Lose or loose, confusion over spelling

sodapop

It's strange isn't it, spelling errors jump out at me immediately but I would never notice a whole page of numerical errors.

Agreed re the spellings. It’s probably because we’re more often faced with words or lines of text or even pages of text than we are with pages of numbers unless it’s part of your job.

The maths pedants are catching up though.

Scarcely a visit to Facebook passes without a post from someone trying to catch you out solving a maths problem if you don’t use BODMAS, or PEMDAS if you’re from the USA.
The scorn and ridicule heaped on those who quite obviously don’t, is as bad if not worse than the language pedantry pick ups.

It's strange isn't it, spelling errors jump out at me immediately but I would never notice a whole page of numerical errors.

Thankyou for the explanation re' present ' I will spell it correctly from now on

Marmin

If I may ( as a retired english teacher) add a tangential observation: there is quite a stigma attached to having spelling issues in this (UK) country but nobody cares if your mental arithmetic is poor.

Since childhood I have had great difficulties with maths to the extent I would call it undiagnosed dyscalculia. It has held me back exam wise and I can get very anxious over money matters and anything pertaining to maths. Teachers couldn’t understand how I could be gifted at essay writing and in the art class and made my life a misery at times, as they thought I was just not trying.

No problems with English and I’m an avid bookworm.
I’m not sure why the stigma over spelling is so prevalent.

bonbons01

*Kircubbin*, you are correct, presant is not a word/spelling in Modern English, but it was in Middle English.

Are you sure about that?
The word "present" (as in in the now, a gift, to give) is a Middle English word, entering English from French and Latin around the 13th-14th centuries, used for the time, being present, and the act of presenting, appearing in texts like Chaucer's and other Middle English writings
Here's a breakdown of its Middle English usage
Time (Noun): "c. 1300, 'the present time, time now passing “
Adjective: From Middle English present(e), meaning "being present," from Old French/Latin root.
Verb: Middle English presenten, also from French/Latin, meaning "to give, show, present ".
As a Gift (Noun): "Present" (as a gift) also appears in Middle English from the 1200s
So, when you see words like "present" in older texts, you're encountering a word that's been part of the English language since the Middle English period (roughly 1150-1500)

Oxford English Dictionary
No “-ant”:endings as far as I can see.

LauraNorderr

Magenta8

Being dyslexic goodness nose how many words I spell incorrectly without realising. I must get right up the pedants' knowses every time I post.

Assuming your humour is intentional, I love this post.

I am genuinely dyslexic and I have to rely heavily on the spell check.

Yes I was trying to be funny and I am glad you found it amusing.

welbeck That's very true, I had forgotten that fact.

Kircubbin, you are correct, presant is not a word/spelling in Modern English, but it was in Middle English.

But for many modern people it just doesn't matter.
I'm surprised that anyone is surprised at these errors or confusions.
I think GNers forget that they are not a representative sample of over 50s.
GN seems to attract a disproportionate number of professional people.
In the population as a whole even among over 50s they would be a minority.
I can't understand the annoyance or disdain.

Presant isn't a word.

eazybee

It is the work of seconds to use the search engine if uncertain of how to spell a word. Much easier than a dictionary.

The thing here is though that these people think they know how to spell the word. If corrected they get very annoyed

Magenta8

Being dyslexic goodness nose how many words I spell incorrectly without realising. I must get right up the pedants' knowses every time I post.

Assuming your humour is intentional, I love this post.

My DH can't spell, he's a Yorkshire man, doesn't pronounce 'h' and spells accordingly. But, he's highly educated and a whizz at maths whereas I can't get the same answer twice.

With some people it's a lack of education, but some, like my DH, just can't do it.

Some years ago I was appalled when one of my Facebook friends, a boy who had spent 2 years in my class, got 'it's' and 'its' wrong.

I know he should have known it, since he had spent hours on grammar in my class.

I'm sure I was taught this in school . Yet nowadays the word presant ( a gift) is spelt present . I'm confused . Please put my mind at rest .

Present - as in time - now
Presant - gift

Magenta8

kircubbin2000

I don't think these people are dyslexic just uneducated. Probably never read a book.

I'm reading a William Boyd book and in the first chapter I've already had to look up 2 words!

No one minds a typo or slip up but it's very annoying to see so many people with such a poor standard of spelling.

kircubbin2000 I read as many, if not more books than the average GN and my spelling is appalling.

By the way, I recommend "An Ice Cream War," "Any Human Heart" and "The Blue afternoon."

My husband was the same as you Magenta with his reading and spelling.

eazybee

It is the work of seconds to use the search engine if uncertain of how to spell a word. Much easier than a dictionary.

Just make sure the spelling you find isn’t American - unless, of course, you are American.

kircubbin2000

I don't think these people are dyslexic just uneducated. Probably never read a book.

I'm reading a William Boyd book and in the first chapter I've already had to look up 2 words!

No one minds a typo or slip up but it's very annoying to see so many people with such a poor standard of spelling.

kircubbin2000 I read as many, if not more books than the average GN and my spelling is appalling.

By the way, I recommend "An Ice Cream War," "Any Human Heart" and "The Blue afternoon."

It is the work of seconds to use the search engine if uncertain of how to spell a word. Much easier than a dictionary.

If I may ( as a retired english teacher) add a tangential observation: there is quite a stigma attached to having spelling issues in this (UK) country but nobody cares if your mental arithmetic is poor.

I notice these mistakes all the time, and find it very hard not to correct them.

There’s rarely any logic in English spelling, because of its complex derivations, so it just has to be learnt and memorised.

Our education minister speaks like that.

Sorry, Petra

Charleygirl 😂

Charleygirl5

I saw the best one today on my local Nextdoor. Jell ussy for jealousy. After 30minutes scrawling down Nextdoor, I almost forgot how to spell my name.

That is exactly how a dyslexic person would write it, plus English might not be their first language.
I’m thankful that you can’t see how my friends son writes cant

Just seen on FB horror of horrors - I could of went