Why do people jump at the chance to correct spelling on here?

Question

I have had this done to me but it is most often American people telling me that I have either spelt a word incorrectly or made a new word up! I am from England and I think we have a lot of words that are different. Have you had people do this to you? What words have they corrected?

To 'WildCobra',
I am not talking about spelling mistakes, I should have made that a bit more clear. I mean purely words that are different in the UK English and American English languages. Some people get all high and mighty and don't think that we have different spellings over here even though I very often state that I am from the UK.

To the people who are curious, in the UK yes we do use spelt, learnt and probably lots of other words that sound strange to you! Also, to the person who told us lot to learn English, how about you leave the English to us and you carry on speaking American?! Makes sense to me! :-)

Answer 1

So in England do you spell SPELLED...SPELT, just curious because this is one thing that drives me crazy and I do correct people for it BUT if that's how you spell it in England I would like to know so I can start asking people if they are from England before I correct their spelling, thanks

Answer 2

As the last bastion of the English language in Asia, I must inform you that you, yourself, have made some errors in your writing.
I am probably the one you talk about who has a bent for correction, but, sir, I am on your side.
Having been educated at one of the finest English Public Schools (americans don't know what one is, they call it 'private school') - Tonbridge, I feel that I am honour bound to try to educate the world that there is a vast difference between English, and the bastardized version, otherwise known to ME as american.
I constantly correct, if possible, and even go so far as to change spellcheck on computers, back to English English, although that is proving ever more difficult these days.
I have no hatred of american as a slang and sloppy language, what irks me is that they still say they speak English!!!

Answer 3

It's no longer a spelling mistake. Americans spell many phrases another way, adding colo(u)r. In top institution, I used to be writing an essay from an English character's viewpoint so I used the UK English spellings. And my trainer marked me down for it! I could not suppose she suggestion I had made spelling errors.

Answer 4

Learnt is one that I have been picked up on...dreamt and whilst are others, and this is from people who say "gotten" (not that there is anything wrong with that!). I've been told these words don't exist...oh yes they do!

(try typing learnt and dreamt and then using the spell check here...odd results!)

Using spell check is basically ok but there are words which are commonly misspelt which don't get picked up because the "wrong" spelling is a correct word.

there/their/they're
hear/here
write/rite/right/wright

to name but a few,....anyway, nobody is perfect, but what is wrong is when someone tries to correct someone's grammar/spelling and gets it wrong themselves when doing so.

Edit

Learnt
Dreamt
Spelt
are past tense, and past participle of
Learn
Dream
Spell
Here in the UK spelt is also a species of wheat.

Answer 5

No, though I normally run my answer though the spell check first...

One word it has issues with, but I refuse to change is colour.

If any American were to pull me up on my 'English' spelling I would have a go at them, as we (the English) have been doing it (English) a lot longer than them (the Americans) ;-)

Answer 6

I frequently have to hold myself back from correcting people's spelling, but I know the difference between British English and American English (for example colour and color) and understand that both are correct. The ones that drive me berserk and make me want to smack people with a dictionary are things like U for you, 2 for two, cuz for because, that sort of thing.

U no? ;)

Answer 7

We "intelligent" people don't care if you use words that are not familiar to us. What bothers us is that you don't have the sense to hit the "spell check" icon. If everyone would do that, you wouldn't get responses toward your spelling. Correctly worded sentences and properly spelled words are easier on the mind. Just like a beautiful painting is easier to look at than a picture of a dump. Beautiful music is easier to listen to than crap, like rap.


Just as an example, look at the next answer. Not only does it hurt to read, but it also shows the lack of intelligence of the " text messaging" generation. She probably even idolizes Paris Hilton.

To Claire. You don't have to apologize. You seem like an intelligent person. What you have to realize is that 95% of the people who answer your questions are 13-16 acne ridden teens. We adults, correction, intelligent adults understand that other countries use different forms of the English language.

Answer 8

Americans think their English is the only English. Because of their Declaration of Independence, they wanted to get rid of anything that was English English. Hence all the Zs in their language. Personally, anyone who corrects you for your spelling seriously has nothing better to do with their time.

Answer 9

Is "spelt" one of those English words? We don't have that one here in the United States. Spellcheck wants to know if I mean "splat."

Answer 10

most are quick to correct because they don't like the way most type anything. the way i see it is that if you have a hard time with spelling it's not your fault you do the best you can and if they don't like it then tough. as long as they understand what you type it shouldn't matter how it's spelled.i have had plenty people correct what i spell and i am from the united states. like cool i spell it kool, what is wot, any is ne.the list goes on.