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I resisted the temptation to laugh at that.

I think there's definitely a stereotype against those who use proper English. If you use proper English, you're a rich, white, intellectual snob. I think this is why mediocrity and even out and out stupidity are favored in the mass media, whereas proper grammar is eschewed. When was the last time you heard a news caster speak in absolutely proper grammar? I never do.

It's sad, but that's what happens when you have an intellectual minority up against a mediocre majority.

Well, for scholars, language is indeed a form of snobbery, but more specifically, a form of eliteness. The more esoteric, the longer a word is, the more points they feel they receive because a smaller and smaller audience is able to even begin to comprehend their writing even with the air of a non-abridged dictionary.

However, for a generally good vocabularly, generally I don't see snobbery associated with it. However, that may be in part because I do have a good vocabulary. I've found it annoys those who do not have quite the vocabulary. After all, on one really wants to ask someone what a word means in the middle of a friendly conversation.

Sooo... people who don't choose to construct sentences correctly are idiots? sweatdrop

No offense, but you might wanna double check yourself for snobbery...

I think there are some links between literacy and the snobbiness of people.
However, I happen to go to a "rich, rural" school. If our school had a nickname, it would be Hollister High. But, check this out: A good percentage of people at my school can't spell, or know what "basic words" mean. I'm looked at for my "insanity"; my social skills aren't very good, but come English, or any other class, I'm smart as a whip. The freshmen have Hummers while the seniors have Expeditions and the like, but they can't figure out what the word "scarcity" means, which makes my inner chibi cry. I look at their papers, and my "red pen-dar" goes off like crazy.
It's funny that even people of my own race hate me because I haven't fallen into their "ghettofabulous" trap. I'm African-American, but I look at my brothers and sisters.............................if you can call them that, and I feel that this generation is doomed. They're not spending enough time reading "books" rather than just "i, u, h8t" text messages. Then again, reading is a big center in my family; my grandmother retired this year from teaching, and my parents...each of them have big bookcases..it's a library that I can go in there as I see fit and take what I want to read ('course I gotta ask..).
How can I put it? Being rich=/=being literate sometimes. Now, don't get me wrong, the things we have in this generation are nice. Ipods, cellphones...but do you think that this generation has taken the amusement out of reading for pleasure? Have we become to reliant on machines to fix our mistakes?

*Laughs* As you can see...I didn't. And that's pretty gross, but I see your point. Say what it is, for crying out loud. Anyhoo...

I think the link between being literate and being snobby is idiots being jealous. I know sometimes I'll just use a "big word", and around most of my friends, who are all a bit older than me, it's fine. Normally, I'm the one asking them to kindly define various things. But if I do that around some of my, say jock friends (not being rude to jocks, I'm sometimes one and I know many very intelligent jocks...) but still. They yell at me for using big words and tell me to shut up. In my opinion, that's being very rude. What can I say? I enjoy using a variety of words. I think it gets boring to use the same thing repeatedly. Anyway...my thoughts on the matter. Farewell.

It's a choice, right? Why would people who know how to construct a sentence correctly choose not to? To fit in with the popular crowds? I really don't get it.

I personally don't see the connection; just because I can speak properly doesn't make me a "snob". People sometimes deride me for the way I choose to speak, but I just think to myself: "At least I'm coherent".
It isn't high-and-mighty to use good grammar; it just means you give a damn about how you come across, and wish to be understood.