Helping the Wiki vs. Being a grammar Nazi - Gen. Discussion

#1 Posted by AustinHasten (121 posts) - 3 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

I'm going through a particular Wiki article right now, and most of the edits I'm making are grammatical in nature, and don't contribute information to the article per se, but do correct typos and take out extraneous phrases. To me, and I presume others, this makes the article a lot easier to read.

Do you think the response of the moderators (or if not them, whoever it is that reviews Wiki article edits) will view this as helpful, or do you think they'll actually be irked at my tedious attention to detail?

I'm asking because I've done or posted things before that I thought might be viewed in a positive light by the higher-ups, and found myself to be quite wrong.

#2 Posted by impossibilly (520 posts) - 3 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

Thank you so much for asking this, as I've been wondering the same thing!

Some of the poor spelling and grammar in the wiki articles have been driving me crazy.

#3 Posted by Kallarkz (3300 posts) - 3 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

Sadly at the end of the day...nobody cares.

Rock on

#4 Posted by danhimself (18751 posts) - 3 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

I say good job....some of the wiki pages are ridiculous...I also feel that you shouldn't be editing pages if you can't spell

#5 Posted by The_Tree (4208 posts) - 3 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

I don't see a problem in it. You get points, the wiki is better off for it, and users like me don't have to read poorly structured phrases like "an historic moment" or "they're cat ran away".

#6 Posted by jloneblackheart (5192 posts) - 3 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

Doing this is a good thing. "Grammar Nazi" is a term people with poor grammar use.

Moderator

#7 Posted by Gambit1024 (9878 posts) - 3 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

Almost all my wiki points are because of fixing choppy sentences.

I'm a winner.

#8 Posted by YourNeighborhoodComicGeek (13874 posts) - 3 months, 11 days ago - Show Bio

I do the same thing all the time. I feel as if poor grammar is distracting and highly unprofessional.

#9 Posted by Renchamp (1483 posts) - 3 months, 11 days ago - Show Bio

@The_Tree said:

I don't see a problem in it. You get points, the wiki is better off for it, and users like me don't have to read poorly structured phrases like "an historic moment" or "they're cat ran away".

Historically, "an historic moment" is correct. And yes, I'll wear that Grammar Nazi badge.

As for the OP, brevity is smiled upon as long as there is clarity. But brevity for the sake of brevity is lame; sometimes things need to be spelled out a bit more. As a Grammar Nazi and Wiki Editor, I just wish there were more points for making the wiki that much sexier. As it is, I'll just sleep better with my one point and pimped out wiki page.

#10 Posted by Joygirl (6121 posts) - 3 months, 11 days ago - Show Bio

@The_Tree said:

I don't see a problem in it. You get points, the wiki is better off for it, and users like me don't have to read poorly structured phrases like "an historic moment" or "they're cat ran away".

If they have a european dialect, "an historic moment" can actually work.

#11 Posted by The_Tree (4208 posts) - 3 months, 11 days ago - Show Bio

@Renchamp said:

@The_Tree said:
I don't see a problem in it. You get points, the wiki is better off for it, and users like me don't have to read poorly structured phrases like "an historic moment" or "they're cat ran away".
Historically, "an historic moment" is correct. And yes, I'll wear that Grammar Nazi badge.
As for the OP, brevity is smiled upon as long as there is clarity. But brevity for the sake of brevity is lame; sometimes things need to be spelled out a bit more. As a Grammar Nazi and Wiki Editor, I just wish there were more points for making the wiki that much sexier. As it is, I'll just sleep better with my one point and pimped out wiki page.

@Joygirl said:

@The_Tree said:
I don't see a problem in it. You get points, the wiki is better off for it, and users like me don't have to read poorly structured phrases like "an historic moment" or "they're cat ran away".
If they have a european dialect, "an historic moment" can actually work.

You couldn't just let me live in peaceful ignorance, could you? Damn you, grammar Nazis, damn you!

You win this time. But prepare for the wrath of ~~C.O.B.R.A.~~ The_Tree!

#12 Posted by fodigg (4536 posts) - 3 months, 11 days ago - Show Bio

Almost all my contributions are grammatical cleanups. If I'm reading an article, I may as well proofread it. Can't turn off the copy-editor in me anyway so the errors will bother me less if I can fix them.

#13 Posted by AustinHasten (121 posts) - 3 months, 10 days ago - Show Bio

@jloneblackheart said:

Doing this is a good thing. "Grammar Nazi" is a term people with poor grammar use.

Haha, alright. Thanks!