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

[Gn2Dlnd]

Originally Posted by 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."

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]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

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

"You must spread some Mojo around before giving it to BarTopDancer again."

Originally Posted by Gn2Dlnd

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

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Gn2Dlnd

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

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

What's Rstar doing in the water?

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by lashbear

...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

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?"

[Kevy Baby]

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