• Linguistics and Language -> Grammar and Syntax

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Why do some people believe that proper grammar rules are not important in casual communication?

Kaelyn Sharple

Well, hello there! Are you one of those people who think that proper grammar is overrated when it comes to casual communication? If so, let me tell you, you're not alone. In fact, there are millions of us out there who believe that using incorrect grammar is not a big deal when we're just shooting the breeze with our buddies.

So, why do we think that way? For starters, we live in a fast-paced world where communication is quick and constant. Sometimes, we're so eager to share our thoughts and feelings that we don't bother with things like commas, apostrophes, or capitalization. And honestly, who has time to proofread every text message or tweet they send out?

Plus, let's be real here, proper grammar can be intimidating. Not everyone grew up with English as their first language or had access to a top-notch education. Some people may feel self-conscious about their grammar skills and avoid using fancy words or complex sentence structures altogether. And who can blame them? It's way easier to just say "lol" or "hbu" instead of trying to come up with a clever response that includes all the correct subject-verb agreements.

But perhaps the biggest reason why we don't care about proper grammar in casual communication is that it's just not necessary. Sure, if you're writing a research paper or a business proposal, you better believe those grammar rules are going to matter. But when you're texting your best friend or commenting on a meme, who cares if you forgot to capitalize "I"?

At the end of the day, communication is about getting your message across. As long as you're not confusing people with your writing, does it really matter if you used "their" instead of "they're"? Of course, a lot of people vehemently disagree with this mindset, and that's okay too. Different strokes for different folks, as they say.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating for writing like a total slob all the time. There are situations where proper grammar is important, like when you're applying for a job or writing a cover letter. And there's definitely something to be said for being able to express yourself eloquently and effectively. But in the grand scheme of things, I don't think we need to stress ourselves out over every little grammar rule when we're just shooting the breeze with our friends.

So what do you think? Are you team "grammar is everything" or team "grammar schmammar"? Let's keep the conversation going! (And feel free to ignore any typos or errors in this post... I'm definitely not perfect either.)