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tracheopterix · Nov 20, 2003, 06:09 PM

I am not a good speller[/tragedy]
I often notice people making *witty* jabs about poor spelling in these forums. I don't like it. It's far too wide spread, and not a legit source of comedy IMHO. It's old and tired. I could go on about this.

einmakom · Nov 20, 2003, 06:28 PM

But you also know how to prevent yourself from being the target of it- make a little effort to either learn to spell correctly or check your writing for mistakes.

People take your writing more seriously when you present your ideas well. Spelling is one component of presenting your ideas and thoughts well.

Timo · Nov 20, 2003, 06:28 PM

like most things, it occasionally has its uses

dtriska · Nov 20, 2003, 06:30 PM

I don't understand why people have trouble spelling very basic words. If English isn't your native language, you're pardoned. Otherwise, get a dictionary. They're free on the Internet.

My English teachers made this very clear. Either they pay attention to your ideas in a paper, or they pay attention to your spelling. The former got you marks, while the latter lost you marks.

Jens Peter · Nov 20, 2003, 06:34 PM

Sometimes it can be reallt annoying. I like if people are correcting you in a polite way, not making fun of the writer.
My native language is not english, and I probaly make a lot of mistakes, but if we all just could start speak Danish, I could be the one correcting everyone.

But hey, I'm trying, and I think I'm improving all the time....

petehammer · Nov 20, 2003, 06:37 PM

Originally posted by Jens Peter:
Sometimes it can be reallt annoying. I like if people are correcting you in a polite way, not making fun of the writer.
My native language is not english, and I probaly make a lot of mistakes, but if we all just could start speak Danish, I could be the one correcting everyone.
But hey, I'm trying, and I think I'm improving all the time....

Also, there is a difference between being nice and being a jerk. You mispelled "really", which is obviously a typo. No one bats an eye UNLESS they want to use it against you and say "At least I can spell really, you moron."

People make typos. It happens. Some people are consistently bad spellers and should work on it. There is a big difference between the two.

Xeo · Nov 20, 2003, 06:51 PM

Originally posted by petehammer:
Also, there is a difference between being nice and being a jerk. You mispelled "really", which is obviously a typo. No one bats an eye UNLESS they want to use it against you and say "At least I can spell really, you moron."

People make typos. It happens. Some people are consistently bad spellers and should work on it. There is a big difference between the two.

Exactly. There are the people who don't try and there are the people who miss a letter every now and then.

tracheopterix · Nov 20, 2003, 06:54 PM

Next time I submit a scholarly work, believe me it will be spelled correctly. Next time I post in The Macnn Lounge "Dolphin-safe. Not tested on animals." I won't waste my time with spelling. I agree people take your ideas more seriously when your spelling is good, I think this is a mistake. Mistaken correlation: bad spelling=bad idea. Surly there is a vague urge for me to better myself in the spelling arena and occasionally I make an effort to do so, but there is no cause for people to be snotty about spelling in this lounge. That's my point.

Macfreak7 · 07:03 PM

wut abt tha annoying kunts dat like 2 spell like dis?
kyoot spellings.

Like dtriska said, why is it so hard to spell correctly, or at least look up the spelling if you're unsure. If you can't spell well, or your grammar sucks, it's just going against your credibility. No one's perfect, but spellings are too basic to be pardonable, especially when written or typed.

Oh, let's not forget syntax. That's at the bottom of the list though.

Phanguye · Nov 20, 2003, 07:03 PM

i think we can group this people the the people that save that one letter to look cool... like "ne"... god forbid you waste the time with the extra letter

Krusty · Nov 20, 2003, 07:04 PM

Gee ... doesn't everyone use Safari and "Check spelling as you type" now ??

MdntCommercial · Nov 20, 2003, 07:05 PM

I know Trecheopteryx(sp?) and trust me, one of the original minds of our time!

tracheopterix · Nov 20, 2003, 07:34 PM

Originally posted by Krusty:
Gee ... doesn't everyone use Safari and "Check spelling as you type" now ??

WHOA, musta missed that function. that's awesum, tanks dood! for seriousness, its g�d!

(honestly didn't know that was there)

Timo · Nov 20, 2003, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by tracheopterix:
Next time I submit a scholarly work, believe me it will be spelled correctly. Next time I post in The Macnn Lounge "Dolphin-safe. Not tested on animals." I won't waste my time with spelling.

This is an odd idea -- with spell checks, just how much time is being wasted? Or, considering the function of the Lounge, isn't everything posted here a "waste" of time by definition?

I agree people take your ideas more seriously when your spelling is good, I think this is a mistake. Mistaken correlation: bad spelling=bad idea.

So you agree people take your ideas more seriously when they're spelled correctly, yet posit this is a mistake by these people?

Flip it around: if you have a good idea, wouldn't you want to give it the best chance to be understood and accepted?

Poor spelling is sometimes evidence of a lack of knowledge --say by someone for whom English is not a native language. Other times it's evidence of a learning disability. But sometimes it's merely evidence of a hazy or lazy idea. That is, sometimes the sloppiness of the spelling and grammar aptly characterizes the sloppiness of the idea being presented.

Seeing that poor spelling can happen for many reasons, why tax your reader in trying to figure if you're either foreign, lazy or disabled? Just put your best foot forward -- it can't really hurt.

Surly there is a vague urge for me to better myself in the spelling arena and occasionally I make an effort to do so, but there is no cause for people to be snotty about spelling in this lounge. That's my point.

There's no cause for people to be snotty in general -- but some folks just...can't...resist (and would end a post like this with "and don't call me Shirley, or surly").

voyageur · Nov 20, 2003, 09:07 PM

Some of the best humor in this pubic forum are the misspellings.

tracheopterix · Nov 20, 2003, 09:13 PM

Originally posted by Timo:
<snip>
So you agree people take your ideas more seriously when they're spelled correctly, yet posit this is a mistake by these people?

Flip it around: if you have a good idea, wouldn't you want to give it the best chance to be understood and accepted?

Poor spelling is sometimes evidence of a lack of knowledge --say by someone for whom English is not a native language. Other times it's evidence of a learning disability. But sometimes it's merely evidence of a hazy or lazy idea. That is, sometimes the sloppiness of the spelling and grammar aptly characterizes the sloppiness of the idea being presented.

Seeing that poor spelling can happen for many reasons, why tax your reader in trying to figure if you're either foreign, lazy or disabled? Just put your best foot forward -- it can't really hurt.
<snip>

Not exactly. I said it's a mistake to assume that something incorrectly spelled contains poorly thought-out material. Surely it can be an indicator of the characteristics you've mentioned, but it's been my experience in many cases bad spelling has not a thing to do with intelligence, or quality of thought. So it is a mistake by these people. On the other hand, of course I would try to give my ideas the best chance to be understood and accepted, so when it counts I'll spend the time on grammar, spelling etc..
Here's the thing: I don't waste my brain cells picking over spelling in casual environments. Maybe that's a subjective opinion, but when I read someone's post and they misspell something easy, it does not immediately make me discredit, or begin to discredit their thought; perhaps it will make me chuckle, but I don't prejudge in that way.

So I think it is anal when folks bring up spelling mistakes in these forums. Do you disagree? I mean seriously, we're having a discussion about the way we eat corn on the cob and some schmuck posts: "blah, blah, blah you misspelled blah, blah." If it is creatively said and is funny okay, I can bust balls with the rest of them, but mostly it is just anal and annoying to me. It brings bad vibes for no valid reason.

Are you feeling me?

tracheopterix · Nov 20, 2003, 09:15 PM

Originally posted by voyageur:
Some of the best humor in this pubic forum are the misspellings.

well, maybe I'm being to anal myself. i guess it can be funny

tintub · Nov 21, 2003, 09:53 AM

Originally posted by petehammer:
Also, there is a difference between being nice and being a jerk. You mispelled "really", which is obviously a typo. No one bats an eye UNLESS they want to use it against you and say "At least I can spell really, you moron."

People make typos. It happens. Some people are consistently bad spellers and should work on it. There is a big difference between the two.

You misspelled misspelled

rjenkinson · Nov 21, 2003, 10:20 AM

Originally posted by tracheopterix:
I am not a good speller[/tragedy]

i would like to take this opportunity to say i dislike fake HTML tags as much as misspelled words. they're cheesy.

thank you.

-r.

philzilla · Nov 21, 2003, 10:29 AM

i notice most of the repeat offenders haven't posted in this thread yet (i have a list of 4 main culprits). how queer.

Gankdawg · Nov 21, 2003, 10:37 AM

Originally posted by einmakom:
But you also know how to prevent yourself from being the target of it- make a little effort to either learn to spell correctly or check your writing for mistakes.

People take your writing more seriously when you present your ideas well. Spelling is one component of presenting your ideas and thoughts well.

What he said.

DBursey · Nov 21, 2003, 10:56 AM

The poll choices presented here contain two spelling errors and a similar number of grammatical errors.

tracheopterix · Nov 21, 2003, 11:14 AM

Originally posted by DBursey:
The poll choices presented here contain two spelling errors and a similar number of grammatical errors.

Thanks, you've proved my point exactly.

Cipher13 · Nov 21, 2003, 11:20 AM

Originally posted by tracheopterix:
Thanks, you've proved my point exactly.

Proven.

Kilbey · Nov 21, 2003, 12:12 PM

Originally posted by Cipher13:
Proven.

Hilarious!!!

Anyone seen Super[c]hick?

rjenkinson · Nov 21, 2003, 12:18 PM

Originally posted by Cipher13:
Proven.

not so fast: "The past participle proven, originally the past participle of preve, a Middle English variant of provethat survived in Scotland, has gradually worked its way into standard English over the past three and a half centuries. It seems to have first become established in legal use and to have come only slowly into literary use. Tennyson was one of its earliest frequent users, probably for metrical reasons. It was disapproved by 19th century grammarians, one of whom included it in a list of "words that are not words." Surveys made some 40 or 50 years ago indicated that proved was about four times as frequent as proven. But our evidence from the last 20 or 25 years shows this no longer to be the case. As a past participle proven is now about as frequent as proved in all contexts. As an attributive adjective <proved or proven gas reserves>proven is much more common than proved." (from http://www/m-w.com/)

philzilla · Nov 21, 2003, 12:28 PM

Originally posted by Kilbey:
Anyone seen Super[c]hick?

he's in that Top 4 i mentioned in my post.

wdlove · Nov 21, 2003, 12:32 PM

Originally posted by Krusty:
Gee ... doesn't everyone use Safari and "Check spelling as you type" now ??

I'm still using Mac OS 9.2.2. I try my best to spell correctly. Some of mine is due to my typing skills.

DBursey · Nov 21, 2003, 12:34 PM

Originally posted by tracheopterix:
Thanks, you've proved my point exactly.

LOL!!

Great fun, guys.

In english there are four main anterior participles which distinguish the attributive from the predicative (verb-like) form. In our case, proven is the correct attributive form, while proved is the corresponding predicative form. Either can be used within the correct context, although the attributive form is the norm in contemporary spoken english.

tracheopterix · Nov 21, 2003, 12:41 PM

HA! I feel the power surging through my veins!
Thank the lord for grammar!!

Have you ever watched the spelling bees on ESPN? Really great viewing, those kids can spell! What sportsmanship!!

DBursey · Nov 21, 2003, 12:49 PM

With apologies to Dog Eat Dog, I'd like to see a spelling bee whereby each contestant runs on a stationary treadmill suspended high above a pool of ice-water. Each time a word is misspelled, the offending participant's treadmill speeds up! The last one standing will have demonstrated their superiority in both vocabulary and cardiovascularity.

GoGoReggieXPowars · Nov 21, 2003, 12:49 PM

there's no one i hate more on this board than mixin visuals
he types all in lower case and his sentences run on and on with no regard to anyone who actually tries to read what he's writing

Man, that was painful!

As far as I'm concerned, if you can't make the effort to make your ideas presentable, they're not worth looking at. It takes very little effort to properly capitalize your sentences, and only helps make them more readable.

Typos? Happens all the time. But if you can't be arsed to figure out what you should have learned in elementary school (they're, their, there; to, two, too; etc.), then you should simply be ignored.

I find a lot of the crappy spelling and writing comes from people who think they're in a race to post quickly.

In the end it's about communicating clearly: if you can't be bothered, then why should I?

dav · Nov 21, 2003, 12:52 PM

Originally posted by tracheopterix:
well, maybe I'm being to anal myself. i guess it can be funny

too anal

tracheopterix · Nov 21, 2003, 12:55 PM

Originally posted by dav:
too anal

correct, too anal.

dav · Nov 21, 2003, 12:58 PM

Originally posted by tracheopterix:
correct, too anal.

tracheopterix · Nov 21, 2003, 01:00 PM

Originally posted by GoGoReggieXPowars:
there's no one i hate more on this board than mixin visuals
he types all in lower case and his sentences run on and on with no regard to anyone who actually tries to read what he's writing

Man, that was painful!

As far as I'm concerned, if you can't make the effort to make your ideas presentable, they're not worth looking at. It takes very little effort to properly capitalize your sentences, and only helps make them more readable.

Typos? Happens all the time. But if you can't be arsed to figure out what you should have learned in elementary school (they're, their, there; to, two, too; etc.), then you should simply be ignored.

I find a lot of the crappy spelling and writing comes from people who think they're in a race to post quickly.

In the end it's about communicating clearly: if you can't be bothered, then why should I?

anal, dumb (don't take it personally, I just disagree). again proving my point: ignore people because they can't spell well. Spelling is a talent that when missing does not imply the lack of all talent, it's kinda prejudicial to think that way, and shortsighted.

rjenkinson · Nov 21, 2003, 01:03 PM

spelling is not a talent, it's a skill. you can't teach people a talent.

-r.

tracheopterix · Nov 21, 2003, 01:10 PM

Originally posted by rjenkinson:
spelling is not a talent, it's a skill. you can't teach people a talent.

-r.

I think I disagree, some people have a talent for spelling, some don't. You can always improve on a talent or on a talent you lack. Then it becomes a skill. Or a skilled talent

philzilla · Nov 21, 2003, 01:18 PM

Originally posted by GoGoReggieXPowars:
there's no one i hate more on this board than mixin visuals
he types all in lower case and his sentences run on and on with no regard to anyone who actually tries to read what he's writing

you forgot to mention that
complete retard, catsank/benign who
thinks he's being all clever or
something, by typing like this

philzilla · Nov 21, 2003, 01:21 PM

Originally posted by tracheopterix:
I think I disagree, some people have a talent for spelling, some don't. You can always improve on a talent or on a talent you lack. Then it becomes a skill. Or a skilled talent

you think you disagree? well, in that case, you should have waited until you had reached a decision, before questioning r's point (which is correct), rather than diving in like that.

tracheopterix · Nov 21, 2003, 01:24 PM

Originally posted by philzilla:
you think you disagree? well, in that case, you should have waited until you had reached a decision, before questioning r's point (which is correct), rather than diving in like that.

LOL

Kilbey · Nov 23, 2003, 05:00 PM

Originally posted by tracheopterix:
I think I disagree, some people have a talent for spelling, some don't. You can always improve on a talent or on a talent you lack. Then it becomes a skill. Or a skilled talent

Why are you so defensive of the lazy? It's laziness that causes someone to not learn how to spell correctly.

dillerX · Nov 23, 2003, 05:47 PM

Originally posted by Kilbey:
Why are you so defensive of the lazy? It's laziness that causes someone to not learn how to spell correctly.

whaet?

Kilbey · Nov 23, 2003, 05:57 PM

Originally posted by dillerX:
whaet?

Soooo phunny.

dillerX · Nov 23, 2003, 05:58 PM

Originally posted by Kilbey:
Soooo phunny.

umm, u spelt that wrong.

Kilbey · Nov 23, 2003, 06:00 PM

Originally posted by dillerX:
umm, u spelt that wrong.

LOL... HA ha so did u!!!

Man, is this lame or what?

dillerX · Nov 23, 2003, 06:02 PM

Originally posted by Kilbey:
LOL... HA ha so did u!!!

Man, is this lame or what?

whaet?

Kilbey · Nov 23, 2003, 06:43 PM

Originally posted by dillerX:
whaet?

+1

dillerX · Nov 23, 2003, 06:46 PM

Originally posted by Kilbey:
+1

Does that mean you give up?

Kilbey · Nov 23, 2003, 06:53 PM

Originally posted by dillerX:
Does that mean you give up?

+1

Yup, you win.