Spelling Errors: Stupid? Lazy? Or A-OK?

[Betty]

Making an Arguement for Misspelling (not) (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1832104,00.html?xid=rss-topstories)

Good spellers, Smith says, should be able to go on writing as usual; those who find the current rules of English too hard to learn should have their spelling labeled variant, not wrong.

This article would lead one to believe that spelling errors just can't be helped. They are everywhere and we should just accept them as a new way to spell things. Since it's happened in the past, and other countries do it, should we also?

I think not. I hate spelling errors in official things. Sure - they happen a lot in emails and on message boards - but I have a hard time counting those...

But in official things - say your term paper, a menu, signage at a national park, your newspaper, your company's logo - all those should be spelled correctly. And for the record, I've found spelling errors in all of them.

The company logo and national forest were the most alarming with the logo leaving out a double letter (either the last of the first word of the first of the last word) which was not on purpose because everywhere else it was spelled correctly.

And also at Sequoia - a word spelled wrong on a sign.

I also believe I'm a hypocrit as I can't seem to catch my own spelling errors right away. I seem to have to send something to the printer and get it past the point where I can't "stop the presses" and then - bammo - look at that glaring error right there.

Which is why someone else always proofreads for me. Usually more then one person.

Sew, whut du u theenk? Kepe on spelling korect? Or shude we all be labuled as varient and not rong?:rolleyes:

[innerSpaceman]

Sorry, and maybe it's because I'm a good speller, but I feel poor spelling is a sign of ignorance. Not stupidity, per se. But obviously ignorance of the way words are properly spelled.

I think that bespeaks a certain lazyness and a likely lack of rudimentary education.


I can't stand it when entities that should be able to afford copy check end up spelling things wrong in written form. Absolutely retarded.


I'm much more forgiving of individual people. English can be a tricky language as far as spelling goes. But, c'mon ... we all had a grade-school education, didn't we?

[Alex]

For me the primary issue is confusion. Collectively deciding that truely is an acceptable form of truly doesn't offend my senses.

Language is not rules, it is usage. If 100% of the time the answer given to 2+4 is 9 it doesn't become correct. But if everybody spells twelfth as twelth then that is now the correct spelling.

The line, though, is extremely fuzzy and ill defined. But in general I would be ok with semi-official attempts at spelling normalization.

[Gn2Dlnd]

I also believe I'm a hypocrit as I can't seem to catch my own spelling errors right away.

I see what you did their.

I walked into a book store the other day to tell the woman at the counter that the sign advertising "Dog Day's of Summer" didn't need an apostrophe. She didn't seem to be too bothered.

Unforgivable in a children's book store.

[Not Afraid]

I'm a B speller, an F typist and a poor proofreader of my own stuff (but a great proofreader of others). I end up with typos on a regular basis and i don't even see them. Maybe it has something to do with never graduating kindergarten.

[Gn2Dlnd]

Who graduates kindergarten?

Hippy.

[katiesue]

I can't spell for beans. But I know that so when doing anything professionally I'm extra careful. Spelling errors on official documents, resumes etc are stupid. When I do those kinds of things I get someone to prof them for me. For some reason when I type it wrong it looks right.

I'm so bad that my third grade teacher actually still remembers me for poor spelling and bad penmenship. All my reportcards from elementry school I got NS for Non Satisfacory in both.

[BarTopDancer]

I'm a poor speller. Always have been. Thank goodness for spell check.

I also don't have a career where my potential spelling errors will be public facing.

[Strangler Lewis]

Making an Arguement for Misspelling (not) (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1832104,00.html?xid=rss-topstories)



I also believe I'm a hypocrit as I can't seem to catch my own spelling errors right away. I seem to have to send something to the printer and get it past the point where I can't "stop the presses" and then - bammo - look at that glaring error right there.


Bammo!

I think that bespeaks a certain lazyness and a likely lack of rudimentary education.


Bammo!

[Betty]

See - SEE! I look at that now and can see it. But when I typed it, didn't even notice.

That's it. I'm officially changing the spelling. You must now spell it that way from now on.

[Betty]

I think what bothered me the most about the article was the statement that the rules are too hard to learn.

So - everyone that does spell correctly did it and that makes everyone else either lazy or stupid. (either they put in the extra effort due to it's high difficultly rating or were too lazy to put in the effort?)

Had to take my car in for repair this morning.... the service guy consitantly spelled happens with an I. Happins. psh.

Guess it's a pet peeve of mine.

[BarTopDancer]

Isn't creating your own typo or grammar error when pointing out errors a given?

[Morrigoon]

I see what you did their.

I walked into a book store the other day to tell the woman at the counter that the sign advertising "Dog Day's of Summer" didn't need an apostrophe. She didn't seem to be too bothered.

Unforgivable in a children's book store.
The problem of the abused apostrophe is endemic at this point. I see it absolutely everywhere. Even if someone questioned whether they should use the apostrophe, they would have only too look at their environment to have the wrong choice reinforced.

[Strangler Lewis]

Isn't creating your own typo or grammar error when pointing out errors a given?

Bammo!

[mousepod]

Isn't creating your own typo or grammar error when pointing out errors a given?

Oh, consistantly.

[Chernabog]

The problem of the abused apostrophe is endemic at this point. I see it absolutely everywhere.

The one that irritates me the most is the difference between it's (conjunction for 'it is'.... just say the sentence using the non conjunctive form and see if it sounds right) and its (possessive).

But yeah... plural, means no apostrophe (i.e. two dogs). Singular possessive is apostrophe before the 's'. (i.e. that dog's bone). Possessive for multiple is apostrophe after the 's'. (i.e. those dogs' home). Yeesh not hard to learn.

[BarTopDancer]

I'm a poor speller. Always have been.

Bammo!

What was spelled incorrectly? FF spell check did not pick up on creating.

[Alex]

The problem of the abused apostrophe is endemic at this point. I see it absolutely everywhere. Even if someone questioned whether they should use the apostrophe, they would have only too look at their environment to have the wrong choice reinforced.

Wouldn't normally do this, but you used the bolded word incorrectly and exactly opposite of its meaning. Epidemic is what you wanted (spread throughout the environment as opposed to native or localized to a very specific environment).

Let's make this thread the "pointless pedantry" equivalent of the Sooo... thread or one of the random thoughts thread. The appropriate thing would be to post how I'm wrong and then we can argue over the detailed parsing of medical vocabularies spread into the vernacular.


As for the article I don't think it meant to say that the rules really are too difficult to learn but that obviously they are difficult enough that many people haven't learned them. And that by the time you are teaching college classes it isn't worth the distraction of responding to them to the detriment of the actual class. That ultimately, knowing whether something is an affect or an effect is not particularly important to understanding the proper application of carbon dating.

And I think the last paragraph in the article is the key one. He isn't calling for wholesale abandonment of spelling rules and willy nilly ad hoc redefinition of variants. Simply that there are some words so commonly misspelled that maybe it is time to stop wasting energy calling them mistakes and move on.


Finally, my most recent example of egregious apostrophes:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3047/2734178640_cc4b188933.jpg?v=0

Egregious because it is unnecessary and contributes to the suggestion that there is fun in Modesto.

[Strangler Lewis]

What was spelled incorrectly? FF spell check did not pick up on creating.

Pointless pedantry word choice bammo. Unless you are God or an attorney, you "make" error. You do not create it.

[BarTopDancer]

We all can't be smart like you.

[lizziebith]

I think what bothered me the most about the article was the statement that the rules are too hard to learn.

So - everyone that does spell correctly did it and that makes everyone else either lazy or stupid. (either they put in the extra effort due to it's high difficultly rating or were too lazy to put in the effort?)

Had to take my car in for repair this morning.... the service guy consitantly spelled happens with an I. Happins. psh.

Guess it's a pet peeve of mine.

I see 4 or 5 others in there, but I'm feeling lazy. :D

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I don't think that people who typo or misspell are unintelligent. But for whatever reason, I have a fondness for words and I really like it when they're spelled and punctuated correctly. So I really enjoy proofreading, and making it so.

[Tom]

I nominate LSPE for Official LoT Proofreader.

[Snowflake]

Finally, my most recent example of egregious apostrophes:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3047/2734178640_cc4b188933.jpg?v=0

Egregious because it is unnecessary and contributes to the suggestion that there is fun in Modesto.

A much needed, and appreciated, belly laugh for the day. Bwahahaha.

For the record, I am an atrocious speller and proofreader. This is why editors and proofreaders are needed!

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

Spelling aside, I am still smartter then all off you.

[flippyshark]

We all can't be smart like you.

Given all the meta-errors in this thread, I don't know if yours is intentional (or even an error), but you've hit on one of my champion peeves. I assume you mean "We can't all be smart like you." (In one version, it's impossible for anyone to be as smart as Alex, in the other version, there is a subset of us who can't be as smart as Alex. Okay, maybe you really meant the first of these two :D )

Similarly, there is a bumper sticker commonly seen here in touristy Central Florida that reads:

All of us are NOT on vacation!

I am pretty sure the intended sentiment is:

Not all of us are on vacation!

(First version - no one is on vacation. Second version, I'm not on vacation even though you are.) There is an important distinction between the two, though the person attaching such a sticker to his or her car might just as well choose one that says "You drive too fvcking slow!"

[BarTopDancer]

It was pointed at SL, not Alex.

But I'm backing out of this thread now. I'm feeling incredibly stupid.

[Alex]

It was pointed at SL, not Alex.

Still, I prefer to read it as nobody is as smart as me.

[BarTopDancer]

Mirror Mirror on the wall. Who is the smartest of them all?

Alex.



However, your way with words doesn't also imply people are stupid when they don't understand something or have a different opinion then your own.

[innerSpaceman]

Hahah, i love that i spelled a word wrong in my post where I congratulated myself on being a proper speller.

But let's not confuse spelling with grammar, or either with proper word choice. You can have poor grammar with perfect spelling, and horribly chosen words spelled correctly.

[flippyshark]

Please don't leave on my account, BTD! (I'd hate for my pedantic post to make anyone feel bad.) LoT can be a crazy, rarefied place, but nobody here is stupid.

[BarTopDancer]

Not leaving. Backing away. Though here I am still posting.

Whatever. I never claimed to be an English major.

[Betty]

Hey now - I thought I said that message boards were exempt. ;)

[lizziebith]

Actually I'm in agreement with you, Betty! I like to criticize spelling/grammatical errors on a message board only under the following conditions:

The maker of the errors (TMOTE) is a known idiot who has posted something obnoxious
TMOTE is consistently and obnoxiously pedantic about spelling/grammatical errors
TMOTE has inadvertently written something they might want corrected
TMOTE can be quoted for teh funny (misspelled intentionally)

I can spell, and write well when needed, but I don't always bother on message boards. Because I'm lazy. :)

[katiesue]

I was an english major, and before that journalism. I still can't spell.

[Strangler Lewis]

Not leaving. Backing away. Though here I am still posting.

Whatever. I never claimed to be an English major.

What Flippy said.

Or:

I have bedimm'd
The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds,
And 'twixt the green sea and the azur'd vault
Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire, and rifted Jove's stout oak
With his own bolt: the strong-bas'd promontory
Have I made shake; and by the spurs pluck'd up
The pine and cedar: graves at my command
Have wak'd their sleepers, op'd, and let them forth
By my so potent art. But this rough magic
I here abjure; and, when I have requir'd
Some heavenly music,--which even now I do,--
To work mine end upon their senses that
This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I'll drown my bammo.

[Chernabog]

You can have poor grammar with perfect spelling, and horribly chosen words spelled correctly.

Or nonsense words with perfect grammar:

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe

:D

[Alex]

Real worlds with perfect spelling and grammar that still convey no useful information as in this current CNN.com headline:

Obama may end VP guessing game soon (http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/18/vp.picks/index.html)

[Kevy Baby]

Sew, whut du u theenk? Kepe on spelling korect? Or shude we all be labuled as varient and not rong?:rolleyes:I am of the camp of only using the correct spelliing of words. I don't care how many times "donut" has been used: the proper word is "doughnut." This is one of many words that have been created because somebody wanted to save a couple of bucks when having the sign made for their business.

I walked into a book store the other day to tell the woman at the counter that the sign advertising "Dog Day's of Summer" didn't need an apostrophe. She didn't seem to be too bothered.How about when people advertise something for .59 ¢. I have been tempted to go in and order 100 of said item and only pay 59 cents for all 100.

I'm a B speller, an F typist and a poor proofreader of my own stuff (but a great proofreader of others). I end up with typos on a regular basis and i don't even see them. Maybe it has something to do with never graduating kindergarten.Most people really can't properly proofread their own stuff. When proofreading something, I have to read it at least twice, in completely different ways: content/grammar and spelling.

I am cursed with finding typos. I see them all the time. I can be looking at a page of text (not reading the text; just looking at the page) and find the typos. It's weird.

Unless you are God or an attorney, you "make" error. You do not create it.BAMMO!

[Motorboat Cruiser]

I've come to expect bad spelling, bad punctuation and bad grammar on message boards, and am guilty of it myself from time to time. When I see it in newspapers, books and business emails though, it bugs me to no end.

And typos aren't really the problem. It's two sentences running together without a period to separate them. It's seeing "affect" used when the person meant "effect." It's seeing the word "literacy" spelled incorrectly. These are the things that drive me crazy.

[Kevy Baby]

Message board stuff that bugs me:

Not capitalizing the first word in sentences.
Using emoticons as punctuation. Although, might this one be an exception:confused:
Using "lol" as punctuationAlso, this might be a good time to confess that I sometimes correct spelling in posts that I am quoting.

[Betty]

this might be a good time to confess that I sometimes correct spelling in posts that I am quoting.

I was totally with you until that one. You're sick. ;)

[JWBear]

Language does evolve and change. "Donut" does not bother me. I've gotten over the fact that "whom" has all but disappeared from the English language. But, improperly placed apostrophes still bug (Possessive pronouns don't have them, people!); as does the omission of the final comma in a series.

[innerSpaceman]

I don't believe leaving out the final comma in a series is incorrect in the least.

I am one of the five last remaining users of "whom."


My constant mistake is it's and its, and I'm constantly proofreading for that and finding I've mistyped it yet again.


i often use i instead of I, 'cause i like the way it looks ... and it's a habit i acquired from ... well, best left unsaid, actually.

[JWBear]

I don't believe leaving out the final comma in a series is incorrect in the least.

One may also believe that Food Fairies will put food in your refrigerator when it is needed. This doesn't make it true.

[Alex]

The Oxford or serial comma is completely a choice of style (though using it is more commonly American while not is more commonly British). I prefer to have it (simply because to me the ambiguity caused by absence is more annoying than the ambiguity caused by its presence).

But if I'm a descriptivist when it comes to usage of language I am outright indifferent when it comes to punctuation rules (we need them and should generally follow the agreed upon rules but they are fundamentally arbitrary and do not have any inherent rightness).

[Kevy Baby]

You're sick. ;)Yes, sadly, I am.

I've gotten over the fact that "whom" has all but disappeared from the English language.I am one of the five last remaining users of "whom."I often wished I understood the proper usage of "whom" - it is one that I seem to not be able to properly grasp.

...as does the omission of the final comma in a series.I don't believe leaving out the final comma in a series is incorrect in the least.Either way is considered correct.

My constant mistake is it's and its, and I'm constantly proofreading for that and finding I've mistyped it yet again.Somebody (possibly someone on this board, but I cannot recall) taught me this quick reference: any time you are going to use "its" or "it's", test the sentence by using "it is." If "it is" works, then use the contraction "it's." If it doesn't work, use "its."

[Alex]

I often wished I understood the proper usage of "whom" - it is one that I seem to not be able to properly grasp.

That's ok, the OED has acknowledged that whom has disappeared from spoken English.

But if you remember to use it when following a preposition ("to whom shall I deliver the letter", "before whom must I bow", "upon whom did the porn star ejaculate copiously") then you'll understand it better than 95% of the population.

[Alex]

As far as my typos go, they usually don't have anything to do with ignorance but simply that I can type too fast and my brain has an amazing capacity for homophones and just seems to randomly spit one out when possible.

Though for some reason I always have to correct "rediculous" to "ridiculous." Which is very weird because I never type "ridicule" as "redicule."

[CoasterMatt]

Proper punctuation and capitalization is the difference between "I had to help my uncle Jack, off a horse.." and "I had to help my uncle jack off a horse.."

[Morrigoon]

Wouldn't normally do this, but you used the bolded word incorrectly and exactly opposite of its meaning. Epidemic is what you wanted (spread throughout the environment as opposed to native or localized to a very specific environment).


I suppose I wasn't aware that Canada and the UK were likewise having issues with apostrophe abuse. But I see your point. I was more focused on the fact that it meant it was prevalent and fully ingrained in the culture.

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
en·dem·ic Audio Help (ěn-děm'ĭk) Pronunciation Key
adj.

1. Prevalent in or peculiar to a particular locality, region, or people: diseases endemic to the tropics. See Synonyms at native.

[Kevy Baby]

Proper punctuation and capitalization is the difference between "I had to help my uncle Jack off a horse.." and "I had to help my uncle jack off a horse.."How does punctuation help in this case?

[CoasterMatt]

Damn it... fixed.

[€uroMeinke]

Its all about communication, and so while I am a "C" speller I use whatever tools to help me out sometimes, not with success. I'm Aural, so when I write, aside from the usual typos, I tend to dictate from the voice in my head and thus make lots of errors with homonyms, or mixing of with have. I don't over think it though because I'd otherwise not write anything.

That said, while spelling and grammar help create standards that facilitate communication, the fact that one can correct someone else's spelling and grammatical errors implies that the intended message got through just the same - so the corrector - outside the academic environment - comes across as self-righteous and annoying.

[CoasterMatt]

The following snippet of text has been circulating on the net for a while: "... randomising letters in the middle of words [has] little or no effect on the ability of skilled readers to understand the text. This is easy to denmtrasote. In a pubiltacion of New Scnieitst you could ramdinose all the letetrs, keipeng the first two and last two the same, and reibadailty would hadrly be aftcfeed. My ansaylis did not come to much beucase the thoery at the time was for shape and senqeuce retigcionon. Saberi's work sugsegts we may have some pofrweul palrlael prsooscers at work. The resaon for this is suerly that idnetiyfing coentnt by paarllel prseocsing speeds up regnicoiton. We only need the first and last two letetrs to spot chganes in meniang."

[flippyshark]

Fcuk taht.

[€uroMeinke]

Watching the Olympics I wonder what spelling and grammar issues the Chinese have

[CoasterMatt]

Watching the Olympics I wonder what spelling and grammar issues the Chinese have
You mean like this?
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/coastermatt/images/translateservererror.jpg

[flippyshark]

Ah, Chinglish (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-497544/Chinglish-Hilarious-examples-signs-lost-translation.html)!

[JWBear]

The Oxford or serial comma is completely a choice of style...

Either way is considered correct.

I simply don't agree. Every writing class I have ever taken taught that it is proper usage to include it. The practice of omitting it was started by newspapers in order to save space.

I often wished I understood the proper usage of "whom" - it is one that I seem to not be able to properly grasp.

Use "whom" when referring to the object of a sentence, and "who" when it is the subject.

"Who was given the book?" (Subject)

"The book was given to whom?" (Object)

Somebody (possibly someone on this board, but I cannot recall) taught me this quick reference: any time you are going to use "its" or "it's", test the sentence by using "it is." If "it is" works, then use the contraction "it's." If it doesn't work, use "its."

Remember that possessive pronouns have no apostrophes, and contractions always do.

its, whose, his, hers, theirs = possessive

it's, who's, that's, what's, he's, she's, etc = contraction

[Alex]

Every writing class I have ever taken taught that it is proper usage to include it. The practice of omitting it was started by newspapers in order to save space.

Here's a good presentation of the argument against (http://grammar.wikia.com/wiki/Oxford_comma), one that is accepted by many English speaking countries and the majority of American non-academic styleguides (which, as you suggest, are primarily newspapers and magazines).

Personally, I use the serial comma, but I agree with the con argument that 90%+ of the time it serves no functional purpose and so to the extent that a rule is needed it should be simply that the comma is mandatory only when its use eliminates ambiguity.

[Kevy Baby]

I simply don't agree. Every writing class I have ever taken taught that it is proper usage to include it.Whereas my college courses taught that either was correct.

Ironically, I use (and prefer) the serial comma.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors drive me crazy. I have learned to accept a certain level of error in the online world, but I can't say I like it. I don't know if the poster is in a hurry, lazy, uneducated, or just doesn't care, or what, but I can't love the errors.

In public material, errors are worse. Published books, signs, etc, really need to be correct. Once or twice it's been so egregious I've written to the publisher offering my services as proofreader as they so obviously need it and don't have it. I can't accept errors in published material. There they come off as stupid or lazy and there's no excuse.

Kevy, I'm with you in looking at a page and the errors JUMP out at me.

[lashbear]

Anyway, everybody knows 'apostrophe' is pronounced "Appa-stroaf". So there. Nee'ner

[Cadaverous Pallor]

punctuation
exclamation
indication
declaration

sometimes I think
I'll stick to unguided poetry
this is how my brain works anyway

no worries of crossing lines
outside the jurisdiction
of the grammar mafia

still, appreciate
good usage
have my share of angst






especially elsewhere on the internet.

[Betty]

Okay - who here (besides me) feels the needs to circle the errors? I know that no one else is going to see the page but I really want to circle them all with a big red marker. (as if someone will then make them correct?)

[BarTopDancer]

Is that why there is white out and sharpie on your monitor?

[Not Afraid]

Somebody (possibly someone on this board, but I cannot recall) taught me this quick reference: any time you are going to use "its" or "it's", test the sentence by using "it is." If "it is" works, then use the contraction "it's." If it doesn't work, use "its."

If only I could remember this. I am constantly getting this wrong and I've tried to get a good pneumonic device to help me out, but to no avail.

[Strangler Lewis]

If only I could remember this. I am constantly getting this wrong and I've tried to get a good pneumonic device to help me out, but to no avail.

I'm sorry, but . . . bammo!

At least you didn't say "pneumatic device." That would have been quotable.

[Not Afraid]

Mnemonic. I even put my original bad spelling of it into google search to get the "correct" spelling. Apparently there is just no way to get around bad spelling.

[Gn2Dlnd]

The following snippet of text has been circulating on the net for a while: "... randomising letters in the middle of words [has] little or no effect on the ability of skilled readers to understand the text. This is easy to denmtrasote. In a pubiltacion of New Scnieitst you could ramdinose all the letetrs, keipeng the first two and last two the same, and reibadailty would hadrly be aftcfeed. My ansaylis did not come to much beucase the thoery at the time was for shape and senqeuce retigcionon. Saberi's work sugsegts we may have some pofrweul palrlael prsooscers at work. The resaon for this is suerly that idnetiyfing coentnt by paarllel prseocsing speeds up regnicoiton. We only need the first and last two letetrs to spot chganes in meniang."

Ecch, that's horrible. I had to slow down and read each and every word, one at a time, to figure out what that said. "Ramdinose," in particular, stumped me. The whole thing made me feel like my head was being squeezed. Now, I just used the word, "like," incorrectly. I see this a lot, I do it a lot. I believe it's become common usage. Nevertheless, when I see it, it grates. Mrs. Eckert, my first grade teacher, taught us that, "Although the commercial claims, 'Winston tastes good, like a cigarette should,' it should really be, 'Winston tastes good, as a cigarette should.'" 'Like' should not be used in place of 'as,' or 'as if.'

Here's another one I've seen, lately. "Peak the curiosity." Pique, as in what I shall be in a fit of if you keep using the wrong word.

Also, "queue line." It's a queue or it's a line, saying both tells me that you're getting in line to stand in line. Or on line if you're a Brit. And it's not cue line, that's what another actor says before it's my turn to speak onstage.

I do tend to start sentences with ands and ors. My particular bad grammar habit. That, and apparently no predicates. I always think that spelling, punctuation, and word choice, indicates what the writer thinks of his audience, and what he wants to convey about himself. On line with friends, I'm casual. In business, I'm informed and trustworthy. When you know the rules, you can have more fun playing with the language. Or, as I'm sure happens to me occasionally, come off as a prig. But a smart prig. In high school, I remember one instance where I was watching ants on the floor of shop class. Another student asked me what I was doing, I explained that ants communicated through pheromones and that's why they were touching antennae. He gave me such a look of disgust, and said, "Can't you just say 'talk' like everyone else?" I didn't bother to tell him that ants can't talk, but it does illustrate why I got beat up a lot. Now I choose my words for my audience.

One more thing, "lightening" is what you do to a cup of coffee by adding creamer. "Lightning" is what precedes thunder.

I think words are important.

[Alex]

Words are important, grammar is semi-important, spelling is minimally important, punctuation is the caboose on the train.

[Kevy Baby]

Is that why there is white out and sharpie on your monitor?"You must spread some Mojo around before giving it to BarTopDancer again."

Here's another one I've seen, lately. "Peak the curiosity." Pique, as in what I shall be in a fit of if you keep using the wrong word.I don't know why this reminded me, but when speaking of a microphone, the short version is not a "mike;" it is a "mic."

















And a guy with no arms and no legs in the water is Bob.

[Capt Jack]

I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.
- Mark Twain


'nuff said

:D

[BarTopDancer]

Ecch, that's horrible. I had to slow down and read each and every word, one at a time, to figure out what that said. "Ramdinose," in particular, stumped me. The whole thing made me feel like my head was being squeezed.

I didn't have an issue reading that paragraph, but I'm sure I have some dyslexia going on.

Now, I just used the word, "like," incorrectly. I see this a lot, I do it a lot. I believe it's become common usage. Nevertheless, when I see it, it grates. Mrs. Eckert, my first grade teacher, taught us that, "Although the commercial claims, 'Winston tastes good, like a cigarette should,' it should really be, 'Winston tastes good, as a cigarette should.'" 'Like' should not be used in place of 'as,' or 'as if.'

The misuse of the word like probably came from the valley speak days. Like oh my god! Can you believe he's like...
Someone told me that that the use of "like" and "um" is a brain pause as your brain searches for the next word or phrase.

[BarTopDancer]

I also know I'm developing a bad habit of picking up phrases used in our TX office. I do say y'all and all'y'all slips out now and then.

[Betty]

I also know I'm developing a bad habit of picking up phrases used in our TX office. I do say y'all and all'y'all slips out now and then.

Had a friend from NOrth Caroline and if she got drunk, that accent came out big time... funny part is that all of us from California would start talking like that too if we drank enough. ah... good times.

[lashbear]

And a guy with no arms and no legs in the water is Bob.
What's Rstar doing in the water?

I also know I'm developing a bad habit of picking up phrases used in our TX office. I do say y'all and all'y'all slips out now and then.
I say it as well... just to make you USA'ens feel at home, ya know.

...and the use of 'Canadians' bothers me. They don't come from Canadia, so they should be Canadans. A pet peeve of mine.

Australia - Australians
America - Americans
Canada - Canadans

[Kevy Baby]

...and the use of 'Canadians' bothers me. They don't come from Canadia, so they should be Canadans. A pet peeve of mine.

Australia - Australians
America - Americans
Canada - CanadansMany Mexicans and others transplanted from other Central American countries will often say they are Hispanic (rather than Mexican or Salvadorian, etc.). As Carlos Mencia would often say, "What part of Hispania are you from?"

[Kevy Baby]

One habit I think I may have finally broken my boss of is "... and etc."

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Many Mexicans and others transplanted from other Central American countries will often say they are Hispanic (rather than Mexican or Salvadorian, etc.). As Carlos Mencia would often say, "What part of Hispania are you from?"

I remember being told in my Spanish class in eighth grade that it was no longer appropriate (heh, first I typed appropirate, and that seems fun) to call those from South or Central America (or Spain) Hispanic, that the proper catch-all was "Latino/a." But I prefer to call my friend from Mexico by her name, and say she grew up in Mexico.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Most of my spelling and grammar offenses are a result of self-correcting as I reread my writing before others see it. Spelling and "by-the-book" grammar are not my strong points, I admit. That doesn't, however, mean I love words, sentences, paragraphs, writing or reading any less than someone who also values those things and has perfected their punctuation marks and A, B, Cs. If I write something here and quickly review, I don't often ferret out the mistakes. If I wrote "your" where I meant to write "you're", I will read "you're", so won't know to correct myself. And I most certainly know the difference between the two even if I continue to make that mistake.

When I allow myself the time, my writing usually proceeds as follows:

Round 1: Self-expressoin with stream of consciousness embelishments.
Round 2: Review and rewrite, to improve the narrative, refine my opinions, etc. At this point, I'm still auto-correcting. I rarely catch the spelling and grammar snafus.
Round 3: Review, and more rewrites. At this point, it becomes clear that I need to proofread.
Round 4: I read one word at a time to identify and correct spelling errors.
Round 5: I read one sentence at a time to correct grammar mistakes and any additional spelling mistakes (such as "its" and "it's").
Round 6: I take a break from editing. I don't look at the piece for hours or a day or more.
Round 7: I read the piece again as a whole, once again to make sure I'm pleased with its entirety, and if I make any significant changes that require additional proofreading, I begin the process all over again.

By round 7, after a great deal of work, I usually have something that boasts faultless spelling and grammar. And I continue to argue that commas are a matter of personal preference. I use them when I feel like using them.

When posting on the LoT or sending emails to co-workers, I usually make it through Round 1, maybe Round 2. Call it laziness. Call it "not enough hours in the day". I may embarrass myself from time to time, but usually my meaning comes across. I was once consoled by a wise mate who (and here I poorly paraphrase) said original and good creative writing is hard to come by, but precise spelling and grammar can be learned or corrected by a helpful editor. I'd rather be skilled at both, but que sera...

Doesn't mean I don't envy those who are clearly able to express themselves beautifully with nearly flawless execution. (I'm looking at you, LSPE, Tom, NM, Alex, ism, etc., etc., etc.) :D

[Cadaverous Pallor]

What EH said. :) Though I can't say I go through exactly 7 drafts, I do read and reread what I write many, many times, moving commas, splitting up sentences, checking grammar (by my own odd rules), etc. Sometimes I get embarrassed and take hyphens out of sentences even though I could put one in every sentence and be happy. ;)

[Alex]

I go through two drafts if I'm feeling dedicated.

[€uroMeinke]

Here's another one I've seen, lately. "Peak the curiosity." Pique, as in what I shall be in a fit of if you keep using the wrong word.


Thank you, this word has been alluding me for some time now - as the voice in my head dictates Pique my hands write Peak or Peek while my eyes know it to be wrong, none of the body parts could offer the correct solution. Look for this word in future posts.

[Kevy Baby]

Look for this word in future posts.You've certainly piqued my interest!

[Gn2Dlnd]

Thank you, this word has been alluding me for some time now - as the voice in my head dictates Pique my hands write Peak or Peek while my eyes know it to be wrong, none of the body parts could offer the correct solution. Look for this word in future posts.

It will be among my peak accomplishments to have been of service to the eloquent and thoughtful Mr. €.

[Alex]

Such is the confusion of threads of this nature that I do not know if €uroMeinke was intentionally alluded.

[lashbear]

It was an allusion to his elusive nature. It's all Illusory anyway.

[BarTopDancer]

Had a friend from NOrth Caroline and if she got drunk, that accent came out big time... funny part is that all of us from California would start talking like that too if we drank enough. ah... good times.

If I spend enough time talking to our TX office it just comes out. I was talking to our HR director and I randomly started talking with an accent. She asked me when I moved to the south. :eek:

I'm pretty sure everyone here knows my love for guys with the southern drawl. /swoon

[innerSpaceman]

Enuf about grammer and more abought speling.


When someone is whiling away the hours, is "wile" or "while?" I needs to know.

[Chernabog]

Enuf about grammer and more abought speling.


When someone is whiling away the hours, is "wile" or "while?" I needs to know.

Wile.

5. wile away, to spend or pass (time), esp. in a leisurely or pleasurable fashion: to wile away the long winter nights.

[innerSpaceman]

Danka

[LashStoat]

Poor spelling (and grammar for that matter) drives me crazy. I blame the watering-down of formal English teaching in schools, the need for mobile phone users to compress words in SMS messaging, and the Media for mangling language for marketing reasons.

Here are some that really light my wick:

“Fish ‘n Chips” – hell, “and” is such a complicated fvcking word.
“Let us do it right for you” – look creep, I know you’ll fvck it up big time.
“4NIC8R” – on license plates…I’ll bet you have a small dick.

It’s an erosion of standards…and I dread to think of the communications (verbal and written) that are going to flow from CEOs born in the Generation X ‘n [sic] Y errors [sic].

Example: “Youz have gota lift ur game if we r gonna xlr8 our market cher”.

Stoat shudders.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Stoat, I share your dread.

[Tom]

Danka

It's danke.

Bammo.

[Not Afraid]

What's with these idiots that can't spell in German!

[innerSpaceman]

I have a friend by the name of Michael Danke, but it's pronounced "Dankee" - so I have an aversion to Danke as the Germanic Thank You. It just looks wrong to me, so I will always misspell it more phoenetically in my native English.

[blueerica]

I don't claim to be some sort of amazing speller all the time. I'm a decent proofreader - when I bother - and even then it's very hard. I like to use a brightly colored piece of paper as a guide, since it allows me to focus on spelling. I also change the font and employ a number of bizarre tactics to proofread. I read the words in backward order.

Once thing that has me differing from others, at least grammatically, is my use of the Chicago Manual of Style. I like my comma before the and in a series. Other quirks seem to make their way into my writing that differs greatly from what I've seen on the West Coast.

Another thing that has gotten the better of me is the use of punctuation, capitalization, and even spelling in advertising and in what has become the accepted standard amongst a group of people. Sometimes there is a reason you would put the n' versus and or even & in Rock n' Roll, Rock and Roll, Rock & Roll. Balance in ad copy, the contrast and meaning it gives along with imagery... it all plays a part, and has even caused me to break a few of my cardinal rules while writing copy that's gone on billboards, catalogs, brochures and flyers.

I think - back to the original topic - that we should accept those who make mistakes, since a vast majority of us regularly participate in spelling and grammatical blunders (I'm pretty sure a good checker could find at least 6 in here. Or is that six? Oh, I do prefer to spell my numbers ten and under. 10 and under.), but not accept changes to long-standing rules.

It would probably make for more work, and before long we'll be spelling those words incorrectly.

[CoasterMatt]

This thread came to mind when I saw this (http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/22/sign.vandals.ap/index.html) news article today.

PHOENIX, Arizona (AP) -- When it comes to marking up historic signs, good grammar is a bad defense.

Two self-styled vigilantes against typos who defaced a more than 60-year-old, hand-painted sign at Grand Canyon National Park were sentenced to probation and banned from national parks for a year.

Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson pleaded guilty August 11 for the damage done March 28 at the park's Desert View Watchtower. The sign was made by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, the architect who designed the rustic 1930s watchtower and other Grand Canyon-area landmarks.

Deck and Herson, both 28, toured the United States this spring, wiping out errors on government and private signs. They were interviewed by NPR and the Chicago Tribune, which called them "a pair of Kerouacs armed with Sharpies and erasers and righteous indignation."

[Gn2Dlnd]

Enuf about grammer and more abought speling.


When someone is whiling away the hours, is "wile" or "while?" I needs to know.

My immediate thought was "while," until I saw my roommate's post. So, I looked at dictionary.com and got 8. to cause (time) to pass, esp. in some easy or pleasant manner (usually fol. by away).
and the American Heritage Dictionary, tr.v. whiled, whil·ing, whiles
To spend (time) idly or pleasantly: while the hours away.


However,

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
while (v.)
"to cause (time) to pass without dullness, 1635, earlier "to occupy or engage (someone or something) for a period of time" (1606), new formation from while (n.), not considered to be from M.E. hwulen "to have leisure," which is from a Gmc. verb form of while (n.) (cf. Ger. weilen "to stay, linger"). An association with phrases such as Shakespearean beguile the day, L. diem decipere, Fr. tromper le temps "has led to the substitution of WILE v by some modern writers" [OED] (see wile).

Which, I guess, takes us back to the first page. Do you forgive misused and misspelled words when they enter common usage?

For the record, Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
wile Audio Help /waɪl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[wahyl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, wiled, wil·ing.
–noun
1. a trick, artifice, or stratagem meant to fool, trap, or entice; device.
2. wiles, artful or beguiling behavior.
3. deceitful cunning; trickery.
–verb (used with object)
4. to beguile, entice, or lure (usually fol. by away, from, into, etc.): The music wiled him from his study.
—Verb phrase
5. wile away, to spend or pass (time), esp. in a leisurely or pleasurable fashion: to wile away the long winter nights.
[Origin: 1125–75; (n.) ME; late OE wil, perh. < ON vél artifice, earlier *wihl-]

—Synonyms 1, 2. deception, contrivance, maneuver. See trick. 3. chicanery, fraud.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

So, by quoting itself, the online dictionary has created "common usage." Colbertian, in its effectiveness.

Just remember, you can wile away your coyotes, but you while away your time.

[Gn2Dlnd]

This thread came to mind when I saw this (http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/22/sign.vandals.ap/index.html) news article today.

I saw this today, copied the link to post in this thread, and CM beat me to it! The sign was made in the 1940's, still, shouldn't go around marking up things that aren't yours. Made me think of Eddie Izzard talking about historical features in America, "It's over FIFTY years old!"

[Chernabog]

Ugh yeah I wasn't sure of the answer and the internet lied to me.

[Betty]

So I'm going through a drive through yesterday for lunch and their sign in the window read:

We will close early on December 24th at 6pm.
We will be close on December 25th.
We will also be close early on December 31st.
We will be open at 7am on January 1st.

I asked them how close they would be on the 25th and got a blank stare. I pointed out their sign said they would be close - or was that a typo?

The girl said "what's a typo?".

I sighed and replied nevermind.

I know there's not a very high caliber of intelligence required to work at a fast food place but come on now. I guess they were, at least, consistant.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I see those kinds of errors a *lot*. One near my house says "we have move to" and it gives the address. Or the shop window that meant to say "floor stripper" machines but instead says "floor striper".

Makes me sad.

[Not Afraid]

Steam Rice.

[Prudence]

One of my official AF readings I cranked through yesterday said that the dye had been cast.


Sigh.

[Ghoulish Delight]

One of my official AF readings I cranked through yesterday said that the dye had been cast.
I'm conflicted on that one. At least they didn't use "dice" as a singular noun.

[Alex]

When in doubt about whether the dye or die had been cast, always switch to the Rubicon has been crost.

Same scene, same approximate meaning, and most rubes will be confused by Rubicon and fail to notice crost.

[JWBear]

These errors are common among those for whom English is not the first language. I see things like this all the time where I work.