The problem with pedantry (light-hearted)

That happens quite a lot here.

Im a pedants nightmare. I forget apostrophes or worse still (for the pedant) misuse them. My ability to use commas leaves a lot to be desired so I have been known to write sentences that are even longer than Thomas Hardy's. On the upside I know the difference between Pacific and specific so I don't upset everyone

Gold star for you then vampirequeen

I find that when I check like that Newbiegran I end up second guessing myself and still get it wrong,

I remember watching a David Mitchell Soapbox video on Standards of spelling some years back with husband and both nodding vigorously at the line "We will judge you. We won't tell you we will judge you. But we will"
Unfortunately I am in a dilemma, because as well as being a pedant I am also a linguist and I recognise language is an ever-changing thing and that some things we did not accept previously, we really ought to consider accepting now. I struggle with it

If you use a computer to write there is so much help available, for spelling and grammar at least. When using Word, I even have a wavy blue line because it does not like me using contractions, such as doesn't.
The box in the bottom left hand corner, Type here to search, is wonderful.

Some wonderful “funnies“ out there on the subject , such as this!

Do not struggle - just ask yourself: have I understood what this sentence means? If the meaning is clear without the pedant's spelling and punctuation, then all is well and you can relax.

The trouble about Microsoft's spell checker and grammar ditto is that they are often wrong!

MawB I wonder if his colon is the problem.

Haha MawB!
You have to make sure you have the correct version of English for your spellchecker too - US or GB or you might get told you are wrong when you are simply on the other site of the Atlantic.
In my job I have to write a lot and I need to write in an informal style, so I have got used to ignoring many of Word's wavy blue lines.. On the other hand it helps me massively when I write in other langugages because you can put it into a different language and it will highlight something I might have missed by simply not being a native speaker.

When l read comments like this my heart sinks! Having three dyslexic children, whom despite their spelling difficulties are doing well in their respective careers, this judgemental attitude causes them no end of trouble. Now my dear loving and talented 7 year old granddaughter is facing the same problems, so we are now facing more years of anguish over schoolwork and spelling. So please all you people who erroneously believe spelling shows how intelligent you are, spare a thought for the effect of your ridiculous attitude on others who suffer with this blight on their learning!

It’s the spellchecker that gets me on here! Today I typed in sanitiser and it change it as I typed to sanitizer then put red dots under it to tell me I was wrong. Those ‘chat with our online help’ sites that do not automatically change i into I also drive me mad.

Changed it as I typed not change it . . . ! Serves me right for not checking!

Helenmabr My daughter and two grandchildren are dyslexic. Two have tinted glasses which help greatly, both schools now print their school work on the colour of paper that helps them read more easily. It has been a long
struggle but it really does help them. They get extra time in exams too.

I am a proof editor for an educational book publisher. I find it is an occupational hazard as I notice every small error when reading a book, newspaper or magazine.

So true!

Picture showed in Preview and disappeared when I posted!

Funny you should post just now as I have been feeling very much the same way recently. Or should that be: I have recently been feeling very much the same way? Or: Recently I have been feeling very much the same way? Maybe there should be a comma after 'Recently'? ... I'm a former English teacher and dyslexia specialist, so if anyone should know, I should... I find, just lately, I am questioning myself the whole time, double checking spellings, etc. etc. I wonder if it's partly due to age or whether typing is the problem. Using your hand to write means the kinesthetic sense is deployed and it's sometimes a good idea to write it with your eyes closed and then check!
I used to be so damned confident!

You might like this, if you've never heard it before:
"Who led the pedants' revolt?"
"Which Tyler!"

I'm the only good speller in a large family of dyslexics. I don't judge them, but do the people who ought to know better.
I nearly wet myself when I heard a barrister [no less] saying that most people were very articulated, when interviewed by the BBC. My then 8 y.o. DD laughed her head off and said that she was articulated too - "Look, I can bend my arms!"

I have Alexa by my side and ask her words that I am not sure of. So far, so good.

DotMH1901
Yes l know it helps a few dyslexic children, we have already tried the coloured overlays/ paper approach and seen a specialist but it only works for a few children who have pattern sensitivity and sometimes tendency to migraines. Which is not the answer for all. It’s a long hard slog for them l am afraid 😢

With my son, I tried all sorts of strategies to teach him the difference with "here" and "hear" for example. On the whole, he is pretty good these days... We didn't have coloured glasses etc., in his day.