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Spelling

(83 Posts)
Framilode Sat 16-Feb-19 08:39:00

Has anybody else found that their spelling has deteriorated as they have got older?

I used to be a really good speller and could 'see' words in my head. Now even fairly simple words I have used all my life I can have trouble with. Just old age or an early sign of dementia?

annep1 Sat 16-Feb-19 09:02:39

I was officially champion speller at school. But occasionally now I have trouble with words I never had a problem with before. ( like 'occasionally'!

Grannybags Sat 16-Feb-19 09:53:07

I was always good at spelling but it has deteriorated in the past few years. I blame predictive text!

MissAdventure Sat 16-Feb-19 09:54:44

Yes, I now have to think before spelling a word.
It used to be immediately obvious, but some words now take a lot of thought.

Marydoll Sat 16-Feb-19 10:00:37

Totally agree with all that has been said.
I'm embarrassed, as I was the go to person by colleagues querying the spelling of a word.

MiniMoon Sat 16-Feb-19 10:32:31

I always got 10/10 in spelling tests at school. We were talking about how we spell at Knit & Natter the other day. I can still spell very well and have no trouble remembering words. I do, however, have to spell in "baby letters", not the letter names, if you understand me. It takes me ages to spell a word out using letter names.

Framilode Sat 16-Feb-19 10:57:13

Glad it's just not me, ladies.

Shinyredcar Sat 16-Feb-19 11:09:22

Is it perhaps because we don't spell words or write them out the way we used to, because of our clever phones and tablets and computers in general?

If you wrote the word out by hand you would probably get it right like you used to. Being challenged by two or three alternatives by predictive text or a spelling program, makes it harder.

DGS is just starting to learn spellings and the glories (confusions!) of the many homophones even in simple reading books are causing him some grief.

How many of us actually remember phone numbers any more, because we don't have to? I struggle with my home phone number when asked. (Moved home too often!) My mobile is the same number I have had since my first phone and I have no problem with that.

I fear use-it-or-lose-it applies to spelling just as much as everything else they tell us about.

Greyduster Sat 16-Feb-19 11:18:10

Spelling has always been one of my strong points; probably because I am an avid reader. Recently, though, words which never used to present a problem are tripping me up. ‘Tomorrow’, for instance. I have sometimes taken to sticking an extra ‘m’ in it where it is not required. Now I have to think about it and it annoys me!

Greyduster Sat 16-Feb-19 11:26:21

Strange thing about numbers, though. For years I have had to look up my library card number and pin every time I want to use it. This entailed finding a piece of paper it was written on. Recently, having lost the piece of paper for a while, I decided to commit it to ‘notes’ on my phone. Since I have, I have not had to look it up once - it jumps into my head!

glammanana Sat 16-Feb-19 11:41:56

I was always 100% with my spelling,now I find myself looking at a word and second guessing myself and it seems to happen with everyday words.

Grandma70s Sat 16-Feb-19 12:15:10

I think I’m quite good at spelling, but there are a few words I have trouble with. Words ending in -ent or -ant I sometimes find tricky - I have to think about ‘independent’. Similarly -ible and -able can confuse me. I was shocked the other day when I got ‘permissible’ wrong, spelling it ‘permissable’.

American spellings make me cringe!

ninathenana Sat 16-Feb-19 12:22:08

Oh the joy of spell checker.

I'm another who sometimes finds I've lost the ability to spell without it.

I've turned off predictive, I find it very annoying.

Nonnie Sat 16-Feb-19 12:55:15

I find myself typing the wrong word with the same sound. This morning it was 'through' when it should have been 'threw' I hope I always spot it before sending but it could be I just have polite friends!

KatyK Sat 16-Feb-19 12:57:16

Yes. I have always been really good at spelling. Since I retired 10 years ago it has gone to pot. I had to be good at spelling really as I worked in an office, typing etc before the days of spell check. My DH is an intelligent man but his spelling has always been appalling. Some of the things he writes down are hilarious and he is forever ruining my crosswords by saying 'I'll finish this for you' and then spelling the words wrongly (is wrongly a word?). I can remember him saying to me once in a shop when he was writing a cheque 'how do you spell thirty?' grin

MacCavity2 Sat 16-Feb-19 16:41:51

Such a comfort to be in good company. Thought it was just me going to pot.

FarNorth Sat 16-Feb-19 16:46:49

Playing Scrabble or Bananagrams can help, I find.

Farmor15 Sat 16-Feb-19 16:57:17

It’s a pity there isn’t an opportunity for OP to edit the title of their thread. There have been a few badly misspelled titles which might be embarrassing to poster if they realise - but they may be completely oblivious.

I’ve always had a few words that I have difficulty spelling, but now with computer to check, it’s easier - especially since I’m a pedant??

EllanVannin Sat 16-Feb-19 17:02:29

I admit to double-checking a word before presenting it in a post. I was also a top 3 in spelling, but I suppose it keeps us on our toes which is no bad thing " at our time of life ".

Greyduster Sat 16-Feb-19 17:24:23

Love bananagrams, FarNorth!

watermeadow Sat 16-Feb-19 19:11:24

If spelling deteriorates with age whatever will happen to those on social media now when they grow old?
Those who want to sell there draws or where out las niht. Someone who text her bestie to say her Alsation was spaded.
Or she had her appendicks out and nearly past away.
In 25 years we’ll be only capable of three-letter words and no punctuation at all.

sodapop Sat 16-Feb-19 19:28:24

gringrin * Watermeadow*

annep1 Sun 17-Feb-19 06:28:38

??

Antonia Sun 17-Feb-19 10:07:35

I do think we are in danger of losing the richness of our language, and this is the fault of social media. Words are abbreviated, acronyms abound and predictive text takes over until messages become almost indecipherable. ( To me, anyway). On the plus side, fountain pens are still selling well, so who knows, we may even get back to writing letters one day!

PECS Sun 17-Feb-19 10:18:09

Yes! alwats checking spellings..was never great but feel like I have lost confidence!