Craigslist … is it stupider here?
Craigslist is probably a bad place to gauge the local intelligence of any given place, but after about two minutes of Duluth CL, the profound examples of improper grammar and spelling become overwhelming, like a Shitnami blowing out the manhole covers, so I wondered if Craigslist is any indicator of local smarts, or is just stupid, plain everywhere? Indeed, good grammar is only one form of intelligence, and may not even save you in a knife fight. Certainly the best example was not “looking for painter’s,” but this 1987 Harley was fun. Is there already a thread for creative Craigslist ads? And if not, why not?
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24 Comments
lojasmo
about 5 years agoCompared to many Craigslist ads I have seen, this guy seems like a Rhodes Scholar.
Herzog
about 5 years agoProbably subtle differences per category. I'm afraid to get into the baby clothes though, for fear of what I might find.
Les F
about 5 years agoI think its just the unwashed masses on Craigslist. Try consulting The Google and search for craigslist funnies craigslist typos There are quite few sites out there. However, when you need a good laugh, you can't beat engrish.com
Thomas
about 5 years agoIn the real estate market, Craigs List gets a ton of traffic. It is a reflection of our society in real time, we are all there, maybe spread about in different categories, but Craig is us for better or worse.
Dugglass
about 5 years agoIs the run on sentences and poor grammar intentional in this post? Something to drive the point home? Or is the OP unable to properly use the English language to put down people failing to do the same? I read it as the sarcastic example of what the complaint is about. I just hope I am right.
TimK
about 5 years agoI think you mean "are the run-on sentences..."
Makoons
about 5 years agoI love reading the "missed connections" portion of the D-town craigslist. For a time there a lonely gay man professed his love for a different male West Duluth Menards employee every week.
Barrett Chase
about 5 years agoIt's isn't local, unfortunately, but this is the best ad ever to appear on Craigslist (NSFW).
Dugglass
about 5 years ago@ Tim K. You are correct sir.
Herzog
about 5 years agoDrugglas, as an ex-English major, I don't even know anymore, or care. But actually, I wondered the same thing about some of the posts. Was the Harley guy intentionally misplacing 'witch' for 'which?' Maybe the guy hiring painter's was testing us? We may never know. One time I witnessed Paul Lundgren misuse 'their' for 'there.' Sure I forgave him over time, but the scars will always remain. And you know, language is kind of imperfect anyway, and rules are made to be broken. After the apocalypse, when we're roasting babies over a pit, I'm sure we'll all look back and laugh that we were ever so picky as to dissect Craigslist grammar.
Herzog
about 5 years agoAnd Barrett, you could be right, that's a pretty incredible post, and that guy most seriously has potential for a certain I-don't-know-what. Shirley you must've googled "knife fight."
Beverly
about 5 years agoPerhaps it's just hard to imagine not caring about spelling and grammar when you do care. Someone who can build a motorcycle isn't stupid, so to answer your question, no, I don't think it's stupider here.
Beverly
about 5 years agoIn a related story, I was at a restaurant with my kids and saw a sign for a spaghetti fundraiser that misspelled "spaghetti." I said, "You'd think they'd look up the word 'spaghetti' when they were making their poster," feeling quite smart, I'm sure. Then I realized that I was being a smart ass about people who had a family member dying of cancer and who needed to hold a spaghetti fundraiser to try to pay their medical expenses and decided that I'm the fool, not them. I'm going to stop worrying about people's spelling.
Ruthie
about 5 years agoAt work once a man that was on my team asked me to help him spell check an email message because he couldn't find the spell check function on his new email program. What I saw made my jaw drop. The amount of misspellings and grammatical errors was astounding.
emmadogs
about 5 years agoBarrett, that's the most hilarious thing I've read in ages. I couldn't stop laughing. And I seriously LOVE that red MJ jacket.
sides.of.the.city
about 5 years agoDon't read to your children. It will only make them uppity and smart. I know my dad is still lamenting the day he cracked open Harold and the Purple Crayon.
sides.of.the.city
about 5 years agoThis post also reminded me of a story my co-worker told me a couple months ago. He was at a Fantastic Sam's getting a hair cut, and when the cut was done the stylist asked if he wanted a shampoo. He said "I think I'll forgo the shampoo." And she said "Um, so, does that mean yes or no?" He replied, "Just think of forgo as the opposite of go for."
sides.of.the.city
about 5 years agoOops. Forego. Sheesh, this damn language makes no sense.
sides.of.the.city
about 5 years agoNow I feel really dumb, because I was right the first time. Harold would be so ashamed of me.
Dorkus
about 5 years agoThe problem is that we not only get the stupid people from around our region, but we also get the stupid people in the Atlanta, GA region as well. They are too stupid to know the difference between Duluth, MN and Duluth, GA.
Fitz
about 5 years agoThere's a "Best of Craigslist" link right in the left navbar on Craigslist. They flag some great intentionally funny posts in addition to the unintentionally funny ones.
Herzog
about 5 years agoWell, I still know a couple people who have their wives use the computer for them. I remember last year in the Tetons, my friend calling his younger brother, who doesn't use computers and trying to explain how to enter information in the google box at their family home to do some banking, and seeing as how he was helpless, hung up in frustration- his smarts are in other areas, and he knows enough to stay away from computers. Me, I kinda got suckered into it, and I still don't really know how computers work. I grew up with a mentally disabled brother, so really, any sort of basic everyday human achievements amaze me. I read a book once, printed in the early 1970s granted, that said, every person on the planet, including my brother, has more mental synapsis per diem than all the computers in the world combined. Though this is probably no longer true, people are complex, and, so what if they aren't linguists? I thought the same thing Bev, if you can build a bike, or a car, you're no dummy regardless of how you come over on Craigs. Thanks for the tip Fitz, and the responses everyone. Surprised I haven't seen the best of, it's a really good idea though.
Herzog
about 5 years agoComputer synapsis aren't mental though, or are they. HAL?
Herzog
about 5 years agoAnd, I secretly just wanted to help this guy sell his bike.