydene (9871)
United States
August 15, 2008 8:14am CST
Hi Friends
I want to tell you that I am educated.
I do have a couple of degrees (upper education).
So why when I get my hands on the keyboard do I look like
an illiterate! I appear to be writing on a 4th grade level.
How is your writing?
xoxoxoxoxo
7 people like this
22 responses
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
15 Aug 08
I don't have any pigskins on the wall, I'm just a high school graduate myself, but I always thought I could put pen to paper, or in this case, fingers to keyboard and do ok for myself.
I think we all have those moments, though, and of course it depends on the venue. Here on myLot or when chatting with friends, I'm obviously not going to 'talk' like I would if writing a piece for 'real' publication.
I wouldn't sweat about it.
3 people like this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
17 Aug 08
Knowing how online typists are, I seldom bother to fret about the odd misspelling. I draw the line at posts typed with so many typos and/or bad grammar that I really CAN'T figure out what the poster's trying to convey, though.
Oh, & on occasion, if a typo or grammatical error makes me laugh, I'll tease the poster about it, as I recently did when he referred to having "spaded" his cat.... /o)
Maggiepie
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 08
You certainly don't come across as illiterate to me ma! and that's not me being biased either, I think sometimes our brain goes faster than we type and we know exactly what we want to say but our fingers don't move fast enough and we end up having a mental fight between brain and keyboard! I fail on grammar, but my spelling is perfect! I was always top of the class at school and college for my spelling and people used to use me as a walking dictionary. But grammar ouch! Hopeless at grammar, so when I write or type you won't see a spelling mistake but you will see grammar errors.
2 people like this
@thebohemianheart (8827)
• United States
15 Aug 08
wolfie, I am the same way. English was always my best subject in school. However, I don't speak in a manner that would reflect that. I always say my brain and my mouth(or fingers) don't play well together. I like the way you worded it though. We end up having a mental fight between brain and keyboard.
1 person likes this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
17 Aug 08
I write well, but type poorly. SO...I personally review ALL posts 2 to 3 times to be sure I've caught all the typos. Things still slip through...
Gremlins, y'think?
/o)
Maggiepie
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
15 Aug 08
Hi raydene,
I am typing everyday so I have no problem here..the only mistake I know I am doing is that I am not observing proper fingering and when I will, it takes time so you can imagine how my fingers are crossing here! well, as long as I will have some accomplishment, that matters to me!
2 people like this
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
15 Aug 08
As a Lefty,I've been told I write badly...I KNOW that,they don't need to tell Me! Even capitalising doesn't help in some cases..I work in a restaurant..giving an order to our (New!) Chef,He read my order for a SIRLOIN(steak) with (WD) beside it,for "Well Done" as being a SALMON! on the plus side,I've noticed He's started wearing his Glasses...!
2 people like this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
17 Aug 08
I'll vouch for Elic's typing, um...skills...LOL!
There is one thing she does that seems unique to her, however. I happen to be an excellent speller, but her odd ways of rendering some words, once I see them, have the effect of blowing the CORRECT spelling right out of my BRAIN!
Eerie, that....
Maggiepie (winking at you, Elic)
1 person likes this
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
15 Aug 08
For me, I tell a story like an illiterate. Whenever I want to relate a story that happened that day to my husband, the sequence of events just got jumbled up and in the end, I don;t think my hubby got teh entire story. It's worse if ot's a joke. I just can't tell them. Getting back to your discussion, I write rather simplistically. My main purpose would be to make people understand what I want to say. I don't use big words to impress others. Just want to get my point across. Does that mean I write like an illiterate too?
2 people like this
@debjit (339)
• India
15 Aug 08
I can't understand why you are telling such thing... I can say that my style of writing is worse than me and you have not made any single mistake here, be it some grammer mistakes or spelling mistakes.
If you are saying that your typing speed is not up to the mark, then there's nothing 'bout education or such thing. It's all 'bout practise. Typing speed can only be increased by typing more.
Being a 10th ranked person and having numbers near to 5000 in braces, you should not say such thing, my friend..
1 person likes this
@dana234 (2114)
• Spain
16 Aug 08
Gee, raydene, how can you say that? You certainly don't write like an illiterate just because you make a few spelling mistakes now and again. It can happen to anyone and is sometimes due to very quick typing.
As most of us including me, don't look at the keyboard whilst typing, it's very easy to make mistakes.
You might think that I'm not in the position to participate in this discussion because English is not my native language, but I've lived in England for a couple of years and believe me I've seen some people who write as if they are still at elementary school. No offence meant to anyone from England. Don't get me wrong.
How do I write? Well, it's up to you to judje...
XXX Dana
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157671)
• United States
15 Aug 08
I am not quite as educated as you are, but I have my days of incoherencies. I think that we sometimes are missing that give and take challenge to push us to higher and more complicated writing. On MyLot we have many people who are very intelligent, but I do not find that writing in an upper level style is necessarily the best way to communicate. I think we all have fun when we are average. Whatever that is. I would not put you on a fourth grade level, however. It could also be that your hands work faster than your brain, when you type.
1 person likes this
@Robin55 (225)
• United States
18 Aug 08
I would have to agree with you Gerty. I didn't find anything wrong with your post, Raydene,and you certainly didn't sound illiterate to me. The kind of writing that we do depends on the venue that we are writing for. On site like this there's really not much call for writing like a professional or expert. As long as your point gets across then it's all good. Now, if you're writing for a college class (sounds like you have some experience with that) then you will of course right in a more formal style and pay close attention to typos, grammar and the lot. If you are really worried about this, I'm sure that there are self-help books out there with exercises that you can do that will help you hone your writing skills and make you feel better about it. However, I think you're doing just fine. :)
1 person likes this
@royal52gens (5488)
• United States
15 Aug 08
I think Wolfie's explanation is excellent. I also am a college graduate with a degree. There are times I get lazy with my responses or wording. I do tend to think faster than I type. I have caught myself several times having to go back and correct things. Btw, you don't look like an illiterate to me. You do just fine as far as I am concerned.
1 person likes this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
15 Aug 08
LOL...you and me both unless i go back and recheck my words..otherwise I'll come back as writing in another language..lol..
1 person likes this
@stagewhisper (901)
• United States
15 Aug 08
You don't come across as illiterate, but you probably could have better writing online. I think the thing is that the internet is such an informal place, where everywhere you turn you see people saying "lol hay i typ lik dis", and whether we want it to or not, it rubs off on us sometimes.
All it takes to avoid that- if you wanted to- is to spend some more time looking over what you write. It should only take a few seconds.
I've been told that I write like someone in their late twenties... and sometimes people accuse me of sounding like a man online! 
(For the record, I'm female and 21). I take it as a compliment, though.
I've been told that I write like someone in their late twenties... and sometimes people accuse me of sounding like a man online! (For the record, I'm female and 21). I take it as a compliment, though. 1 person likes this
@shreya2436 (145)
• India
16 Aug 08
Hi raydene, I think you are smart enough. you should take some extra care while writing. there is nothing impossible in the world. You should try and try again and you will surely succeed in writing good language and enjoying your writing. best of luck
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
15 Aug 08
It seems all right but why not copy from Word rather than from notepad. It looks as if you are always writing poems. As for writing, it seems there is a tendency to write to accommodate the poster. So if the poster writes as if she is fifteen or sixteen, we tend to write back in that manner. I mean the fluff discussions, like asking if I take a bath every day, etc. or talking about their best friend and you get the idea they lied about their age, said they were older then they really are - well these make me feel as if I have to answer at the same grade level they do.
I think it is trying to make people feel you are not talking about their level and I cannot see anything wrong with your writing except to suggest you copy from Word or Wordpad rather than from text.
@grecychunny26 (9483)
• Philippines
23 Sep 08
I also think of myself like that, but merely because I just used simple english. I don't used much of the adverbs or adjectives , I made my response as direct and simple. Hey, can I ask you, what do you think of my english when I was responding to your discussion, do you honestly understand what I am talking about?.
@BYOLA2871 (4371)
• South Africa
22 Aug 08
its funny if you feel you are like a 4th grader when on the internet writing i think its more of your feelings and not real,as for me i always have the feeling of being in charge when am writing or typing this gives me a good feel so i write well
@rajeshfgh (1629)
• India
15 Aug 08
Hey, don't think you're the only one. There are many like you out there who can't write properly. But, I think it's only in the mind and if you think positive and start writing quality stuff everyday then, you'll become a pro in no time. Seeing, your high level of participation in Mylot, I am not sure if you're really a poor writer or you're just undermining yourself. Anyway, 4th grade stuff is easier to comprehend by everybody, lest you don't get responses due to academic level English. It can be understood by everybody. So, chill and keep posting in whatever fashion you're comfortable.
@usus0012 (57)
• India
19 Aug 08
i have seen most of yours ,i think there is nothing to worry about ..first who said you that you are an illiterate .wash away this kind of false thoughts.you are far more better...
i think my writing is better,if any one says that mine is bad i dont bother because nothing can be uniform every one has their own uniqueness...
