First, IMO, it is the texting/IM that is accelerating the death of proper grammar in this country.
And I am sure that there are kids in this country, especially in the larger populous schools with poor teacher to student ratios that texting type communication is the primary source of their language skills.
That doesn't even note the noticeable decline in the quality of the teachers that are teaching our youth. At least at the Junior High level.. when a teacher basically turns the class over to the computer to do the teaching.. something is wrong with the depth of the teacher themselves.
Anyway.. it isn't that I don't think that we should hold our fellow posters accountable.
It is how that message is communicated, especially when it is levied 40% of the time in a thread or via a personal attack demeaning the other member.
Additionally, the same standards should be expected from all, even if it is their "thing" to use poor capitalization, sentence structure, use of slang or even text speak.
But that leads to where does it end and how much of the forum is dedicated to proper grammar. Is it okay to destroy the flow of thread after thread with the correction, mentions or attacks?
IMO, a segregated thread such as this might be in order laying out the expectations in the structure of posts.
But again, then don't allow any individualism with their "things".
Such as non use of capitalization and slang.
Or using a vocabulary that forces posters to search the definition of the word, because I definitely would have to believe that would slow down the read for the reader.
Or even the excessive use of ellipses.. because damn I love to use them. 😉
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"