An open letter to Peter Pedant

[Grimbeard]

Dear Peter, 
 
          Recently I have come across several of your posts, all of which are devoted in their entirety to correcting other members' punctuation, spelling and grammar. Now, whilst I agree that the fore-mentioned are very important, and that poor syntax and punctuation can dramatically alter  meaning, I do feel that you may be being a little over-zealous. 
 
Of course, you are not the only one to indulge in this kind of behaviour, many others, myself included, have be known to highlight other peoples' linguistic failings. There is though I think, a difference.

Whereas I may correct someone in a spirit of fun or ask for clarification, you, rather like a particularly unpleasant English teacher, seem to enjoy belittling people just for the sake of belittling them. This is not a nice trait.

Does it make you feel superior? It shouldn't, grammar can be taught relatively quickly, wisdom and humility are either innate or learned over a life time. The latter, I would suggest are of much more importance than the former.

 

                     Yours sincerely,

                                              Grimbeard.

 

  PS  Apologies for any errors in the above.

 

PPS  Further apologies for the tone of the above, but I've just started a post-graduate course in writing pompous  letters to The Times and I thought I'd get some practice.