Parser, I have so much respect for your posts, but I can't agree with you on this one. I see no disrespect for a language when you use contractions that increase the naturalness of your writing. (Make it match the setting, yes, I completely agree!)
I fully appreciate that you have been speaking and writing in this language longer than I have, but I've been making my living by putting words down on paper (or more often, up in pixels these days) for 20 years, and the accessibility and naturalness of my writing would be hampered if I felt as you do and refused to use them.
I don't find using contractions rude at all, and would feel quite upset if you felt there was rudeness in a post that included "can't" or "don't" or "I've."
Now, the part of your post I agree with completely is in telling sbrodsky not to use them. It seems clear to me that sbrodsky feels that using contractions is a sign of poor or sloppy writing, and using them is certainly not compulsory. No one should use them if they don't want to.
I hope you find no disrespect in my post. I always enjoy reading yours!
********** NOT A TEACHER **********
Hello, Ms. Barbara.
(1) Thank you so much for your kind note.
(2) No, I do
not find your posts rude. I, like many other visitors
to
usingenglish.com, always learn a lot from your posts.
(3) That said, I suppose it is just a generational thing with me.
(a) I am a
mature person who still clings on to things that are
fast fading.
(i) Just as I feel both males and females should dress modestly
in public, so do I feel that contractions should be kept for
conversation and informal writing. You make your living by writing,
so you -- of course -- know exactly what you are doing. On the
other hand, I can hardly write a sentence. But when I do try to do
so, I believe in avoiding contractions. To a few (some?) people,
contractions might give an impression of hurrying to finish an
unpleasant task. Besides comic strips and dialogue of "real"
people speaking, I simply believe that contractions should be avoided.
That is only the opinion of an old man whose old-fashioned
ideas will soon be a thing of the past. I hear that there is some
newfangled thing called "texting." People often almost bump into me
on the sidewalk while they are "texting" and not paying attention to
good sidewalk manners. I'm guessing that contractions are indispensable
for them.
(4) Most people who come to this website are young learners who
have their whole future ahead of them. They are receiving very
wise advice from you and the other language professionals who
advise them. They should definitely follow your lead on all
matters, including contractions.
Thank you
P. S. I am
so old-fashioned
that I address people as
sir and
ma'am!
I just discovered to my horror that I wrote "I'm" instead of "I am."
I shall not edit it out.