Sol_Solis
October 1st, 2005, 01:20 PM
http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~tthomps6/spellingnazi.gif
Grammar nazi, spelling nazi, and language nazi are all derogatory terms used to describe participants in a discussion (online or otherwise) who criticize or correct the language usage of other participants. These terms are often associated with accusations that the person is flaming by finding fault with minor details of other participants' messages, and it's usually that they only give corrections to opinions they don't like. Participants in these discussions often end up taking opposite sides in the prescriptive/descriptive debate.
As English spelling is quite difficult, and spelling errors are commonplace, it is very easy to find a mistake in a message that one can cling to in order to be a "spelling nazi." In other languages with more regular spelling, other grammatical features might be used, as the subjunctive mood or placement of diacritics in Italian.
Grammar nazi, spelling nazi, and language nazi are all derogatory terms used to describe participants in a discussion (online or otherwise) who criticize or correct the language usage of other participants. These terms are often associated with accusations that the person is flaming by finding fault with minor details of other participants' messages, and it's usually that they only give corrections to opinions they don't like. Participants in these discussions often end up taking opposite sides in the prescriptive/descriptive debate.
As English spelling is quite difficult, and spelling errors are commonplace, it is very easy to find a mistake in a message that one can cling to in order to be a "spelling nazi." In other languages with more regular spelling, other grammatical features might be used, as the subjunctive mood or placement of diacritics in Italian.