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

[Gn2Dlnd]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

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]

Originally Posted by CoasterMatt

This thread came to mind when I saw this 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]

Originally Posted by Prudence

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.