Why Spelling Matters

[Franimus]

tehy say taht spllenig ins't actaully impartont as lnog as yuo get msot of teh letetrs in teh rghit spot... and taht oyu cna stlil raed it prtty well adn qiukly too...

Although I do tend to try my best to make sure I spell everything approximately right... Although I have my trouble words like approximatly...

[franciscanheart]

First off... Lil Red,

Second...
[quote name='Sojourner' post='1039229' date='Aug 7 2006, 03:38 PM']
Spelling is one of the simplest linguistic skills -- dictionaries and spellcheck make it easy to ensure you've spelled something correctly. Improper spelling communicates poor education, carelessness, or laziness in a professional setting ... and, to a certain extent, in a non-professional setting as well.

I could go on and on about spelling and its importance as a basis of communication. But then, I'm much more enamored of the written word than most ... so I'll refrain.
[/quote]
YES! THANK YOU! I AGREE!

Third... I'm so glad I'm not the only one who is conscious of this. :

[scardella]

Maybe it's because I've always been a good speller, but it really bothers me when someone regularly has bad grammar or spelling. I find that capitalization errors don't bother me as bad as other errors, particularly because when I want to jot off a quick note, I'll sometimes fudge it. Proofreading is your freind, and, most of all, "Remember the backspace key! It's there for a reason. Use it." I probably used it about 25 times just writing this paragraph.

Good grammar is something that you have to practice. It's much easier to take someone seriously if they have very few misspellings and proper grammar. It's the written equivalent of enunciating your words and presenting yourself well.

Good diction can turn a boring note into a sweet symphony of words. Sometimes, it is just satisfying to know that you used exactly the right word, that gives the exact connotation and multivariant shades of meaning that would make Shakespeare jealous.

It's funny, I suppose. I sometimes felt in better company among English majors than among my own Comp Sci majors.

PS. Spellchecking has led to the dearth of good spellers. If you want to learn how to spell, you'd do better to manually proofread. You might also find some new and interesting words.

Edited August 8, 2006 by scardella

[tojo]

[quote name='scardella' post='1039611' date='Aug 8 2006, 08:46 AM']
Proofreading is your freind
[/quote]

Sorry, this was just too funny.

Though I must say that was the only mistake I saw, and that you write far more beautifully than me, Scardella. It's just the immediate context of the above error that is amusing.

[Birgitta Noel]

[url="http://www.dictionary.com"]http://www.dictionary.com[/url] is your friend....

[2xbob]

Maybe its not the misspellers that are in the wrong for misspelling but the correctors for prejudging a persons intelect by their spelling. I have written heartfelt arguments before just to have someone use ad hominem attacks based on how smart they think I am where as if they read the argument itself they would see it was well thought out. I understand if the person is arguing with poor spelling on purpose (u, 2, r, and 1337 speak) it could be cause for some judgement. I have a 4.0 and a 1220 SAT score and yet I am a moron, scum of the (spelling based) earth even because I cant spell. Sorry for the rant, I'm just wondering hoiw long before someone thinks they're clever and points out the spelling and grammer mistakes in this .

Edited August 8, 2006 by 2xbob

[Tindomiel]

I always try to spell correctly myself, and I think it's good to keep in practice on the internet. I just know that proper spelling tends to make people take what you're saying more seriously, etc. Whether or not that's fair, I couldn't say.

[scardella]

[quote name='tomasio127' post='1039615' date='Aug 8 2006, 07:52 AM']
Sorry, this was just too funny.

Though I must say that was the only mistake I saw, and that you write far more beautifully than me, Scardella. It's just the immediate context of the above error that is amusing.
[/quote]

I think you just proved my point, though...

[journeyman]

I have to agree that that was a classic . . . but . . . there was also a little "what kind of word modifies a verb action" going on in that same big bad paragraph

[scardella]

[quote name='journeyman' post='1039884' date='Aug 8 2006, 04:57 PM']
I have to agree that that was a classic . . . but . . . there was also a little "what kind of word modifies a verb action" going on in that same big bad paragraph
[/quote]

I suppose I could use some proofreading help too.

[crystalblujay]

me too!

but at the same time this is kinda cool...

O lny srmat poelpe can raed tihs.


cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The
phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a r scheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy,

it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.

Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, b ut the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ip morantt!

[missionseeker]

When one of us don't know what a word means or how to spell it, Mom says "Go ask your friend" (the dictionary)

one time I said "Hey, Mom I can't find my friend"

[qfnol31]

[quote name='OLAM Dad' post='1039572' date='Aug 8 2006, 04:17 AM']
He's the one sounding like a Nazi.

Most commonly misspelled word on Phatmass? Alot![/quote]
I'm still gonna finish my message to you sometime. I just need more time to sit and write it than I've had.

[littleflower+JMJ]

[quote name='The Little Way' post='1039625' date='Aug 8 2006, 08:13 AM']
[url="http://www.dictionary.com"]http://www.dictionary.com[/url] is your friend....
[/quote]

I use [url="http://www.m-w.com"]http://www.m-w.com[/url] its another good one

[Franimus]

[quote name='crystalblujay' post='1039990' date='Aug 8 2006, 10:39 PM']
me too!

but at the same time this is kinda cool...

O lny srmat poelpe can raed tihs.


cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The
phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a r scheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy,

it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.

Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, b ut the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ip morantt!
[/quote]

I raed teh wohle tihng... I tpyed liek this ealreir tho bceause i cluodn't be btoherd to dig up oen of tohse emials...

[crystalblujay]

it was weird b/c i got the email no more than ten minutes b/4 i saw this thread

[Lil Red]

[quote name='journeyman' post='1039476' date='Aug 7 2006, 10:05 PM']Whether I'm a poster or a grammarian, I think I've just been slammed . . . Thank you, thank you very much[/quote]: i'm okay with being called a grammar nazi. :

[Tony]

I hate it when I am in some sports chatroom or something.. and someoneone in the peanut gallery goes "Learn how to spell!" from a typo or something .. "ooooh you got me there!"

[journeyman]

the operative word was "chat room" (even if the topic is sports, the medium is words)
some people refuse to allow their brain to exercise its wonderful interpretative powers so well demonstrated in above posts

[Seven77]

sepllnig = oevrreatd