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The Instigator
GeoffG
Pro (for)
Losing
30 Points
The Contender
Yraelz
Con (against)
Winning
49 Points

Posters should be required to use proper spelling and grammar. (their vs. there vs. they're)

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Started: 1/21/2008 Category: Politics
Updated: 9 months ago Status: Voting Period
Viewed: 353 times Debate No: 2054
Debate Rounds (3)
Comments (5)
Votes (25)

 

GeoffG

Pro

Let me be clear. This is not an argument about logistics. I'm not asking for a grammar check function.
I'm simply tired of people using such poor grammar that I am sometimes unsure of even the point they are trying to make.
This is a site for intellectual stimulation. Poor grammar in writing, I say, goes against the point of the site.
Yraelz

Con

Alright let us take a look at your resolution.

"Posters should be required to use proper spelling and grammar. (their vs. there vs. they're)"

Time for a definition.

Required: To have an obligation.

Then you go on to say, "This is a site for intellectual stimulation. Poor grammar in writing, I say, goes against the point of the site." Yet I find myself in a very very strong disagreement with you. Such a stipulation on debate.com would severely limit the number of users who could possibly use debate.com which would in turn severely limits the number of people who could be intellectually stimulated.

Secondly I find it extremely annoying when people use certain incorrect forms of grammar. This in turn creates pet peeves for me which I attempt to avoid at all costs. Thus mistakes such as these actually help to stimulate others in order to avoid such mistakes.

Not all people are spelling B champions, ACT/SAT writing sections aces or even necessarily from a country that has English as a native language. To put such a stipulation on debate.com would hurt foreign involvement leaving us with a limited number of perspectives in political debates. This can in turn severely lessen potential intellectual stimulation.

Also this problem can often be caused by speed debating or attempting to get through many debates in a limited amount of time. While I agree that bad grammar can hurt the intellectual stimulation in a round flat out not posting, because you didn't have time to press the review button and reread your argument, hurts intellectual stimulation more.

Your argument reminds me of not allowing children into school because they are not smart enough in some area. Thus I offer you a counter advocacy.

>>Posters should be required to use proper spelling and grammar to the best of their abilities unless an argument has a crux in non-proper grammar and/or spelling.<<

Notice that my counter advocacy does not fall under the resolution and therefor does not agree with my opponents side of the debate. Thanks =)
Debate Round No. 1
GeoffG

Pro

GeoffG forfeited this round.
Yraelz

Con

For lack of any refutation at all I extend every argument I have made and then add this to make my argument 100 characters. Thank you. =)
Debate Round No. 2
GeoffG

Pro

GeoffG forfeited this round.
Yraelz

Con

I rest my point on the fact that my opponent does not refute anything. Please extend everything.

Character limit.
Debate Round No. 3
5 comments have been posted on this debate. Showing 1 through 5 records.
Posted by aceofelves 9 months ago
aceofelves
Well we know at least 9 people on debate.com are idiots.

Good job to Con.
Posted by Logical-Master 9 months ago
Logical-Master
I don't get it either. There are several arguments I've had where I was clueless when it came to the voter decisions. One thing is for sure, there is seriously a problem with some of the voters on this site.
Posted by Yraelz 9 months ago
Yraelz
He never responded!? How do you vote for him!?
Posted by sethgecko13 10 months ago
sethgecko13
I was going to take the Con position (and respond with deliberately poor grammar and spelling to illustrate that the important part about these debates is the logic that is used to frame them)...

... until I saw the condition "people using such poor grammar that I am sometimes unsure of even the point they are trying to make" - that I can't refute, if you can't even communicate with the other person, debate is impossible.
Posted by Off_the_Wall.Paul 10 months ago
Off_the_Wall.Paul
I agree with you on this matter and would love to see the argument against this.
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