Poll: Correcting People

[freedomweasel]

So what are everyone's thoughts on correcting people during conversation? (face to face) Rude? Helpful? Arrogant? What say you?

I'm not talking about being a general jerk about it, but about pointing out a bit of false information with good intention.
Example conversation:

person A: Yeah I always put my car in neutral when I'm going downhill or coasting so I save gas.

person B: Actually, with modern engine design, you don't save any gas that way. Even if it did though, it's actually illegal in some states to do that, and you're putting extra wear on the transmission.

example of what I *don't* mean: (paraphrased from High Fidelity)

person A: I love the record "#4 With a Smile"
person B: Actaully, it's "The #4 With a Smile"

OR

person A: The state fair this year is much funner than last year.
person B: Don't you mean more fun?

In the first example I think that the person is better off knowing how the engine is actually working, and why they shouldn't do that. Generally I'd say that if it is something that "everyone knows" that turns out is false, and makes a difference, I'd rather have someone correct me, so I often do the same.

Edit: What about in a case that someone says something you find offensive? ie "Gosh that's so gay". Do you call them on it?

edit: As pointed out by a number of responses there are an amusingly high amount of spelling and grammar errors in this post.

 

[Griphphin]

The first one is totally acceptable, but the others seem really nitpicky. If you're helping them out with an academic paper or something, then sure, but not in informal conversation.

 

[Serenegoose]

Depends. I correct people if they ask, or if they're making an error that will result in their own inconvenience. I tend not to correct spelling or suchlike (unless they ask) because I make my own mistakes, and as far as things go, there's much more important things to worry about.

 

[Jonluw]

I occasionally correct people, but I try not to nit-pick (unless I'm doing it jokingly).

 

[Gurk]

I am not very pedantic about others grammatical errors, but when my mum argues with me and says 'somethink', I can't help but correct her. Nothing bothers me more.

 

[Captain Booyah]

The first one sounds a tad borderline arrogant IMO, but I think that's just the way it's worded; otherwise, that seems fine. The other two, however, are pretentious (unless it's for a paper or something, as somebody above posted).

I correct people on things like the first example, but almost never the others. The most common situations that arise for me are either somebody getting their history wrong (or just general facts), or somebody mispronouncing a word, which I point out to save them from future embarrassment.

 

[Avaholic03]

I usually correct someone if they were factually wrong (like your first example), but not when it's just nit picky (2nd and 3rd examples). I mostly just hate the idea of people perpetuating false "facts".

 

[niege]

i love correcting people especially when i piss a certain person of ^^

 

[Broken Boy]

Depends. I correct people if they ask, or if they're making an error that will result in their own inconvenience. I tend not to correct spelling or suchlike (unless they ask) because I make my own mistakes, and as far as things go, there's much more important things to worry about.

* Seconds This *

I only do it in conversation after it's over but for only people I like to try to help them not look silly to anyone else.

And it's just like if they use a word wrong thinking it means one thing but is not even close to what they were talking about.

I don't correct spelling well because I'm pretty bad at it myself.

 

[Broken Boy]

i love correcting people especially when i piss a certain person of ^^

WOW just WOW I'm not going to touch on this any further!

 

[CarpathianMuffin]

If it's spelling or a word used in the wrong context, then I do.

 

[Quaxar]

i love correcting people especially when i piss a certain person of ^^

You probably mean "piss a certain person off!
Hehehe...

See? That's nitpicking. But yes, I do correct people's wrong facts and the like. Sometimes to help, sometimes because they are annoying and sometimes it's just a reflex.

 

[Jim Grim]

Yes. I genuinely can't stop. Even if it was just something similar to you last two examples. It's sort of sad really, particularly seeing as I'm prone to making mistakes myself, but letting these things pass really irks me.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

Should someone get minor fact about something wrong i'll be sure to tell them nicely what the right answer is.

 

[Zirat]

Of course I do, sometimes people are a thankful for some of the bigger stuff but usualy they get pissy. Which I love by the way.

I dont nit-pick like a grammar nazi, it's more factual than anything else really.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

I hate it when people correct grammar and spelling/pronunciation when it's only one little thing and perfectly understandable. So fucking annoying.

But I think it's fine to correct people on something that's actually useful and relevant to the conversation you are having. Like the first example!

I do things similar the first example.

 

[freedomweasel]

The first one sounds a tad borderline arrogant IMO, but I think that's just the way it's worded; otherwise, that seems fine. The other two, however, are pretentious (unless it's for a paper or something, as somebody above posted).

I correct people on things like the first example, but almost never the others. The most common situations that arise for me are either somebody getting their history wrong (or just general facts), or somebody mispronouncing a word, which I point out to save them from future embarrassment.

I did word the first example poorly, it does read like an arrogant response.

I generally stick with fact correction. I know that I don't like going around "knowing" something that is completely wrong, and I assume/hope that others feel the same.
I've found that with pronunciation people get more touchy because of accents or speech impediments or similar things.

I hate it when people correct grammar and spelling/pronunciation when it's only one little thing and perfectly understandable. So fucking annoying.

But I think it's fine to correct people on something that's actually useful and relevant to the conversation you are having. Like the first example!

I do things similar the first example.

If I correct grammar it's almost always online, and only if it seems like something more than tpying error
For example, when people "ask for advise", I usually correct them with "advice" as one is a verb, and one is a noun.

 

[crudus]

I correct people but not to be an ass. I clear up common misconceptions rather than nit pick.

"The enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge"
-unknown

I'm not talking about being a general jerk about it, but about pointing out a bit of false information with good intention.

The comma is unnecessary in that sentence. The sentence is not a compound sentence since the clause after the conjunction doesn't have a subject which makes it a dependent clause.

I mean, uhh....

 

[Drathnoxis]

I correct people. I don't do it to be rude but it just bugs me when people use words improperly, especially "seen" I hate it when my parents say stuff like "I seen that you got a new game" should be "I saw that you got a new game" it just bugs me.

 

[SimuLord]

If someone says something so completely pants-on-head retarded that it's socially damaging (Obama birthers, people who believe he's a Muslim or a communist or Cthulhu), I have to say something. Those idiots vote.