Really stupid question......

Really stupid question......

Renter · CA · Member since 2008 · 15 posts · 0 votes

Please don't take this the wrong way, because I am really very interested in the answer. Though it may appear condescending, I am sincerely attempting to understand. I just can' think of a way to word it that doesn't sound impolite.

Why do people in real estate capitalize words that are not proper nouns? I see listing after listing where each and every word describing a property "Begins With A Capital Letter," and it is so very annoying, not to mention the fact that it gives the appearance of illiteracy.

I worked for years in advertising art, so if someone says it reads better, I can assure you that old wives tale died in the 70's. It does not. I taught high school for 12 years as well, so my judgmental response to that kind of typing is that I wouldn't want someone who doesn't know how to structure a simple sentence to be entrusted with my funds and crafting binding contracts for me--it also makes my hand fairly twitch for that red pen...heh.

I have not been able to comprehend why someone would want to purposefully put forth the perception of ignorance. And yet I see it is a very common practice, so I assume there must be a logical or historied reason for such radical over-emphasis. Could someone please explain?

Again, I am sorry for the tone. There just isn't a delicate way to be honest about this.

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  • Real Estate Investor · North Carolina · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 483 votes
    18y

    When You Begin Each Word With A Capital Letter It Appears Really IMPORTANT To Stupid People........ Especially The Writer.........

  • Residential Real Estate Broker · Conroe, TX · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 43 votes
    18y

    It's not rocket science.....
    the resident platitudinarian

    It's like fishing. Depends on what the fish are biting on........lol

  • Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    18y

    It grabs attention and it worked on you. That's why.

    By the way, I got a degree in English Education and I've got my red pen ready for your mechanics errors if I gave a rip. ;-)

  • Real Estate Investor · OH · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 86 votes
    18y

    Who cares? If you are going to judge a persons success based upon their ability to write a sentence, then you may miss out on some great opportunities to make a lot of money. I know a few really successful business owners, plumbers, landscapers and carpenters, who almost never pick up a pen and you would never catch them sitting in front of a 'puter', but they do have the 'gift of gab' and they know people.

    So as you sit and get frustrated over someone else's grammar, they're sitting on a deck, cooking a steak, slamming down a few buds and looking over tomorrows schedule in the day planner that their wife fills out.

  • Renter · CA · Member since 2008 · 15 posts · 0 votes
    18y

    Many thanks to all of you. Despite its flippancy, Tim's first line makes sense to me. (I had expected replies with defensive tones because I was not able to communicate the proper diplomacy.) And Dick's "fishing" theory is also very plausible. Someone also shared with me in private that "copy and paste" is much more time efficient, but could be overused in some cases.

    For Tom's benefit, I will tell you who cares. A woman with my physical appearance who has been judged all of her life because of it. I do not hide my ability to communicate in a professional manner. My skills have to stand out against all other possible assumptions in a business arena in order to counter the effect of a face to face meeting. When the written word is possibly the first contact, it is imperative that I employ the skills necessary for a positive impression. Beyond that, probably only Mensa members and people with OCD would give it a second thought. (You can laugh now!)

    Oh yes, one more thing, Tom...how do you know I wasn't out on MY deck--eating a steak and slamming down a few Buds--when I typed that? A MacBook with wireless is a beautiful thing. Truth be told, I was sitting in the garden sipping iced tea....but you knew that already, right?

    Thanks again to all of you. Each one contributed something for me to think about and learn from. Sincerely. I know it wasn't the most friendly post, and I appreciate your generosity in taking the time to reply.

  • Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    18y

    Flippant? Don't assume me to be flippant on a topic I have spent much of my life dedicated to. I found myself responding in like kind and for a specific purpose. I can not think of one great author who's work is not rife with grammatcial and mechanics errors (Might I suggest a bit of James Joyce). Some times grammar just does not cut it when communicating to people.

  • Renter · CA · Member since 2008 · 15 posts · 0 votes
    18y

    Yes, Joyce. Perfect choice!

    It's not sentence structure per se that gets to me as much as the graphic effect. By the way, the complete lack of capitalization has the same effect on me. And the mixed bag you might find on a 14 year old's MySpace page really gives me chills. Now there you have it; my CDO is showing......

    What? Yes, CDO. That's OCD in alphabetical order....the way it should have been to start with. Heh.

  • Real Estate Investor · Anchorage, AK · Member since 2008 · 63 posts · 3 votes
    18y
    Originally posted by DestinationHB:
    Yes, CDO. That's OCD in alphabetical order....the way it should have been to start with. Heh.

    That is funny! I doubt many understood it but it is funny.

    By the way, I agree with your first post in this thread.

    Until my parents moved me to a private school, the other kids made fun of my desire to communicate correctly and effectively.

    What? A black guy trying to use correct grammar, spelling and punctuation? How gay (not that there is anything wrong with that) or worse, white.

    Yes, I used black. I am not an African-American. I am an American who has some ancestors who's race just happened to be Negroid.

    Before anyone asks, I intend to vote for McCain. I am proud a black guy is in real contention for the Presidency but I believe he is the wrong person for the job.

  • Renter · CA · Member since 2008 · 15 posts · 0 votes
    18y

    Whew! It's not just me. ; )

  • Real Estate Investor · OH · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 86 votes
    18y

    Well I was getting ready to run off and drink a Bud because I was getting a little bored, until Gary chimed in.. "Negroid", sounds like something from the planet Negratron.

    Now HB, about your physical appearance. I couldn't quite understand, are you saying that you are ugly, hot or are you saying that you have big breasties and that's all people focus on?

    Could you perhaps attach a full body photo of yourself, so if you are hot, you will no longer sound so uppity.. :)

  • Renter · CA · Member since 2008 · 15 posts · 0 votes
    18y

    I'm not "hot".

    I own a t-shirt that says, "Yes they are real. And no, you cannot."

    Even my t-shirt is uppity. ; )

  • Real Estate Investor · Anchorage, AK · Member since 2008 · 63 posts · 3 votes
    18y
    Originally posted by Tom C:
    Well I was getting ready to run off and drink a Bud because I was getting a little bored, until Gary chimed in.. "Negroid", sounds like something from the planet Negratron.

    Gary Moore tries to hand Tom C one certified clue.
  • Real Estate Investor · OH · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 86 votes
    18y

    Lost me brother!

  • Renter · CA · Member since 2008 · 15 posts · 0 votes
    18y
    Originally posted by Gary Moore:
    Gary Moore tries to hand Tom C one certified clue.


    Pffffffffft! Now THAT is funny.

    Here, Tom....a very large baseball mitt so that you might CATCH that clue. My present to you!!

    You guys are too much....!

  • Real Estate Investor · OH · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 86 votes
    18y

    OK.. it's a little early, but I am breaking out the scotch

  • Homeowner · Cottage Grove, MN · Member since 2008 · 5 posts · 0 votes
    18y

    I have to agree about the poor writing comment... the thing that concerns me is that to me, it shows a lack of awareness. For example, if I'm reading a newspaper , magazine or an article on MSN and I see words I don't know or a word is used in a way I don't know, it makes me want to look up the words or find the grammar rule so I use the words correctly. I wonder if someone spells the word "lamb" as "lam", what must they be thinking when they do see the word lamb in a book? Do they not recognize that they spell it differently? Do they think the proof reader missed a mis-spelling? Maybe they just don't care.

  • Member since 2008 · 77 posts · 0 votes
    18y

    I am quite picky when it comes to grammar too. I would never claim to be able to write well, but I am trying to improve my skills, and I hate it when people write 'quiet' instead of 'quite', or 'your' instead of 'you're'.

    I left school 10 years ago, and I achieved an A in GCSE English, but I was never taught how to use brackets, when to put the full stop before the closing quote and when to put it after the quote, or when to use a semi colon.

    I appreciate it when people correct my errors, and I have tried to politely correct other people's errors (usually if they ask for feedback on something), but normally the feedback gets met with a 'who cares?'.

    The problem, as I see it, is that schools in the UK no longer teach the nuts and bolts of English - it seems they focus more on creativity, and don't care at all about basic literacy. Once someone has left school, they usually don't want to be educated about things they aren't interested in, and for most people, the written word is just a tool, not a passion.

    I admit I have made a lot of generalizations in this post, and I hope people accept that I made them just for ease of communication, I didn't mean to imply that everyone reading this post doesn't want to be educated / is lazy, or anything like that!

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