[INTP] INTPs and Grammar

[MerkW]

Thread split from here.

A plethora of grammatical errors
Tolerate I think I cannot
I howl in pain.

- Haiku regarding and composed by an INTP (ahem...ahem) whose nitpicking, hairsplitting Ti makes him feel nauseous upon viewing the excessive grammatical errors in this thread.

 

[heart]

A plethora of grammatical errors
Tolerate I think I cannot
I howl in pain.

- Haiku regarding an INTP (ahem...ahem) whose Ti makes him feel nauseous upon viewing the excessive grammatical errors in this thread.

Does Ti/Ne sweat grammar?

 

[MerkW]

Does Ti/Ne sweat grammar?

If by "sweat" you mean "is bothered by," then Ti certainly does "sweat."
Unless you haven't noticed, INTPs are quite skilled at pedantry.

 

[heart]

If by "sweat" you mean "is bothered by," then Ti certainly does "sweat."
Unless you haven't noticed, INTPs are quite skilled at pedantry.

Pedantic about ideas, yes, but I have never yet noticed them to be grammar hounds.

 

[MerkW]

Pedantic about ideas, yes, but I have never yet noticed them to be grammar hounds.

Oh, we have our grammar nazi times.

 

[Totenkindly]

My grammar still has truffle chooing her feud.

 

[Athenian200]

I've never thought INTP's were really that aware of grammar. I heard one of them say that was more of a Judging type thing (because Judging types are left-brained and think in words). There are some I know that don't bother trying to spell, punctuate, capitalize, or grammatically structure their sentences properly. One of them even called it "conventional cant" or something. It can be hard to deal with, because sometimes I actually have trouble figuring out what someone meant if they don't structure their sentence properly.

I always got the impression that INTP's weren't very skilled with grammar and such unless they had to be for their chosen profession. Why do you think INTP's are good at identifying such things now?

 

[MerkW]

I've never thought INTP's were really that aware of grammar. I heard one of them say that was more of a Judging type thing (because Judging types are left-brained and think in words). There are some I know that don't bother trying to spell, punctuate, capitalize, or grammatically structure their sentences properly. One of them even called it "conventional cant" or something. It can be hard to deal with, because sometimes I actually have trouble figuring out what someone meant if they don't structure their sentence properly.

I always got the impression that INTP's weren't very skilled with grammar and such unless they had to be for their chosen profession. Why do you think INTP's are good at identifying such things now?

In official MBTI description, INTPs are frequently referred to as the type with greatest precision in thought and language.

An INTP is highly skilled at picking out various flaws, inconsistencies, errors, etc.

 

[Athenian200]

In official MBTI description, INTPs are frequently referred to as the type with greatest precision in thought and language.

An INTP is highly skilled at picking out various flaws, inconsistencies, errors, etc.

I think that description may be in need of revision, or else the types of INTP's I've interacted with are. One of the most common communication difficulties I have with INTP's is their tendency to be vague, to make a very general statement in response to a specific question or statement. And to read more than what I meant into what I said. They don't do this as often as other NP's, mind you, but they still have the tendency.

 

[Totenkindly]

One of the most common communication difficulties I have with INTP's is their tendency to be vague, to make a very general statement in response to a specific question or statement. And to read more than what I meant into what I said.

We don't really do this much, except when appropriate.

Why do you hate us so much?

 

[armstrongvk12]

There are some I know that don't bother trying to spell, punctuate, capitalize, or grammatically structure their sentences properly. ....It can be hard to deal with, because sometimes I actually have trouble figuring out what someone meant if they don't structure their sentence properly. I always got the impression that INTP's weren't very skilled with grammar and such unless they had to be for their chosen profession.

If I read a post in this community in which the sentence structure is poor or if there are too many spelling errors in the sentence, I usually stop reading or do not respond to the post. Poorly worded posts are just too hard to follow in terms of logic, not to mention comprehension. For the most part, it has been my experience that INTPs have some of the worst spelling, punctutation, capitalization and grammatical skills I have ever seen. Of course, I've seen quite a few cases as I am a teacher by profession. That being said, spelling skills are not an indication of intelligence.

 

[Colors]

Spelling and grammar is a personal preference.

I like doing it correctly because I think that it's important to use it to convey the intended meaning. (But I also like fudging it sometimes.)

I think INTPs are probably not likely to use spelling/grammar online just to convenience others- but if they believe it's logical and the best? Oh yeah, definite grammar nazis.

 

[mippus]

We can be obsessive about spelling, just to irritate others. On forums like these, that can be all the more annoying since not everyone has English as a native language. Grammar and spelling errors should thus be judged differently.
(rather unsubtle way to make excuses for my own inaccuracies )

 

[reason]

One of the most common communication difficulties I have with INTP's is their tendency to be vague, to make a very general statement in response to a specific question or statement.

Yeah, well, kinda.

 

[mippus]

One of the most common communication difficulties I have with INTP's is their tendency to be vague, to make a very general statement in response to a specific question or statement.

I know I do that as well and always felt that was an I thing to do. For me, that is way to "buy" some time to think about the question or statement. But by the time I know what I really want to say, the other has often strode off with the vague reply, either satisfied or irritated with it.

 

[miked277]

when i find a sentence or group of words that makes little to no sense i usually just edit it in my head then keep on reading w/ the new and improved text in mind. same thing w/ spelling/grammar, i just correct stuff in my head and keep on reading. its a little thing i end up having to do otherwise my mind just gets stuck on that stuff

as for correcting others in person or even on forums i rarely/never do it, but i am sorely tempted. it definitely just jumps out at you.

 

[Totenkindly]

Spelling and grammar is a personal preference.

I like doing it correctly because I think that it's important to use it to convey the intended meaning. (But I also like fudging it sometimes.)

I think INTPs are probably not likely to use spelling/grammar online just to convenience others- but if they believe it's logical and the best? Oh yeah, definite grammar nazis.

It's funny, I have always been a good speller. I was in the Spelling Bee in sixth grade and did very well. I just remember sequences well.

My INTP son stinks at spelling. he's 12. His spelling is the family joke, he even laughs about it. His little sister spells better than he does, and English was not even her first language.

(or maybe i should say he is a "creative" speller.)

Which is odd, because he reads voraciously. I learned my spelling basically from recognizing the "form" of the words. I saw them spelled right, and remembered what looked right and what did not.

Anyway, INTPs will structure a discussion like a logical "argument" naturally, and are precise in the words they use. I think like someone else said, they'll use correct spelling if they believe if it is important to their case. I don't know if it really type related, though.

 

[reason]

Jennifer,

He will likely get better with time. I learned to read late and wrote little, not until the age of 18 did I start reading regularly, and as little as two years ago my grammar and spelling were still shoddy. However, then something strange happened, it began to click into place, and suddenly people were asking me for writing tips! The world had evidently gone topsy turvy. Another explanation is that my brain finally kicked into gear. Perhaps Wernicke's area, that little piece of brain tissue at the end of the sylvian fissure, finally started playing its music. I definitely felt as though a qualitive change had occurred, which would not be suprising considering my age, sex, and rate of physical development.

The brain takes a long time to develop, and that development is asynchronous between competing functions, so who knows what will happen.[/ramble]

 

[Priam]

I consider myself something of a word nazi, but a gentle one. To me, words are to be used with a sense of artistry and finesse, the concept of le mot juste. This means that I have a certain flexibility with the hard-and-fast rules, but only the cases where deviating from them either improves or does not affect the quality of the meaning. For example, e.e. cummings gives me no challenges, though random message board posts with no capitalization (lookin' at you, miked!) or punctuation makes me instinctively cringe.

 

[JustDave]

With the exeception of informal writing I think that the use of poor grammar is indicative of an author's lack of respect for his or her audience.