This annoys me so much and it seems to be an American kid thing as I have not heard or seen it typed by any UK kids.
I do not understand why they would even think it is correct! It's like that other one saying 'I could care less' instead of the correct way of 'I couldn't care less'! What goes on in schools these days?
I could care less, but than again, I'm totes a cool guy.
*runs off to fedora store to be a douche*
Scully: Victim died of multiple stab wounds. Mulder: *throws her a file* Ever heard of the knife alien?
#3985501 - 07/24/1405:47 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: Mace71]
Joined: Apr 2001 Posts: 121,383PanzerMeyer
Pro-Consul of Florida
PanzerMeyer
Pro-Consul of Florida
King Crimson - SimHQ's Top Poster
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,383
Miami, FL USA
Eh, I'm fairly certain this isn't just an "American kid thing". Poor grammar seems to be a universal problem in any English-speaking country these days. Other things like confusing "effect" and "affect", confusing "you're" and "your" and confusing "bare" and "bear" happen all the time and are not restricted to one nationality.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#3985505 - 07/24/1405:52 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: Mace71]
Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 15,827Mace71
Dread pirate Mace
Every time I'm seeing it it's written by a person in the US. I agree about the others you mentioned and have always been around but this is new and I am not sure if it's the new 'kewl' thing to do?
Idiots who use an apostrophe and the letter "s" when they want to make the plural form of a word should be pilloried.
S = k ln W
#3985515 - 07/24/1406:01 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: Mace71]
Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,562Airdrop01
Chief Pheasant Controller
Airdrop01
Chief Pheasant Controller
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,562
Kansas, USA
I once fired an employee because she typed "Never the less" and "hear to for." Not my proudest moment, looking back.
"For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Matthew 5:11
Indeed we call blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of the perseverance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, because “the Lord is compassionate and merciful. James 5:11
#3985520 - 07/24/1406:08 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: Mace71]
Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 11,944Crane Hunter
Veteran
It does. I went back to college about five years ago to earn yet another piece of paper and it was very disheartening to see just how poorly prepared the eighteen-year-old students were in terms of English. math, and chemistry. They'd all taken the high school courses and got high marks, yet hardly any of them could do even basic math and their grammar and spelling skills were very poor. One of the older lecturers would deduct marks for grammar and spelling errors on exams and the wailing that ensued when this was discovered was astounding. They were shocked that such a draconian policy could exist. As one put it, "We have to write our answers by hand! How can you mark spelling wrong when we can't use spell-check?"
S = k ln W
#3985544 - 07/24/1406:40 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: mugwump]
Joined: Apr 2001 Posts: 121,383PanzerMeyer
Pro-Consul of Florida
PanzerMeyer
Pro-Consul of Florida
King Crimson - SimHQ's Top Poster
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,383
Miami, FL USA
Originally Posted By: mugwump
It does. I went back to college about five years ago to earn yet another piece of paper and it was very disheartening to see just how poorly prepared the eighteen-year-old students were in terms of English. math, and chemistry. They'd all taken the high school courses and got high marks, yet hardly any of them could do even basic math and their grammar and spelling skills were very poor. One of the older lecturers would deduct marks for grammar and spelling errors on exams and the wailing that ensued when this was discovered was astounding. They were shocked that such a draconian policy could exist. As one put it, "We have to write our answers by hand! How can you mark spelling wrong when we can't use spell-check?"
I attribute this to the overall problem of political correctness. It's no longer ok to fail a student because who knows? Maybe that student grew up in a disadvantaged home or maybe they were raised by a single parent or maybe that student will have his/her feelings hurt if they get a bad grade? So instead schools (including colleges) lower the bar to the lowest common denominator and as a consequence things like basic grammar, math skills and basic knowledge of history go away.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#3985551 - 07/24/1406:50 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: Wireman]
Sorry Mace, I'm sure I am guilty of that myself, often. My 'spell check' doesn't recognize the error, and I'm not sure when to use 'than', or 'then'.
I think.....than is like 'better than', like different 'things'? Like my bike is better than yours.
And 'then', is a time thing. I'll come over then we'll beat the hell out of each other.
But I really have no idea......I'm not sure.
Help us out Mace....you brilliant edumacatium master you..... I'm not too old to learn. Give us the 'for instance' thing on some of the ones that bug you. Help us out.
"Murphy's Law"
#3985553 - 07/24/1406:52 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: Mace71]
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,961arthur666
Pitbull Tickler
arthur666
Pitbull Tickler
Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,961
NC, USA
One of the most intelligent people I know cannot spell for isht. Industrial designer/engineer, I swear he has a TI-85 lodged in is brain. Graduated from NC State school of design. Scary good at chess. Super smart. He gives me a recipe for his pizza dough: "2 cups of flower". I had to tell him that "kwik" is not a real word just because the Kwik-Mart convenience store has it on their sign. Says remembering how to spell "quick" correctly was never worth his time. I'm sure his math/language SAT score was very lopsided.
I used to make fun of him all the time. Though, over the years, he's gotten much better at spelling.
System Vitals: Intel i5 9600, RTX2060, 16GB DDR3000(OC), Win10 Home 64bit, Saitek X-52, Logitech G27 Current Sims: MSFS2020, Assetto Corsa, StrikeFighters2, IL2:BoS etc, Arma3, American Truck Simulator, SnowRunner
#3985556 - 07/24/1406:55 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: arthur666]
Joined: Apr 2001 Posts: 121,383PanzerMeyer
Pro-Consul of Florida
PanzerMeyer
Pro-Consul of Florida
King Crimson - SimHQ's Top Poster
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,383
Miami, FL USA
Originally Posted By: arthur666
One of the most intelligent people I know cannot spell for isht. Industrial designer/engineer, I swear he has a TI-85 lodged in is brain. Graduated from NC State school of design. Scary good at chess. Super smart. He gives me a recipe for his pizza dough: "2 cups of flower". I had to tell him that "kwik" is not a real word just because the Kwik-Mart convenience store has it on their sign. Says remembering how to spell "quick" correctly was never worth his time. I'm sure his math/language SAT score was very lopsided.
I used to make fun of him all the time. Though, over the years, he's gotten much better at spelling.
Out of curiosity, how old is he?
Admittedly, I think I'm the complete opposite of your friend. I always excelled at grammar, literature and the humanities in general and I've always struggled with mathematics. Getting through trigonometry was hell for me.
Last edited by PanzerMeyer; 07/24/1406:56 PM.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#3985559 - 07/24/1407:04 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: mugwump]
It does. I went back to college about five years ago to earn yet another piece of paper and it was very disheartening to see just how poorly prepared the eighteen-year-old students were in terms of English. math, and chemistry. They'd all taken the high school courses and got high marks, yet hardly any of them could do even basic math and their grammar and spelling skills were very poor. One of the older lecturers would deduct marks for grammar and spelling errors on exams and the wailing that ensued when this was discovered was astounding. They were shocked that such a draconian policy could exist. As one put it, "We have to write our answers by hand! How can you mark spelling wrong when we can't use spell-check?"
I suppose my point of reference is a bit old. I saw similar situations in the late 1990s, where kids would not only misspell but actually mispronounce words. They went to the same classes as the kids who didn't do this, watched the same national TV shows as everybody else. They knew.
For most I knew, it seemed as though this was some form of cultural identification or representing. I don't know. But I did know that most all those kids had those basics down.
And that was pre-internet days. Today with social influences and pressures being much broader in source and reach, I honestly have no idea. Just last week I was discussing some modern day pop-art (which was apparently selling pretty well) with someone, and we were at a loss as to what any of the subject matter or symbolism may have meant, or whether it had any relevance at all. Best guess I could make was there may have been some sort of media relevance which was lost on us. Some movie, song, or game with which we were unfamiliar. But a good number of buyers apparently were identifying with it.
WARNING: This post contains opinions produced in a facility which also occasionally processes fact products.
#3985565 - 07/24/1407:17 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,961arthur666
Pitbull Tickler
arthur666
Pitbull Tickler
Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,961
NC, USA
Originally Posted By: PanzerMeyer
Out of curiosity, how old is he?
Admittedly, I think I'm the complete opposite of your friend. I always excelled at grammar, literature and the humanities in general and I've always struggled with mathematics. Getting through trigonometry was hell for me.
I forgot to mention. He's about 40. Not of the Generation Text.
I'm in the same boat as you, PM.
#3985566 - 07/24/1407:17 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: arthur666]
One of the most intelligent people I know cannot spell for isht. Industrial designer/engineer, I swear he has a TI-85 lodged in is brain. Graduated from NC State school of design. Scary good at chess. Super smart. He gives me a recipe for his pizza dough: "2 cups of flower". I had to tell him that "kwik" is not a real word just because the Kwik-Mart convenience store has it on their sign. Says remembering how to spell "quick" correctly was never worth his time. I'm sure his math/language SAT score was very lopsided.
I used to make fun of him all the time. Though, over the years, he's gotten much better at spelling.
It's worth the 2 seconds to learn the proper spelling just to not type like a toddler.
Scully: Victim died of multiple stab wounds. Mulder: *throws her a file* Ever heard of the knife alien?
#3985568 - 07/24/1407:30 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
Eh, I'm fairly certain this isn't just an "American kid thing". Poor grammar seems to be a universal problem in any English-speaking country these days. Other things like confusing "effect" and "affect", confusing "you're" and "your" and confusing "bare" and "bear" happen all the time and are not restricted to one nationality.
Worryingly I had an English Teacher abuse your/you're for the abbreviated form recently. <Depressing>"I like what your saying there". </depressing>
#3985583 - 07/24/1408:06 PMRe: What is it with putting 'then' instead of 'than'?!
[Re: mugwump]
Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 19,581Raw Kryptonite
Beat the Kobayashi Maru
Raw Kryptonite
Beat the Kobayashi Maru
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 19,581
MS
Originally Posted By: mugwump
Idiots who use an apostrophe and the letter "s" when they want to make the plural form of a word should be pilloried.
Just so you know, there are instances where you do use 's to form the plural form of a word.
I have no idea how the "then" and "than" thing came around. I don't think it's an American thing, I think it's an idiot thing. I couldn't care less how it got started, I just wish it would end.