City of IF

[SchoolMarm!]

A mayoral candidate wrote: Fables is the currency that is used to pay the Ifians with, if real money was used, no one would jion the site. tough if they could earn the money like fables they'd be rich.
As you know, my dear children, your wise and beloved SchoolMarm! does not normally sully her hands with political matters, particularly when it comes to something so trivial as a local election in this backwater town. However, while idly perusing the election threads, I came across the above quote and felt compelled to contribute to the discussion.

Candidates, please respond to these questions. I have kept them simple so as not to unfairly strain the mental capacities of any of the candidates. Please keep your answers brief and to the point, as your oversubscribed SchoolMarm! has many far more important demands on her time and will only be able to devote a few moments to grading your papers.

1. Do you agree that English is the preferred language of this site (as opposed to whatever language was used to produce the quote at the top of the page)?

2. What, if any, actions do you intend to take to promote the use of proper grammar and spelling throughout the site? Specifically, what punishments will you impose on those who mangle the language beyond recognition (see the example quote at the top of the page)? Do you support the death penalty only for run-on sentences, or will you extend it to cover split infinitives and dangling participles as well?

3. Please comment on the relationships, if any, between facility with the written language, the quality of storygames, and the attractiveness of the City of IF to newcomers. How will your beliefs about these relationships inform the decisions you make as mayor?

[Lilith]

1. Do you agree that English is the preferred language of this site (as opposed to whatever language was used to produce the quote at the top of the page)?

Yes I would say that English is what you call the "preferred" language of the site. However, we have several citizens on IF whose first language is NOT English. And to put it bluntly, I feel that those individuals have done a damn good job in integrating themselves in this site. They have my utmost respect for this reason as knowing one language is difficult enough. Even people who speak English as their first language have to take classes for it all the way through college.


2. What, if any, actions do you intend to take to promote the use of proper grammar and spelling throughout the site?

This answer is linked to the one above. I see some people that DO have English as their first (and more than likely only) language and they couldn't (or won't bother) string a coherent sentence together without using Instant Messaging-style type, or who just can't spell.

As for the actions I intend to take? I already correct misspellings as often as I can when I see them, and I think the Review Board does a fine job (and always has btw) in reviewing for those kinds of mistakes. Recently, I myself posted a topic to start a mentorship program working with the Review Board and NSGs for those newbs that are serious about writing an SG. It was reasoned out, however, that we simply don't have the reader base for something requiring that much dedication, hence why also I have ideas to help draw more readers to the site. (See other mayoral questions threads for those.)


3. Please comment on the relationships, if any, between facility with the written language, the quality of storygames, and the attractiveness of the City of IF to newcomers. How will your beliefs about these relationships inform the decisions you make as mayor?

It goes without saying that a person will be more than likely to read an SG with little to no spelling/grammar problems compared to one that has a misspelled word every other line, run-on sentences, subject-verb agreement issues, verb tense issues, ect. It also goes without saying that the more higher quality SGs we have, the more likely we will have a higher number of members.

I have already stated the things I wish to do to help the site increase it's membership base AND SG quality as well as other issues, as mayor.

And btw, this

SchoolMarm! wrote: Specifically, what punishments will you impose on those who mangle the language beyond recognition (see the example quote at the top of the page)? Do you support the death penalty only for run-on sentences, or will you extend it to cover split infinitives and dangling participles as well?

is hardly necessary.

Thank-you for your attention.

[D-Lotus]

Hey! There's nothing wrong with split infinitives! Without them, we would not be able to poetically write.

[Phang]

Ah, the Schooly one returns. And I suspect, by her reaction, that Lilith comes after Marm's time.

Anyway, I can offer you one thing as mayor - perfect English*! British English! You don't get better than that.

And I fully support aiding filthy non-English pig-dogs in their language skills. That includes Americans - I await you with pointy club in hand...


*At least, more perfect than most.

[sir wax]

Greetings Marm,

Glad to finally meet the legend. Now for the questions:

1. Though i do prefer binary code, i think that English would be best for the main language of the City. I'm not sure what language that quote was however, wish i could help you out there.

2. I think the death penalty is a bit... *strokes chin* Mmmm, too easy. Perhaps you can voluteer to head up the new torture division i was going to secretly set up when i came into office.

3. Well we could take them to school, make them wear uniforms and the like. I like the idea of public humiliation though, no one would be excluded.

*remembers he never capitalizes his 'I's in the middle of his sentences*
Hmmm... on second thought, maybe we let some people get away with errors.

Hope that answered you questions, Marm! Hope to see more of you around the way in the present and future.

Sincerely,
SirWaxaLot

[Guest]

1. Do you agree that English is the preferred language of this site (as opposed to whatever language was used to produce the quote at the top of the page)?

Yes, english is a preferred language. The qoute ubove was translated from afrikaans, marm. Hope I didn't bother you to much with my muddling of words.

2. What, if any, actions do you intend to take to promote the use of proper grammar and spelling throughout the site? Specifically, what punishments will you impose on those who mangle the language beyond recognition (see the example quote at the top of the page)? Do you support the death penalty only for run-on sentences, or will you extend it to cover split infinitives and dangling participles as well?

Well, I wouldn't punish people for writing wrongly, but I will correct them when there is run on lines. Run on lines are just a normal common problem in teenagers. No, I don't support the death penalty. As I've said the only thing to do and the right thing to do is help the others out.

3. Please comment on the relationships, if any, between facility with the written language, the quality of storygames, and the attractiveness of the City of IF to newcomers. How will your beliefs about these relationships inform the decisions you make as mayor?

Well, maybe, just maybe readers have a problem with language and they try their best in doing as much correct spelling and word construction as possible. The attractiveness of cityofif is very beautiful and I'd not change it, but more bright colours would do the trick for the front page. The quality of storygames are based on the ammount of time and discription put into a storygame. My beliefs are that if you try your best with help of others you'd do much more than just amaze people. As the mayor should also need help sometimes when needed.

[sir wax]

Just to let Ifians know, you can't take Marm! too seriously. For anyone who is interested in why, check some of the archives and see her humorously lace into some of the more prominent members of this site.

She is here to show us some comic relief to our own foibles, we should be so lucky. :smile:

Sincerely,
SirWaxaLot

[The White Blacksmith]

Marm? For comic relief? Are you looking for a detention? *throws note across the classroom to Wax*

The note wrote:
Marm is here to teach us speaking proper, like.

She wILl not exept ne1 being rude coz she are a teach.

[Crossfire]

SchoolMarm wrote: Do you agree that English is the preferred language of this site?

Yes! At the very least I can be confident about that in this City... There are, of course, still lingering *sniffs* "multicultural" elements in the Districts of IF, but we're working to stamp them out.

SchoolMarm wrote: What, if any, actions do you intend to take to promote the use of proper grammar and spelling throughout the site?

Specifically, what punishments will you impose on those who mangle the language beyond recognition?

I think that it would be almost impossible to police... but I'd try, and perhaps a "Jolt of Delight®" brand Encourager linked to every mind might help.

SchoolMarm wrote: Do you support the death penalty only for run-on sentences, or will you extend it to cover split infinitives and dangling participles as well?


I reserve judgement on participles, dangling or otherwise.


SchoolMarm wrote: How will your beliefs about these relationships inform the decisions you make as Mayor?

Please comment on the relationships, if any, between facility with the written language, the quality of StoryGames, and the attractiveness of the City of IF to newcomers.


My personal belief is that only the highest standard of writing will do. Anything else is a violent eyesore scarring and obscuring the beauty of IF.

Although my abilities may at times fall behind the fluidity of my wording, I know that at the very least the way they are put together does not displease the eye, soporific though it may be.

I feel that in order for a StoryGame to be considered "top quality" it should have a supremely low level of mistakes, be they grammatical, syntactical or spelling related.

Out of five hundred thousand words I've communicated in this world outside a casual environment, there have been a scarce handful of spelling mistakes- and my grammar is, of course, superb.

Although my flaws may be myriad, at the very least I know that the structure of my words is not one of them.