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Spook E · Jun 28, 2007, 02:56 AM

Just watching the new iPhone vid where it shows how the keyboard works, and it struck me that you don't really need to know how to spell anymore. As long as you get close enough, the iPhone will tell you the word you are trying to spell, you confirm and off you go.

I know when I type, i've come to let MS Word change my spelling as i go, and i've probably gone down hill to some extent with my spelling. Which when translated to posting in threads etc, means i can come across as pretty poor with my language skills. So basically i've developed some lazy tendancies with this side of my language skills.

Is this, and SMS typing / language in general, the top of the slippery slope towards increased levels of illeteracy and all round brain laziness / stupidity?

analogika · Jun 28, 2007, 04:30 AM

The way the iPhone works, YOU theoretically still need to be able to spell.

It corrects typos, primarily.

Knowing how something is written but munging it up is very different from ignorance of spelling.

In fact, seeing the iPhone correct you enough times *might* actually have a teaching effect, IMO.

There have always been stupid people. Modern technology just gives them more ways to express themselves and communicate, whereas in the old days, they would have just sat in front of a piece of paper, pencil in hand, in quiet desperation.

Big Mac · Jun 28, 2007, 05:01 AM

In my case, spell check has helped my spelling to a major degree. I wasn't the greatest speller early on in elementary school, so initially spell check helped me out by showing me what was wrong and helping me to correct it. As time went on, the cumulative process of writing and revising caused me to memorize the spelling of certain harder-to-spell words and, more importantly, to gain an internal spelling framework so that at a certain point (some time in middle school) I no longer relied on spell check to fix my spelling but rather just to highly typos. (Additionally, as I typed more, especially in chat environments online, my keyboard speed and accuracy increased substantially.) So I think spelling technology helps in the vast majority of cases rather than hurts our innate spelling skills. As long as there is some sort of speed penalty for correcting a misspelled word, that penalty will encourage people not to make the same mistake in the future. I don't think the iPhone will be any different in this regard.

Dakarʒ · Jun 28, 2007, 08:52 AM

Less intelligent, no, lazy, maybe.

osiris · Jun 28, 2007, 09:14 AM

Kinda like like Dakar3 said, only I would change it from 'maybe' to no 'frickin doubt', but I would add stupid, too.

(there are a lot of intelligent, but stupid people out there - maybe it's called common sense. I dunno)

And I think as devices do more for us, we will use our brains less, and eventually lose all ability to do anything without consulting some electronic device.

Chuckit · Jun 28, 2007, 10:31 AM

It won't make us less intelligent. It won't make us lazier. It will simply allow us to express the laziness that has been there all along. Those of us who actually give a crap will still be able to spell, and those who never cared will continue not caring.

Dakarʒ · Jun 28, 2007, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

It will simply allow us to express the laziness that has been there all along.

...right.

Dakarʒ · Jun 28, 2007, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

Well, I mean, a lot of people blame their shitty spelling on spell-checkers. But I've been using spell-checkers since I was 10 and I can spell just fine — because I'm a geek and I actually care about that sort of stuff.

Anyway, people misspell things all the damn time on mobile phones as it is. This can only help.

I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm bitter because you split a hair on my post.

Edit: They really need to do something about these time-traveling posts.

Chuckit · Jun 28, 2007, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

...right.

Well, I mean, a lot of people blame their shitty spelling on spell-checkers. But I've been using spell-checkers since I was 10 and I can spell just fine — because I'm a geek and I actually care about that sort of stuff.

Anyway, people misspell things all the damn time on mobile phones as it is. This can only help.

besson3c · Jun 28, 2007, 11:14 AM

unfortunately, spell checkers won't help with their/there/they're, to/too, etc. and worst of all, the difference between "Apple's" and "Apples" or "CDs" and "CD's".

Dakarʒ · Jun 28, 2007, 11:14 AM

That's probably why they're called spellcheckers ad not grammarcheckers.

besson3c · Jun 28, 2007, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

That's probably why they're called spellcheckers ad not grammarcheckers.

No kidding, but I guess what I was trying to say was that alleged "learning effect" won't work for grammar, making the net effect of people who are lazy about the way they write probably about the same.

osiris · Jun 28, 2007, 11:21 AM

My reading comprehension and spellchecker abilities have diminished since I've been using the computer.
I think that once the brain is aware that there are spellcheckers, grammarcheckers, etc, the memory gets moved into long term storage. After a while, you need to re-learn these abilities.

Jun 29, 2007, 06:55 AM

While helping out in a first year college Government class, a class poll revealed that 30 students fresh out of high school didn't know who the Governor of our state was. More than half of those didn't know who the Vice President of the United States was. But, every student knew the latest goings-on of Paris Hilton. Needless to say, the first papers that were completed by the students made me cry. Spelling, sentence structure and nonsensical composition was what I would expect from a 10 year old. With a mental retardation.

I blame it squarely on technology and the horrid public education system.

MacosNerd · Jun 29, 2007, 07:39 AM

Technology has little to do with people's intelligence levels or the lack of there of. Its a result of the dumbing down of the education system to lowest common denominator. Standardized testing, and paying schools/school systems for the percentage of pupils that pass means that tests will not get harder but easier. With that its in the school system's best interest to show that their students are passing, however that doesn't mean they are learning.

As for technology helping you like spell and grammar checkers, I like the spell checker but the grammar checker seems to get in the way of what I'm trying to convey. That's not say I have grammar down pat but it sounds less awkward if I write it, then let grammar change some words around - that's just me.