Spending time on Internet fora introduces me to a plethora of bad spellers and posters with barely even a touch of grammar, much less a grasp.
Sometimes I complain.
That doesn’t go down well. (Complaints rarely do – isn’t that strange!?)
The main argument for not bothering with such mundane and 20th century shit as spelling, grammar or style (for the advanced culprits) is, in my experience:
“Who cares if it’s perfect as long as everyone understands what I mean?” (or rather along the lines of “Who cares if its perfic aslong evr1 no wha I meen?”)
Well… I just recently thought of an analogy that might explain why I think everyone should be more careful with their language and their expression.
If I am sitting at a table with a 1-and-a-bit-year old kid, I sure as hell will understand both “Wanna go potty”, “Gotta go potty” and even just “Pottyyyyyyy!” Fine.
If I am sitting at a table with a 32/42/52-year old who goes “Me too gotta go potty!!! I wanna, I wanna, I wanna!!!” I still will understand it, but … Yeah. Point made, I think.
The occasional mistake and typo will not make you look like an arse. Expressing yourself on the level of a pre-school kid and claiming that it’s not your problem, but the receiver’s … well – it just makes you look like wanker.