Printable View
Is it wrong to judge an individual's overall intelligence based primarily on their grammar and vocabulary? I mean, isn't that the basic indicator?? I know it's only a part of overall knowledge, but to me for some reason it really seems to say a lot depending on how well someone can spell and speak..
thoughts, anyone?:stoned:
It is the most basic indicator of an educated person.. but education and potential intelligence are two different things.. many people can solve sophisticated mathematical equations in their head, but cannot spell if thier lives depended on it.. and so goes the opposite..
hmm...this is why I wanted to post this...good way of looking at it...
A lot of geniuses have a lot of speech impairments, I would think that it would not be a good way of telling if you are educated, or have intelligence. More like ignorance to the person that judges. But that's just my opinion.
Intelligence should be based on the ideas contained within a persons' words.
Not how these words are spelled.
Agreed, wesmokeed.
but how I compare spelling and intelligence is moreso I guess the ability to be able to read through an article of something and be able to understand it without wondering what those 'big' words mean...those big words being things like reputable, scrutiny, malicious, resistant...when someone twice my age asks me what those words mean, it kinda draws a flag to me for some reason..
i think in written it is slightly different as there is a chance to look back on it, correct words, alter grammar and structure. but all this does contribute to the presentation of someones intelligence. whilst its true you shouldn't judge a book by its cover as it were, if it looks like a book, smells like a book and can be read, it probably is a book.
i think it is more important though in spoken words, its ok if your hanging out with your mates as most groups have there own language or adjectives for certain things. but often people can apper to me completely stupid by the way they talk, anunciate and the colloquialisms they use.
i judge people all the time on how they speak.
if your a retard and you give me any prove of this ill tear you to pieces for it.
i hate stupid people. uneducated is fine aslong as you have common sense. stupid is unforgivable.
my 2 cents though
no offense snowblind, but that in it self, is a stupid comment...Quote:
Originally Posted by snowblind
I was going to type a response but this sums it up for me:
Sometimes people can get pretty wild with their posts (newbies) and I either think english obviously isn't their first language or they don't understand that ghetto slang doesn't make it's way onto the internet lol. But I always try to understand every post at least and base their intelligence on what their trying to say..Quote:
Originally Posted by WEsmokeED
I see people's grammar and vocabulary as more of a statement of their level of education than their native intelligence, really. There are plenty of very smart people who don't have much formal educational training. Just as there are some really dumb ones who do. I think many of us probably do judge people's intelligence based on superficial things like grammar, spelling and vocabulary, but I'm not at all sure that's a fair judgment to make.
I've always had a firm grasp of vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation and don't have much education in the field. I think it is an indicator of one type of intelligence, but I also think the original question is flawed because there's really no such thing as a singular "intelligence". There's many, many types of intelligences, different "muscles" in the brain; some stronger than the other. I never liked the idea of an "IQ" for this very reason.
I think it is a good way to begin to assess someone's intelligence. Language use is the basis of education today. What good is it to have the best idea ever if you cannot convey it into words? I find for the most part that you can judge someone's intelligence by their speech, except when people post here blitzed out of their skulls. However, it is true that there are some people that are gifted in others areas of intelligence, and that is why I only use those early language judgments as a litmus test until I can truly absorb that person's ideas and make my final decision. I suppose I should say though that I am typically one to judge early, and often.
If I had judged by this method, alone, I would not be living with a great cook. It just so happened to be that the person, with the poor spelling and grammar, will willingly call herself stupid as a result of slower-learning classes.
of course. language holds the universe together. everything and anything comes from language. nubmers are right there too. :hippy:
I know. It kind of pisses me off when I have to stop and correct the writer.
Language, no matter how skilled the writer, thinker or speaker may be, is not refined enough to enable the putting into words of everything. At best, it only touches on many ideas, feelings and emotions. This is why disciplines like the fine arts are important. Artistic talent can't be measured by IQ, or any other, tests. This is not to say that language skills are unnecessary. Good writing is an art, as well as a means of communication.
Pass me some of that she it! great post mate. :rastasmoke:Quote:
Originally Posted by Breukelen advocaat
What's to say that someone with an amazing gift for words couldn't put into words an artist's ideas better than the artist could? Is it not the point of most art to convey an idea or expression? And if the art is purely to evoke emotion, it is almost impossible to convey an emotion in art that you could not put into words with a skilled hand. I think you put too little faith in the power of language and how it can be woven into intricate and amazing ideas. If it were not for language, civilization would never have developed or flourished, and is the essential mortar keeping it together because it keeps us all connected.
mathematics is the ONLY universal language.
I certainly consider writing, as a means of artistic expression, just as valid as the other arts. Depending on the medium, what the artist is trying to convey, and the audience' perceptions, how much can get through varies. It can't be done universally, or at least it hasn't yet - but what many of them do is very commendable and worthwhile.
And it's still a language....
correction geometry is the only universal lanuage im trying to be a mason gotta waite another year
Um, geometry....? I don't see how that trumps math as the universal language because it seems to me that geometry is merely an extension of mathematics, but you are studying to be a Mason, so maybe you could explain at least a little bit more. I've thought looking into the masons because several of my fraternity brothers are members.
geometry can be seen in nature and all around you. you can look in a forest and find a circle, you can't find a 4 or a 7 unless you meditate on that.Quote:
Originally Posted by CultureCherryPopper
Right, but we're talking about mathematics as a means to convey an idea from one to another. Everything in our known world can be put into mathematical terms. Perhaps the only thing that can't be into mathematical "words" is the range of human emotion. But everything else is fair game.
I wake up at 80% and decrease until herb puts me at 120%. All my other emotions start from those points.Quote:
Originally Posted by CultureCherryPopper
Brilliant thread idea, there are some really nice debates going on here.
I think the grammar/spelling thing may just come down to what subjects held your interest when you were younger. I can write anything pretty well, and I actually love doing research papers. However, I have terrible trouble with basic algebra, and I only passed geometry in high school because the teacher felt sorry for me.
I absolutely love writing, yet sadly I'm pretty crap at it.Quote:
Originally Posted by cm8883
spelling, yes (unless of course it's things like ez, cuz, etc etc) grammar? no... take me for example, i very well know correct grammar.. i'm just too lazy to use it.
It just makes more sense to put it all together and keep the fluidity going.
if intelligence is grammer and vocab, surely a lot of todays youth are doomed by email, instant messaging and texts. How many people do you know who call text messages 'tex' or the plural 'texes'?? is 'texts' to hard to say or something?
surely, being able to get your ideas across and understood shows more intelligence than spouting (and spelling) large words.
There has to be more to intelligence. check out IQ and EQ
Emotional Intelligence (EI), often measured as an Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ), describes an ability, capacity, or skill to perceive, assess, and manage the emotions of one's self, of others, and of groups. As a relatively new area of psychological research, the definition of EI is constantly changing.
i type moderately shitty on internet message boards on purpose. for some reason i have this strange fixation with capitalization and perfect grammar online... every post i read that looks like someone had it proof-read just comes off sounding really arrogant in my head. especially if it is a little arrogant. but i suppose you could say the same for my sloppy looking bullshit, im sure its just as annoying to others if not moreso.
maybe i should see a shrink about it?
I passed my 12th grade English class with an A+ which gave me my diploma.
To get that A+ I had to attend summer school because I attendance failed the regular class 17 days before graduation.
My teacher, a former catholic priest turned English teacher and most likely child molestor kicked me out of his class because he said I was late 163 times. What is funny about that class is I aced every test or quiz I ever took in his class but, failed anyway because I was not sitting in my chair as the bell rang. Technicalities:(
A guy had to finish getting high before class started for the day and English class was 1st period.
I sit here and proof read my post before hitting the submit button to make sure I spelled everything correctly, crossed all my t's and dotted all of my i's.
I look stupid enough with the content of my post's and do not need to look even more stupid by mis-spelling words or using poor grammar.
Ding Dang Y'all.......
Adequate vocabulary and grammer use only makes verbal communication more effective, as opposed to struggling with words incoherently.
I don't believe better communicators are more intelligent, but valued highly because people need someone that has extensive understanding for communication, the most important human aspect of our lives.
To me, intelligence is not measured by an ability to do certain academic tasks, it is marked by the net awareness of a person. The ability to transmute what is perceived into language that can simultaneously be understood and elevate others is also a great indicator of intelligence. It's obvious that there are those in the world that either by choice or circumstances, have serious mental limitations. Those types are doubly infuriating when they are either proud of their oblivion or they change the subject or are otherwise dismissive when the topic of personal intellect is at hand. Or when they use your intellect to deride you, thinking that a heightened ability to speak and perceive is somehow 'faggy'. I think they grope for anything that will make them feel better than you.
The intrinsic ideas contained in a text indicate intelligence. the choice of words and manner of phrasing is an art. I always strive to be prolific in both.
I think we ought to have patience with those who struggle to write coherently online. We're slowly extricating ourselves from the destructive TV age. The internet is a new flagship for balanced interaction and unfiltered information. If we encourage those with language deficiencies to continue writing online, they will get better, and they will see the way other people write online. It's tempting to dismiss someone because it takes 3x the effort just to get through their crappy typing, but if we receive them well and don't treat them like an outsider, it helps them get to the point where they can type with precision and ease. hopefully
You can judge organizational intelligence by grammar and vocabulary.
Think about it. Someone can use perfect grammar, and knows a lot of words. If the person doesn't effectively deliver their points, vast knowledge in these two areas are useless. None the less, it only indicates that the person is an effective communicator. It's not a full grasp on total intelligence.
^nonetheless, no one can really overstate the importance of good communication. most conflicts in common life come about due to poor communication. Many international conflicts are caused or compounded by poor communication. Good productivity in virtually all endeavors is dependent on communication. If there is power in numbers, there is an invincibility in a group that has perfect communication. Depending on how you define intelligence, communication seems to create more of it.