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Posted

There is no real excuse for poor spelling in an on-line environment with instant spell-checking available. Choosing to deliberately not correct errors strikes me as inconsiderate to the reader.

Wait a moment.

There are two situations to be differentiated here.

 

A goofy writer masks results when autocorrected or checked by a program. But still a goofy writer. And perceived by a reader as 'intelligent' or 'educated' or 'conscious'

 

Autocorrections meant for typographical mistakes and grammar mistakes are not the same.

 

[ Typographical errors are not part of this discussion, I think. Should be about knowledgeable application of the language ]

Posted

A goofy writer masks results when autocorrected or checked by a program. But still a goofy writer. And perceived by a reader as 'intelligent' or 'educated' or 'conscious'

 

If someone writes nonsense then it will be recognised as nonsense, whether it is spelled correctly or not.

 

Autocorrections meant for typographical mistakes and grammar mistakes are not the same.

 

Which is why I specifically said "spelling". Also, typographical mistakes are not the only source of spelling errors.

 

Either way, refusing to correct ones spelling is rude to the reader.

 

[ Typographical errors are not part of this discussion, I think. Should be about knowledgeable application of the language ]

 

Then why introduce the subject?

Posted

There is no real excuse for poor spelling in an on-line environment with instant spell-checking available. Choosing to deliberately not correct errors strikes me as inconsiderate to the reader.

 

I disagree, if you haven't bothered to use spell-checker it just reflects badly on yourself. It would only be inconsiderate to the reader if the spelling was so atrocious that it was indecipherable and took the reader longer than usual to comprehend. However, I've rarely experienced this myself.

Posted

I disagree, if you haven't bothered to use spell-checker it just reflects badly on yourself. It would only be inconsiderate to the reader if the spelling was so atrocious that it was indecipherable and took the reader longer than usual to comprehend. However, I've rarely experienced this myself.

Try to keep in mind that (for a decent percentage of the membership population here and many lurkers arriving from a search result) English is not always a persons native tongue and reading even perfectly constructed sentences is still rather frequently a challenge for this group.
Posted

To me, words are like tools. Use the right ones correctly, and the job is done right. Use the wrong ones, or use the right ones incorrectly, and you've mucked the job up.

 

When words fit the right pattern, when spelled correctly, and when used cleverly, they convey meaning without distraction. If you want to make your reader smile, or focus concern, or just about anything else you can do with words, misspellings can act as a deterrent. Your words should smoothly build understanding in the direction you intend, and misspellings are like rocks on the racetrack.

 

I love reading. Like the movies, I always want to ignore the technical stuff and focus on the meanings, the plot, the characters, or the information being delivered. Little distractions that take me out of that moment are frustrating.

 

Does anyone else hate watching movie trailers before you see the movie? When a bit from the clips in the trailers comes up in the movie, my mind wants the whole sequence to be played out like the trailer. It makes me start thinking about the other clips, and takes me away from what's going on now. Misspellings affect me similarly.

 

Btw, I'm just a bit paranoid that I've misspelled something in this post. Can you go to jail for violating Skitt's Law?

Posted (edited)

Try to keep in mind that (for a decent percentage of the membership population here and many lurkers arriving from a search result) English is not always a persons native tongue and reading even perfectly constructed sentences is still rather frequently a challenge for this group.

I think it goes without saying that if English isn't your first language people wouldn't judge you negatively. However, spelling and grammar check is just as available to EFL\ESL speakers as it is native speakers. If their English is elementary, then most likely they'd be frequenting sites in their own native language.

Edited by Sirona
Posted

Well, there is also the matter of having a bad conscience due to spending too much time here. As an offset, I mostly write fast without really double-checking the post. I realize that it is not ideal, but at least it gives me less anxiety.

Posted

Maybe bad spelling signifies a lack of OCD in the author more than it does a lack of intelligence. :D

Posted

Well, there is also the matter of having a bad conscience due to spending too much time here. As an offset, I mostly write fast without really double-checking the post. I realize that it is not ideal, but at least it gives me less anxiety.

As far as I'm concerned, misspelling is not a problem unless it obscures the intent and meaning. Although I double check I don't get too hung up if it's clear what I'm trying to say, when I find more errors after. I note that nearly everybody has a typo or misspell somewhere in longish posts.... as alluded earlier, we must be mindful of Skitt's Law.

Posted

Also context. Posting on a forum where people may or may not read your post has different requirements than e.g. job applications where you not only want the receiver to read it, but to use it to create an opinion of you.

Posted

Senseless English, that beyond having to memorize every word spelling, this crooked contraption of letters were invented :

attachicon.gifScreenshot from 2016-02-25 16:12:16.png

 

Why writing 'Pronunciation' if writing 'prə-nŭn'-sē-ā′-shən would express it properly ? Some day I hope to find a literature something written entirely with that method / characters, whatever they are called. :)

They did that when I was at primary school

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_Teaching_Alphabet

 

And we stopped using it when we grew up a bit.

Posted (edited)

If I may, I cringe at my own errors. The words in my mind too often reach my impatient fingers phonetically as I type in haste for fear of a lost thought--a peril of old age.

 

PN: I started typing parole for peril--geez I'm old.

Edited by DrmDoc
Posted

Although I've never had a problem with spelling, I have poor handwriting skills (although this is a fine motor problem, unlike spelling). I can type fast with almost no errors, text and swipe with no difficulty, however my handwriting is slow and often not legible. I remember always dreading writing exams at school and university because even though I had no difficulty with the work, I always ran out of time due to slow handwriting.

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