Words That You Should Be Able to Spell

[deannie]

or, Why I Hate the Internet and the Failure of Education

So, just because people are massively ticking me off with this lately, a list of words one should be able to spell if one's first language (or even second language, if one were to call oneself proficient) is English:

• Definitely
  This word is not definatly, definetly, or, an amusing one I came across today, defiantly (I quote: "...had the pain continued all night, I would have defiantly called my doctor." *nods* That's right. You go, girl--show that doctor.). The word is definitely definitely.
• Don't
  There is no word in the English language spelled dont. If what you meant to say was do not, then an apostrophe is required to denote that you have removed the letter o from the second word and conflated the two words into a contraction. I don't think I should have to tell you this again, yes?
• Throughout
  I don't care what you say, the word through is spelled t-h-r-o-u-g-h. Really it is. Thru is a "word" (and I use that term very loosely) that should be seen only on the signs for fast food restaurants--or never, as far as I'm concerned. Therefore, throughout should be spelled just as I have done so in this sentence. Please. I beg you.
• Positive
  No matter how you pronounce it, this word is never spelled posative, positave, or pasative. Of this, I am positively certain.

Okay all. Grammar and spelling rant done for the day. Maybe I should try to start up my grammar lessons again. They were kind of fun!

Well, for me, anyway. :)

Comments

Re: Rock on with your bad grammar self!

[deannie.livejournal.com]

Indeed, because I'd've dropped you like a hot potato in elementary school if you weren't a whore like me *snerk*.

The ones that get me are indexes vs. indices and acknowledgments vs. acknowledgements. The first in each example is the way things are spelled in educational writing. Indices is a spelling used almost exclusively in science and mathematics, though I've used it myself in other contexts, and acknowledgements is a variant spelling that, in my line of business is considered wrong. Even though it's not.

*sigh*

It are HARD beings a grammar whore!