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

[zortified.livejournal.com]

I am pozitave that I defanetely dont mispel any wurds thruout my coments. I am apauled at the insynooashun that I wuld.

You shud git of yur hi horse, misy!

[deannie.livejournal.com]

You totally get extra points in creative spelling for insinuation. I may cry at the beauty. Or the horror--haven't really decided which, yet. *snerk*

And the saddle on this high horse is actually quite comfortable--the view is spectacular. I believe I shall sit here a good, long time, thank you.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Amen, amen, aaaaamen!

(I perodically post a similar rant (http://kelliem.livejournal.com/130623.html).)

[kgoodbuddy.livejournal.com]

The "defiantly" thing slays me, and makes me wonder how in the hell she's actually pronouncing the word. Don't even get me started on the rampant misuse of apostrophes---I've seen apostrophe abuse on professionally painted signs, in magazines and newspapers, and frequently on television captions. Spellcheck has apparently murdered grammar;)

[minotaurs.livejournal.com]

"Definitely" is one of those words that just don't look right to me. I know that's how it's spelled... but I always have to go back and remind myself that it's correct.

[deannie.livejournal.com]

I know! There are so many of us unsung grammar whores around. *sigh*

By the way, your icon? Rocks. "Your stupid"? Brilliant!

[deannie.livejournal.com]

I just think sometimes people really don't see the words the way they are pronounced. I can't imagine she goes around saying "I defiantly see what you're saying now!"

Though perhaps she does. That would be sad.

And yes, spellcheck is evil. A dictionary, however, really is a grammar whore's best friend!

[deannie.livejournal.com]

Well, see, now you've completely fallen down on your job as a netizen. You actually go back and remind yourself that it's correct?

Tut, tut. If you were a good little netboy, you'd just leave it the way it was and tell me to just totally deal, okay? Spellings liek, not way important on the web. I should totaly know what you mean.

Well, that, and preface fanfic pieces with a disclaimer that says: "i just wrote this on my lunch hour. Not beta'ed [note use of apostrophe--WRONG]. don't bother telling me abouttypos because this is just a quick character thaing."

[leaper182.livejournal.com]

*hug*

[carta.livejournal.com]

I always, always, ALWAYS misspell definitely. In fact, I just did, and had to correct it. /o\ YOU STILL LOVE ME.

[deannie.livejournal.com]

I do indeed still love you--but that's because, like minotaurs, you actually bother to fix it when you spell it wrong.

trying to learn from your mistakes = love

*g*

[deannie.livejournal.com]

Thanks! *hugs back*

[eee1313.livejournal.com]

I had a teacher in high school whose major pet peeve was when you misspelled "separate." He had a huge banner hanging above the chalk board that read "There is 'a rat' in 'separate.'" If you misspelled it in a paper, then he had signs that he'd hang around your neck with the same slogan, and you had to wear it all day. He'd check in with your other teachers to make sure you were wearing it, and if he caught you not wearing it during passing period or whatever, he'd yell at you and make you wear it the next day.

I have never forgotten how to spell "separate."

[ximeria.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

That is all.

English is NOT my first language and even I cringe on a daily basis... If you're not proficient in English, then get a beta reader who is AND listen to said beta reader...

[ximeria.livejournal.com]

And to your list could be added:

we're vs were

breathe vs breath (which I see abused on a far too regular basis...)

[deannie.livejournal.com]

Ah separate. Now there's a word I used to have to check almost every single time I wrote it. Sadly, I did not have an English teacher who would hang the answer 'round my neck, so I had to learn it through checking it a million times.

Luckily, I can be taught... eventually :).

[deannie.livejournal.com]

You are, to me, one of those examples of people who actually LEARN their second languages! I swear, when I found out (after knowing you online for a while) that English wasn't your first language, I was astonished. And then I felt very stupid, because I can't spell, speak, or write any second language. Sadly, I must label myself as monolinguistic because I never learned in school what I should. *sob*

And yes, breath and breathe is one of my huge pet peeves. I like to pretend that people are lazy in regard to were vs. we're, and just leave the apostrophe out, but tragically, I think some of them think that's the way one spells we were as a contraction.

[kronette.livejournal.com]

*big grin*

"Lose" and "loose" will forever be my #1 pet peeve of online misspelled words. I cringe and skip over passages that have the correct use of "loose" because of this annoyance. Apparently Shepard is annoyed, too ;-)

I had to teach myself "separate" -- SepArAte has two A's (and that's how it sounds in my head). Cemetery has no A's. Secretary is "secret" and "ary" - whatever works to make sure I spelled words correctly! I wuz a graymehr horree iyn graad skul.

[ximeria.livejournal.com]

Awww *^.^* Thank you.

I think I had a talk online with snowdrop3100 at one point about the same topic. She's German but she's been my beta on more than one occasion. If you learn a second language, well enough, of course. You tend to stick closer to the rules you learned -- like grammar and spelling than if it's your own. I mean, you want bad Danish? XD you need a full-blood Dane for that *g*

Regarding breathe/breath my last beta (who's a Dane as well) giggled when sitting next to me and betaing one of my TW stories. I asked her what was wrong, and she said "I'm just amused that you get breathe and breath correct." I was in no way offended, I got what she meant right away. It throws me out of a story and these days, most Torchwood Fanfic writers suck at making the destinction between those two words. Not to mention we're/were and your/you're and don't get me started on their/they're XD

[bthebuff.livejournal.com]

Um, YES YOU DID - okay, not the sign thing, but SURELY you remember reading *A Separate Peace* (can't remember how to underline... it's been THAT long since I was on here) with Mr. ... Hurst? He drilled that into our heads from day one!

:)

Rock on with your bad grammar self!

[bthebuff.livejournal.com]

The one I have trouble with is license - I have to think "licensure" before I can get the /s/ and the /c/ in the right places. I also have trouble with words like involvement (which I just had to correct) and judgment (also just corrected) because I never know whether to leave in that middle /e/ or not. But otherwise, as a speller and all around grammar user, I rock. :) Which is one of the reasons I get to be your friend!

one more contribution

[bthebuff.livejournal.com]

I just dug this up and had to add it here. This was from the principal of the elementary school where my office was, and other than changing some names is unedited. Imagine the conversation sparked by this little gem:


-----Original Message-----
From: (The principal )
To: (The whole elementary school faculty )
Cc: (3 people in the administration building)
Sent: 1/27/2005 4:16 PM
Subject: Arousal in the faculty bathroom at (our elementary)

Dear (elementary) Staff:

As you probably know, Mrs. R has an allergy to arousal
bathroom freshners and that we had made one of the bathrooms arousal
free. This does not address the problem because sometimes the
designated bathroom is in use. Therefore, after speaking with (an administrator) and now that Mrs. R has stated an alternative to arousal spray, THERE WILL BE NO AROUSAL SPRAY IN THE FACULTY BATHROOMS. I DO N0T KNOW WHO BOUGHT THE PRESENT SPRAY; HOWEVER, NO FURTHER SPRAY IS TO BE USED OR BOUGHT FOR THOSE RESTROOMS.

THANK,
(the principal)

[deannie.livejournal.com]

Ah no, see, in my class with Mr. Hurst, we didn't have to read that one. Thankfully *shudders*.

Though he and Roberta were both awfully good at drilling things into your head through put downs and ridicule.

*sigh* Oh, how I miss the old days!

*not*

[deannie.livejournal.com]

Nothing will drop me out of a story (or drop a story from my desktop) faster than the main character yelling "Breath! Breath, damnit!" at someone who isn't breathing. *snerk* I don't know who's going to give him a breath, but knowing Jack, he could get it for nothing.

You note I did not say "for free" as that IS ALSO WRONG! *sigh*

[deannie.livejournal.com]

Well, my problem was not so much that I was born a grammar whore, but that my mother was a grammar whore and beat it into me.

Lose and loose are two words that I wish were not part of the English language, because their misuse gives me a headache and makes me cry. *sniffle*

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!

Re: one more contribution

[deannie.livejournal.com]

*sporfle*

I think you may have sent that to me the first time you got it, but good GOD, that is funny!

Seriously, people! This is a school! Don't you think the teenage boys and girls have enough arousal for everyone!?