Why are some people so keen to point out spelling errors and ridicule us at the same time?

Question

Surely we all make the odd mistake. I spelt fourty instead of forty. try checking it on spell check does not show as an error

Answer 1

Corrections should not be made in public, they're humiliating...

Answer 2

Pointing out errors, failings or shortcomings in other people is natural human behaviour. It gives them a kind of superiority and makes them feel good about themselves.
Having said that, there is really no excuse for bad spelling. 97% of all English words follow established spelling rules. The problem is that these rules have largely been forgotten and so some school teachers don't know how to teach spelling.
I've been an English teacher as a foreign language for nearly 20 years and when I started I had very little idea about spelling and why some words were spelt the way they were.

Here are a couple of examples:

Why is the past of teach spelt taught, with an a, but the past of fight is spelt fought, with an o?

Why do we spell write, with one t, and written with a double t?

I'm not trying to show off, but once the rules are explained nobody would spell slaughter with an o, or sought with an a.

Changing the subject slightly, some people enjoy dumbing down. The use bad spelling and slang expressions to make them accpeted within a certain section of society. The only real outcome of dumbing down is that they show themselves up.

It is also hard to know who is deliberately dumbing down and who doesn't know any better. If people on these sites started to use better vocabulary, better spelling, surely this would help in improving general standards as everybody would benefit from seeing how words should be written.

Answer 3

I am sorry Flossy but fourty does come up as incorrect on this Check Spelling. I will tell you why I get annoyed with bad spelling. I am 65 and when I started Answers, nearly a year ago and began hitting Check Spelling, I was absolutely appalled by my mistakes. I have always been a good 'speller' and I can tell you that I was shocked. Now, after using my brain a bit more, I seldom make mistakes. However, I still Check Spelling every time. I might add that I would like you to consider whether or not it is bad manners. If some of you young people used such bad grammar and spelling in a job application, I have no doubt that many of you - that is the bad spellers - would fail to get it. So, it may seem hard, but stop and think..........

Answer 4

It has been many years since I was in school, but in English class (and even some other subjects) points were deducted if there were spelling errors. That being stressed so much has always stayed with me. At the time we were taught that good English and spelling were a reflection of how much one took pride in his work and accuracy because that would follow over into the quality of his work in a job as an adult even if spelling was not part of the job. This was stressed so much that we were taught to get into the habit of having a dictionary handy. (Maybe that is where the idea of a pocket dictionary originated.) I've also noticed that since pocket calculators and automated cash registers have become a part of life there are many younger people that math skills are weak and there are many who can not make change since the cash registers do it for them. Yes, I know there are many more important things to think about and things have always changed over time, (and will continue to change) but small things such as these do "exercise" the brain and thought process. I also realize there are times when everyone makes errors in their work, that's only human. It will be interesting to see how much changes in the next 20-30 years and what is stressed as important in teaching in the schools.

Answer 5

I don’t think I’ve personally ever set out to ‘belittle or ridicule' anyone.

I write to a teacher who is a rotten typist and makes plenty of typo's and spelling mistakes, but I don't think any the lesser of her for it (because she is a human being and has ‘limitations’ - she’s a rotten typist’- [and she pressures within time-frames], and because of the content of what she writes).

Sometimes, because of the way I type, ‘was’ emerges on the screen as ‘wsa’ - a ‘typographical error.’ but I make my own and other spelling mistakes and ‘typos’ too.

What I get upset about and can sometimes ‘resent.’ are those people who place 'questions' who.......

1) seemingly cannot read through what they are writing and consider the clarity of what they are writing and asking.... (they sometimes might as well be written in Gaelic)

2) have not the 'awareness' to check for their spelling mistakes (or ‘errors‘), which can create ambiguities (and may well require clarification) if & when they are really in need of ‘An Answer'.......

3) have no respect of themselves or of others when it comes to attempting to ‘communicate’……..

4) to say nothing of what appears to be wasted time in their schooling at my (a 'taxpayers') expense - when it comes to asking for answers from us...... (can I please have my money back they have ‘wasted’ or even ‘abused!)

5) Of course we ALL make errors of one sort or another, and the difference between 'fourty' and 'forty' can easily be forgiven (by me, at any rate, as long as it isn't fully laden with others too). But there are times when reading someone who does not know the difference between 'know' and 'no' ......

or ‘their' & 'there'

or 'to' & 'too'

and so on……….. just as ‘two’ examples

And some who just luxuriate in writing their 'expressive selves' in the lingua as ''sooooo cwuule / quoool'' = 'cool'

It has a place, in childhood.

By way of a useful example………

A School Inspector who, on a visit, was heard to say, "The Head Teacher is a fool," for bothering to teach grammar and punctuation. The boy who overheard this wrote it on a blackboard - where he was caught by the Head whilst doing so.

The boy was instructed to insert 'two commas' into what he had written....

So,

'The school inspector said the Head is a fool'

became.......

'The school inspector, said the Head, is a fool.


A little understanding of the language you use, the way you use it and (trying to) not abuse it, can get you a long way (like really, really, really being taken seriously, for example)

If anyone wants to feel the freedom of expression, fine, then do as the musicians do., first learn how to ’play’ an instrument and earn it.

Respectfully.
Sash.
PS: 'Fourty' was picked up here as a spelling error.!

Answer 6

The funny thing is that only until recently did spelling become an issue. It did not matter in the past, words were written phonetically. I know people with genius IQs who can't spell for beans. Spelling is not so much a sign of intelligence as a sign of puritanical up-tightness and superiority. To correct someone is rude and shows a real lack of manners, which I think are more important than spelling.

Answer 7

The reason why people do that is because they wish you to become more affluent.Asking questions places the respondent in a position of having to reply. At first glance, what does the respondent see? If you are so unfortunate as to have your most important question marred by poor grammar, or misspellings, the respondent will have a lower opinion of you and be offended (a waste of his/her time).

So, to avoid unnecessary problems, try to phrase your questions correctly and check your spelling. If you can force yourself to do so, also avoid trite or cute phrases. The best answers will come to good straight forward questions that seem to be important to the viewer and the originator.

Oh, 40 is correctly spelled FORTY. It is one of those weird things about English. It seems like 40 should be spelled 'fourty', because 4 is spelled FOUR. That is life I guess.

Answer 8

Spelling is very important tool of society, it shows intelligence. We can not help what a machine recognizes as correct or not. That is why we are schooled in spelling which is a major part of the hardest language on the Planet (English). Take for example scene - Sean- seen all are correctly spelled but each means something different and that would give your communication skills a bad response from someone. We all have the ability to learn good communication skills. It just takes practice. Don't take criticism poorly when it is meant to teach and help you.

Answer 9

Don't worry about it girly. Some people love to point out others mistakes. I have to say though some questions can be very difficult to understand if it is posted with major spelling errors. But if it is just a simple mistake I don't see why people have to get on their high horse and point it out, they probably don't have an answer for the question so do that instead. You should pity them really.

Answer 10

Most of the replies I notice are turning the argument against the people who wish to see good spelling. There is a principle at stake here. It is'nt about the odd mistake, we all do that. It is about consistently bad grammar and spelling which is rife in here.
Why do something wrong when it is easier it do it right?
How can you expect to be understood if you cannot even communicate properly? The standard of English on these forums is appalling. Where the hell are we heading when our young people cannot spell simple words?
It's no good all getting on your high horses....if it's wrong it's wrong. If you were asked to paint a door white would you paint it brown? No, of course you would'nt. What the hell were you doing at school instead of learning to spell and write correctly.?

Answer 11

Yes we do make mistakes and sometimes when one is typing quickly its easy to make a mistake. Yes there is spell check but you are right it doesn't always pick up the wrong usage or spelling of a word. Don't worry keep on enjoying answers and meeting the nicer people that join in. As for ridicule it is just another name for bullying!