Spelling

Yes - I also think the most important thing is to be understood.

Many people find writing quite difficult and it would be terrible if such people didn't post just because they worried someone would critisize their spelling and grammar.

Just remember that GabriellaG54 - not everyone finds it as easy as you do.

Maybe that poster whose spelling and grammar is not so perfect is an amazing artist or is a whizzo at mental arithmetic and has a successful business making thousands every month.

This is life. Nobody is good at everything.

It's pitifully ignorant and shameful to even think about judging anyone on their writing skills. Why on earth do people do this? It is the last thing that's even a sign of intelligence!

Honestly I have known people who think those who can't spell easily are non too bright! This is where madness lies.

showergelfresh Good post! In my opinion, it is better to post with errors, than not post at all. Some people need to show a little more tolerance.

I have a Masters in English language and literature and used to be an excellent speller. When I was teaching, colleagues used to come to me to check spelling and grammar.
However, nowadays (even on GN,) much to my embarrassment, I find myself making simple spelling errors, I'm not sure if it is an "age" thing or not. I hope I am not being judged on them.
Thank goodness for spellcheckers!!!

Shower-gel - Great post, I wholeheartedly agree!

Septimia - Using a keyboard with a new iPad I’m irritated that the capital I is no longer automatic. I had become used to it appearing without effort before i had the keyboard.
If you see what i mean!!

Goodpost Showergel......

Well done showergelfresh . I totally agree.

I haven't been here long but already I've had a PM from someone who told me they were in tears because their grammar had been criticised by a well-known poster who totally ignored the kernel of the message asking for help and instead got hind legs to point out her poor writing skills.

I wonder how many others simply slunk away in the face of such arrogance?

I used to work with people in a remedial reading class and realised there were so many different reasons why people cannot, however hard they try, spell correctly.

As someone who suffers from dyscalculia and was scorned, blamed and punished for it, I have learned to be a little more tolerant (I hope).

I'm the same Marydoll, previously always a good speller and now can have problems. I started a thread about this a few months ago and a lot of people wrote to say they had the same problem.

I do not appreciate any mistakes being corrected, however, and put it down to ignorance of the right way to behave.

I can't be the only one who has noticed that there are usually quite a few errors on the Pedants' Corner threads, made by people who are complaining about other people's use of language. ?

I find it very difficult not to correct spelling. However, I do fully accept that some find spelling more difficult than others, and that it is little do with intelligence. One of the brightest students I ever taught was an appalling speller. I think she was awarded a first class degree in spite of it, because her ideas and arguments were so brilliant. I’ve also known people with dull brains who are very good at spelling.

However, to say it doesn’t matter if the meaning is clear strikes me as a bit lazy. There’s no reason not to try to get it right. If doubtful about a word, check it. It’s so easy now, with everything available online. Be sure to use Oxford dictionaries rather than the American Merriam-Webster (unless you’re American, of course).

I think I’m quite a good speller, but I have some difficulty with -ible and -able, and (especially) -ent and -ant, so I would check words like ‘independent’ or ‘responsible’.

I have been with GN for many years and was picked up on spelling once and I have never forgotten it. I think it rude to have spelling and grammar corrected- think what you like but people have feelings so keep your thoughts to yourself.

Marydoll I blame the internet because I see so many people spell things wrongly that I begin to believe that is the correct way . I scream silently when someone asks for permission saying " is this alloud "

I consider myself to be a reasonably good speller. I make mistakes though and I noticed my mistake in my post yesterday: 'make' should have been 'makes'. My excuse is that English was the third language I learnt and keeping several languages on the go can be quite challenging.

I understand that some people find spelling/grammar difficult and I would normally just let it pass. However, I cannot agree with the idea that spelling doesn't matter as long as you get the message across. Surely we should aim to raise standards, not lower them.

To perhaps lift the tone (from the sublime to the ridiculous?)
I spotted this today

Thank you everyone for backing up my post.

Just to say a bit more...

The only thing to be encouraged is to write and post.

Ideas accumulate and a person needs to get it down.
Thinking about spellings and or grammar is constricting to this process.

Often grammar flows naturally if ideas are free flowing.
Spelling is another matter entirely. Having to stop mid flow and consider a spelling immediately stops all thought processes dead. It is a writing killer.

Whatever the case never let lack of confidence in your writing skills stop you posting on here or anywhere. Hold your head up and let us know what you think about things and let those ideas flow.

Don't write a big chunk but equally don't stress about where to break the chunk up - breaking it up makes it a bit easier on the eye.

Finally - I do this brilliant voluntary job to do with Literacy and children after school. Anyone can do it and its so well run and fun I can't begin to tell you so if you'd like to find out more please don't hesitate to message me.
Its not hardcore - loads of ridiculous references required - just the criminal records check - and remember it doesn't matter if you can't spell well!

P.S They always need lots of volunteers because its every day and one to one (which is the whole point.) Giving confidence is paramount - how fantastic is that?

I am so sorry some posters were critisized for their spelling on here by other posters. Who do those critical posters think they are?

I think I feel for this cause because my Dad was a scientist and I was rubbish at Science - I've always thought until recently that he thought I was rubbish.

P.P.S Or rather I thought I was rubbish just because I was no good at Science!
How ridiculous is that?

Showergelfresh I empathise with you. My dad was also a scientist, maths and physics were his subjects. I was hopeless at both and he used to give me private tuition. He used to get so frustrated that I couldn't grasp what came so easily to him. We all have different talents, what comes easily to one does not to another.

I have dyslexia and a very bad memory. I had a good education at school and passed my English O level (just). I have found that with age my spelling is getting worse. Many times I type something and then look at it and think ? not sure so look it up. Sometimes being corrected by others does not help. It can make you question yourself more and more. The end result is that you don’t write for fear of making mistakes. This has happened to me a lot. If I can write with a dictionary at hand that’s fine but if I am just required to write something on the spot I constantly have to re phrase what I am writing so I can use words I know how to spell. It is not just a matter of learning things and remembering them. My memory problems are nothing to do with dementia (I hope) but for some reason I just struggle to remember. I don’t really mind being corrected but as I said it makes me question myself more. Doesn’t stop me posting but might affect others.

My DH is an intelligent man who held a responsible management job all his working life. His spelling is appalling. He just can't grasp it. Even the simplest words leave him flummoxed. He was paying for something by cheque in a shop once and he said to me 'how do you spell thirty?: I have always been good at spelling. I had to be in my work. Since I have retired my spelling has suffered a bit. Also, my phone sometimes decides it knows better than me and I don't notice until I have posted/texted.

I dislike books which have American spellings such as defense, if someone has difficulty spelling I feel it would confuse them further.
I think on Line of Duty I heard someone say they needed a 'raise' instead of a 'rise'.
I'll go and sit in the corner.

Love it Maw

No need to stop in mid flow showergelfresh just go back and proof read. I agree though this is not the measure of someone's intelligence. If that was the case then my ability with numbers would put me somewhere at the bottom of the list.
It's just that as an avid reader I find these errors irritating, on here but even more so in books when the author is being paid for their work.

Very much agree about using paragraphs!

Large chunks of text often don't make for easy reading.

Brilliant writing Doodle -

Lovely KatyK - hope it hasn't stopped him writing.

sodapop -

I do think that often if you're told 'forget the spelling just get on with writing' the grammar ends up spot on because basically grammar is just the way you speak with all the pauses and so on in all the right places. Its the natural flow which makes good writing - from the heart in other words where you're not overthinking. OMG - shall I break this up or not? I usually do that after writing in a block...so my flow isn't affected...

Hmmmmmmmmm

Thanks Framilode and everyone. Very interesting thread.

Let's just hope that everyone reading this thread will realise and finally understand - really understand - that it is not only extremely poor internet etiquette, but also rude and arrogant to correct someone's grammar and or spelling.

You see? It's nothing to do with intelligence or intellect, and anyone having the cheek to correct another's errors is merely displaying their own ignorance

I think, as this is pedants corner, this is just the place to air ones irritation.
In a way it’s poking fun at ones own limitations.
It’s completely out of place elsewhere (for all the reasons put forward by shower gel and others).
Just another stick to beat others with!