Spelling

[Bohne]

Why do so many English speaking (writing) people attach so little importance to their spelling?

Or do they?

[jake-the-peg]

Maybe the real question is why do so many people think that there must be a "right" way to spell a word.

We accept Americans use different spellings and wouldn't try to tell them they're "wrong"!

I believe in some of Shakespere's work he uses unusual spellings on occasion for emphasis or to create links to other phrases.

Not easy with formalised spelling - maybe we've lost something.

I mean we've stopped telling people in Yorkshire or Scotland that they should talk with a "proper" (Southern) accent perhaps despite the fact that it can be hard to understand.

Maybe we should let go of the idea of "correct" spelling?

[rosyrussell]

It is an unfortunate state of affairs, and no mistake! It seems that these days schools pay less credence to correct spelling, and the use of computer technology means that it is easy to use a spell checker - sometimes erroneously too! One interesting thing to remember though - spelling has not always been fixed - 20 different spellings of the name Shakespeare have been detected!

[gary baldy]

I downt now - it reely annoys me as wel.
Have theeze peepol not had a educashun?

I'm really paranoid about my spelling - i'm really really clever (and modest) but my spelling lets me down. I dont want to look stupid (cos i'm not) so i try and check all my spelling and have a online dictionary on my desktop at all times and a good old fashioned one next to the toilet.
To be honest though bohne it isnt fair to judge people on their spelling and you have to learn to let go sometimes (and mock them from afar!) - i know i have.

[Glossopswift]

<XMP> </XMP>

(pointing finger and mocking from afar) Ha ha ha � look everyone, gary baldy said �a online dictionary�

[gary baldy]

Just checking you are concentrating!
You should have seen the state of it before i got it proof read!

[Drusilla1S]

It's a dyslexic conspiracy!

[sir.prize]

The TRUE value of a spell-checker.

So what does a proofreader really do that a spelling and grammar checker does not do?

The simplest way to illustrate this is shown in the following passage. All the words passed the spelling and grammar checks of Microsoft Word, with flying colours!


"Every gnu idea yew can think of, sum wan has probably thwart of bee fore. Bill Gates thought of developing a spelling chequer fore 'Word', hand he all most certainly bee leaves that no won had thought of it be four. Is he rite? Yew and aye no that's not true!''

If you want to lean about correct spelling - try this link

www.perfectword-proofreading.co.uk

[Bohne]

My question isn't about judging people, I am really curious why it is the way it seems to me.

I am not a native English speaker, and I have not encountered such a lax attitude towards spelling in any other language, yet.

And jake-the peg: why is it that so many people think that there must be a 'right' way to spell a word?
Maybe because spelling has been unified since the times of Shakespear (even though I have learnt recently, that there is no unique way of spelling his name).

Also you should hear me and my husband (he's American) go on about spelling... I tell him he's wrong all the time! ;o)

[Gnisy]

If they are writing, they care more about the idea or concept that they are trying to deliver as opposed to what they use to deliver those ideas. As for grammar, the teachers are the culprits since which English teacher will tell you that grammar is not important? Usually teachers only attach importance to spelling when they are doing dictation. Afterwards, it's every speller for himself.

And if you think spelling gets no respect, you should be sorry for punctuation.

[dzug]

Well there's a wide range of misspelling from the occasional typo through non-standard spelling to what amounts to use of completely the wrong word (I'm thinking of 'are' for 'our' here for example).

If it reaches the stage where I am struggling to understand what they said (and Shakespeare in the original comes into this category) I give up. Skakespeare I can read if I want (mostly I don't) rendered into modern spelling; on the Answerbank I just don't bother with that topic if the poster has expressed and spelt it so badly I can't work out what they are on about. (These are few and far between by the way - I'm not having a dig)

[davver]

I am becoming increasingly convinced that I am dyslexic because when writing I constantly misspell words by swapping letters around - ie I will write 'tunrip' rather than 'turnip' - and also I get 'you're' and 'your' mixed up. However I am very good at spelling ang grammar and so I can notice these mistakes and go back to correct them, something which doesn't take a second. It does irritate me that people get this wrong, not when they are typing quickly on an internet post, a quick email or a conversation on MSN, but when people make mistakes like this in a professional environment it must surely call their competence into question. If someone cannot master the simple skills of good SPAG, how much confidence can you have in them to perform in other areas? It's a bit like people who can't add up.

[davver]

Ha ha ha! I mean spelling AND grammar, of course! And I should probably have put an 'as' after 'environment'. But, as I said, it's the informal situation of an internet post.

[isca]

kuz weer fik

[sithlord]

Because after working with the general public for the last 20 years, I have finally come to the conclusion that the majority of the population are thick as s**t !!!

[helliebobs]

Mobile phones and texting play a huge part in it!

I always spell my text messages out in full, including punctuation - I can't stand all that 'r u ok?' rubbish!

I know it's quicker but it makes me cringe!

[buckaroo2]

Languages do evolve, either naturally or artificially (for example the American and German spelling reforms) so it's no surprise that the spellings, or even meanings, of words change over time to reflect this.

It could be argued that the greatest threat to the English language is not the changes in spelling but the way in which punctuation is treated. It seems, in my opinion anyway, that the use of the humble apostrophe will change to reflect the current inability of a lot of people to actually know when and when not to use it. But that's a whole new rant!

[maxtown]

Some people may judge people on spelling, but some people never care. Use a grammar and spelling checker could be much better. http://www.1checker.com/Home/Index I should say it is better than many paid software. But anyway, it's an automatic checking tool which needs your examination after checking.