Poor PbP DM Grammar

[Kumori]

If your DM has poor (that is to say horrible) grammar in a PbP game, to the point that it annoys you, what's the proper thing to do? If reading the events of the game is irksome something has to be done, but I don't want to be insulting or hurtful. Should I just quit the game and move on, or talk to the DM in some way? If it's best to talk it out, how do I put it without being insulting or hurtful?

[tcrudisi]

If your DM has poor (that is to say horrible) grammar in a PbP game, to the point that it annoys you, what's the proper thing to do? If reading the events of the game is irksome something has to be done, but I don't want to be insulting or hurtful. Should I just quit the game and move on, or talk to the DM in some way? If it's best to talk it out, how do I put it without being insulting or hurtful?

Well, since the issue is grammar and not spelling, then I would simply ask the DM if he has MS Word. If so, would he be kind enough to type the post there and let MS Word pick up the grammar mistakes and find them. If he doesn't, or is not willing to do that, then inform him that "You've been a great DM, and I really enjoy the game, but I'm a bit of a grammar Nazi and due to this I must leave the game. It's nothing personal, but I wish you the absolute best and thank you for running the game."

It's not as though you could teach grammar, and quite likely they would not care to learn. Ya know?

[Kumori]

I hadn't thought about suggesting he use MS Word to fix his grammar. I might try that. I'll wait a bit first to see if anyone else has any thoughts.

Thanks.

[Sir Homeslice]

Leave and never look back.

Though my advice is colored by the fact that people messing up your/you're, and there/their/they're tend to incite homicidal rage in me, because if they can't get something as simple as the differences between your/you're and there/their/they're, most of the time I find I can't trust them at all.

[SaintRidley]

Be wary, as Word won't pick up and alert to every mistake.

Leave and never look back.

Though my advice is colored by the fact that people messing up your/you're, and there/their/they're tend to incite homicidal rage in me, because if they can't get something as simple as the differences between your/you're and there/their/they're, most of the time I find I can't trust them at all.

Seconded.

[lsfreak]

Before leaving or accidentally offending the person, make sure poor grammar isn't because the DM is a non-native English speaker. If English is a second language, give them more leniency, and perhaps offer to help them with their grammar. If they are a native English speaker, commence with whatever suggestion you feel appropriate.

[Tiki Snakes]

Or you could, you know, just ignore it?

I know, wacky suggestion. Carry on.

[DragoonWraith]

Yeah, I've definitely not signed up for games that otherwise interested me because the DM's opening post had grammar/spelling errors that just irked me. Immersion ruining, to say the least.

[Ashram]

Or you could, you know, just ignore it?

I know, wacky suggestion. Carry on.

I think the point is is that a DM needs to have good grasp of whatever language his players speak (In this case, English) to tell a proper story and do all the things a DM is required to do. A DM is generally expected to do some story-telling... How can he do that if he never got past elementary school English?

[Katana_Geldar]

I sometimes as the DM what they mean and say "did you mean x and y".

[JoshuaZ]

Leave and never look back.

Though my advice is colored by the fact that people messing up your/you're, and there/their/they're tend to incite homicidal rage in me, because if they can't get something as simple as the differences between your/you're and there/their/they're, most of the time I find I can't trust them at all.

I'm going to disagree here. Very often mistakes involving similar sounding words are due to typing fast or similar behavior. These are minor grammar issues that were not even standardized until the early 19th century.

If a DM sentences without verbs one thing. Or if drops subjects. Problems like those are genuine issues that actually hamper communication. They can result in difficulty understanding what the individual is trying to communicate (although even then the meaning can often be puzzled out as it can be in the examples above). They also suggest that a DM is not putting in much effort or simply doesn't think in a very organized fashion. Neither of those options are good possibilities. Moreover, people with poor grammar often have poor reading comprehension which can be potentially a serious problem in a PbP game even more than a regular game (where reading comprehension helps prevent DMs from making insane rulings). Grammatical issues can also ruin verisimilitude. However, these remarks only applies to major grammatical issues.

If we are talking about minor issues like there/their then I think it might actually be a good idea to play with that person since getting more used to common mistakes might actually be a good thing.

[Kumori]

I have no problems with minor grammar errors, event frequent or consistent ones. My problem is when the errors are so wide-spread that the meaning behind the DMs post is so difficult to infer that it hampers the game.

[kakiseirei]

I have no problems with minor grammar errors, event frequent or consistent ones. My problem is when the errors are so wide-spread that the meaning behind the DMs post is so difficult to infer that it hampers the game.

If you are asking for clarififcation of the DM's posts (which I guess must happen sometimes if it is hampering the game) then the DM surely knows that this is a problem and either can't or won't correct it. It really would be best to talk to him sooner rather than later, as eventually someone will tell the DM in a less tactful manner.

[sofawall]

If a DM sentences without verbs one thing.

I can't tell if that is on purpose or not.

EDIT: Wait, it is. Two missing verbs is too much for an accident.

[Xenogears]

I can't tell if that is on purpose or not.

EDIT: Wait, it is. Two missing verbs is too much for an accident.

He actually even makes reference to the missing verb and subject. He refers to them as examples.

[Ernir]

Yeah, I've definitely not signed up for games that otherwise interested me because the DM's opening post had grammar/spelling errors that just irked me. Immersion ruining, to say the least.

Same here...

Which brings up the issue - how did you end up in a game where the DM's spelling drives you bonkers? Did the DM not write his/her own recruitment thread?

[JoshuaZ]

I can't tell if that is on purpose or not.

EDIT: Wait, it is. Two missing verbs is too much for an accident.

Hmm, and the next sentence "Or if drops subjects" didn't make it clear enough? And the later mention of "examples above" didn't make it really clear?

Maybe I just without verbs from now on in all Playground posts.

[Bibliomancer]

What sort of problems are there, specifically?

Could you post a generic section of the game to demonstrate what the problem is?

Personally, if there are major consistent grammar errors, I would probably just leave, although that might not be necessary given the average longevity of most PbP games. Additionally, a lot of them have a high attrition rate, so if you don't mention the grammar errors as you leave you should be able to quit without hurting anyone's feelings.

[Dr Bwaa]

Bad grammar or spelling from the GM automatically prevents me from applying to a game. I don't know what I'd do if I discovered it once I was already in

[Katana_Geldar]

I think I would rather bad grammar than leetspeak

kthnx

[Mystic Muse]

I think I would rather bad grammar than leetspeak

kthnx

kn U tll m wen we get bak to pwning ther d00ds? kthnxbai

[Katana_Geldar]

ne1 need a buff?

[Greenish]

Before leaving or accidentally offending the person, make sure poor grammar isn't because the DM is a non-native English speaker. If English is a second language, give them more leniency, and perhaps offer to help them with their grammar. If they are a native English speaker, commence with whatever suggestion you feel appropriate.

If a DM can't get himself/herself understood in English, he or she shouldn't be DMing games in that language.

Off-topic, gender-separated pronouns are annoying, someone please drag English to 21th century.

[valadil]

I once had a DM who couldn't spell character. It made me wonder how much time he actually spent reading his gaming books.

[The Dark Fiddler]

Yeah, I've definitely not signed up for games that otherwise interested me because the DM's opening post had grammar/spelling errors that just irked me. Immersion ruining, to say the least.

Indeed. There have been games with great premises I've passed up because the DM had some annoying grammar and spelling errors. A bit elitist, perhaps, but it really does ruin the immersion.

On the topic of ESL DMs, I'd give them more leniency, but I still probably wouldn't sign up for the game.

If a DM can't get himself/herself understood in English, he or she shouldn't be DMing games in that language.

Off-topic, gender-separated pronouns are annoying, someone please drag English to 21th century.

Singular they? Or... *sigh* those god-awful ze and whatever. I personally prefer gender-neutral he and one, but that's just me.

[JoshuaZ]

Indeed. There have been games with great premises I've passed up because the DM had some annoying grammar and spelling errors. A bit elitist, perhaps, but it really does ruin the immersion.

On the topic of ESL DMs, I'd give them more leniency, but I still probably wouldn't sign up for the game.



Singular they? Or... *sigh* those god-awful ze and whatever. I personally prefer gender-neutral he and one, but that's just me.

"They" as a singular pronoun exists in historical writing including Shakespeare and Jane Austin. The Chicago Manual of Style briefly allowed such uses before going back after threatened riots from the worst sort of English teachers. "he" on the other hand has male connotations. There are studies which show that when "he" is used people are much more likely to assume one is talking about a male. "one" and "they" are ok, but the ambiguous "he" is suboptimal.