I can't help that I think less of poor spellers

by gubberningbody 63 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Jim_TX

  I guess I am one who reads posts and wonders why there are so many misspelled words.

  It is becoming more prevalent in our society, too. Billboards, TV ads, etc. all are being invaded by words that are spelled wrong.

  But - according to the majority of the folks here... it's okay.

  One of my pet peeves is the use - or misuse of a word that started as slang - and now seems to be acceptable grammer...

  You disrespected me. (around here... usually followed by a gunshot.)

  Disrespected is a verb... not a noun... if I understand the dictonary correctly.

  Regards,

  Jim TX
• 

  FlyingHighNow

  It's a misuse of tense, right?
• 

  FlyingHighNow

  Disrespected should be used in the past tense shouldn't it. "He disrespected him elders." I don't think you're supposed to use it in the first person present tense. I could be wrong. But saying, "You disrespected me" isn't using proper grammar. I hear people that should know better using the word disrespected incorrectly all the time.
• 

  White Dove

  Parakeet,

  My mom noticed every misspelled word and called me on every one of them. In order for her to not laugh at me and compare me to my dad for "bad spelling," I had to edit everything I wrote down, even in brief notes on the backs of envelopes. She'd mock us both in front of family and friends. Now, I think my dad may be dyslexic.
• 

  parakeet

  White Dove,

  Wow. I had crabby English teachers who were nicer than that. I've got an ultra-critical dub mom, but at least she doesn't mess with my spelling.
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  kitten whiskers

  I have always tried to spell carefully, and have also found myself "insulted" since grade school over poor spelling.

  However, having a child with dyslexia and seeing the struggle to spell has given me a new outlook. It has taught me not to be such an uptight and judgemental person about it! I am changing my viewpoint and it is due to compassion and understanding that the written word is to communicate ideas. It's not right to judge a person's intellect based upon proper spelling. It is very wrong and self-righteous of me to that. It's all about compassion and attitude.

  When my child is in college, I will treasure any letter, no matter how poorly written!
• 

  White Dove

  I'm not picking on the typos or misspellings done by non-native English speakers/writers or accident or ignorance. I do that stuff all the time. My complaint is when it is obvious that the writer was lazy and careless.

  What am I supposed to think of teenagers and high school graduates that show their illiteracy, either real or faked, in their writing? It is a chore to read lazy text message writing. It is very distracting to find error after error in someone's writing.

  My professors ripped into students who left e-mail messages with errors in them that betrayed their laziness.

  How many found Reniaa's writing easy to read? She was the biggest offender I've ever come across, and she was supposed to be *English*!
• 

  White Dove

  Kitten Whiskers,

  Good point

  I can tell the difference between lazy/careless and innocent. There is a pattern that developes in the writing that gives it away. I can even tell deaf writing from hearing writing.
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  poppers

  These are what irritate me the most, though they grammatical in nature:

  Its indicates ownership, making it a possessive pronoun - there is no apostrophe! I have a new car and its color is red.

  It's is a contraction meaning it is - It's a shame I forgot your birthday.

  Substituting I for me or me for I. My brother and I have birthdays in May. (if you're not sure what to use trying saying it without "My brother" and it's obvious which to use). Please return the book to my wife or me. (if you're not sure what to use try saying it without "my wife" and it's obvious).

  Getting your and you're mixed up - if you want to say you are then use the contraction you're, otherwise use your.

  In my opinion none of these are difficult to remember, yet it seems that many people have difficulty with them.
• 

  White Dove

  Poppers,

  That is the sort of thing I'm talking about. It makes me shudder to think of how low standards have gotten in schools when I see people spelling "i" instead of "I." I'm talking about Facebook and sites like Hotmail where there's room to write it out and capitalize. How about when writers consistently don't space after a period?