Is there anybody left who can spell ??

Question

Reading through the answers , my mind boggled with the bad spelling . Is this due to mobile phone texting ?

Answer 1

I don't think texting helps, that's for sure. But what irritates me even more is bad grammar and incorrect use of punctuation - that's down to a lack of education, whereas sloppy spelling and abbreviation can be a habit caused by texting/emailing frequently.

Answer 2

I've used text speak abbreviations when sending an actual text because it makes your text shorter and thus saves money - the purpose it was invented for.
I've also used it in chat rooms because the time you have to type your sentence is often limited.
However, I would never use it in a forum, as I do believe it makes you look unintelligent.

I have noticed a lot of people on here using both abbreviations and general poor spelling, something there is no excuse for when a spell checker is provided and it's a matter of three seconds to use it.
It may be that some people (teenagers in particular) are used to text speak and so use it without thinking but I'm sure sheer laziness also plays a part.

Answer 3

To answer your first question, yes, I can spell. As for the second, I doubt very much that texting has helped. However, most of all it's down to laziness and speed - there is an obsession with doing things quickly, living life at a pace, and this extends over into typing. People don't care, can't be bothered even to use the spell-check, and don't even give a damn about using words properly (for example, using 'decimate' to mean 'almost entirely wiped out', a misuse so frequent that it's made its way into dictionaries); or about using grammar properly (e.g. its/it's, your/you're, punctuation). No one seems to want to do anything properly any more.

Answer 4

Many of the above are right.When I was doing my teacher training, back in the late 70s, we were told not to correct more than 3 spellings per piece of work as,quote,"A lot of red ink on the page is very discouraging to the pupil and they may lose heart." I did not agree with this and never let a wrongly spelled word go uncorrected.But then, I have seen many (young) teachers put wrongly-spelled words on the board to be copied into books! I'm sure texting hasn't helped, but it's a fun thing to do, when you're young and kids love having their own private language that their parents don't understand.Lead by example!

Answer 5

I can spell. I think the mobile has had an influence on the way people spell today though; I could even understand if it was shorthand but it isn't. Its rubbish like c u l8r m8. People usually use this form of grammar, when they have only enough credit to send the one text, they try to abbreviate any word they can as to make the message smaller. Either that or the education of today is not doing are children justice.

Answer 6

Yes, there are lots of us! I just write the way I always have but don't worry about how others do. Even at 50+ I can work out what someone is trying to say and make allowances for possible age, (young = textspeak and we all had to learn) race (Americans spell differently) and education standards. (You can't learn if the teachers or parents don't teach) or obvious typing errors. (Even the best of us is guilty)
I tend to use spell-check if I'm not sure but I miss the odd word here and there! As I know what I wrote I sometimes skim quickly over it in preview. No-body's prefect!

It's what the answer is saying that's important not how it is said or who is saying it!

Answer 7

Laziness would be my answer. Since this site has a spell check right here it's hard to find an excuse. The grammar is almost as bad as the spelling.

Answer 8

In a word: YES!!

And you and I must keep the 'fight' alive for correct spelling and grammar, and try hard to avoid slipping into 'text-eze'

It is not hard, but you know the kids do so much of it that it may be second nature, and we adults have to teach them that a place to write has to have standards, some of them being "Proper spelling, grammar and punctuation."

Have at it, then. I will, and do. Anyone else?

Answer 9

I've heard that some people don't even know how to punctuate!

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Text messaging has a lot to do with it but the exceptionally poor English is also a culprit.

Answer 10

Due to texting to some extent, but also students aren't penalised for bad spelling in exams - so it's not a high priority for teachers anymore.