I have been reading through the questions on this site and am astounded to find so many people who can't spell

Question

Is this today's society? A world full of people who can't spell properly. What is the reason for this? Is it down to education?

I was actually asking in relation to education, it should be learning reading, writing and maths before anything else. I am not having a go at people who can't spell and there is no need for some of the answers i received. Funnily enough the answers disagreeing with me and critisising me were possibly from people who are not as inntellectual as some. That is not an insult to anyone because i am not the best speller in the world but i do use a dictionary if needed.

I didn't say i was a good speller! So all you people picking up on my mistakes are maybe no better than me!!!!!!

Answer 1

You have at least nine errors in your comments responding to the answerers.
It weakens your argument.

Answer 2

When I was at school years ago, we had spelling tests every week. About 5 years after I left school, I got a job in a local secondary school and was shocked to find essays pinned up on the wall with terrible spelling mistakes. It had been decided that content and sentiment was more important than correct spelling. Dyslexics aside (not their fault they can't spell), I think a lot is down to laziness. The problem that some people fail to understand is that this site (and others similar) are places to communicate with each other. If you can't understand what someone has written, how can you keep the communication going? It may make the difference between getting a good, helpful answer and a lot of stupid comments.

Answer 3

It's not "today's society" since it's always been the case that a lot of people can't write or spell.

There's also new forms of writing that have arisen from email and texting.

Not everyone here is primarily an English speaker.

There are acceptable variations in spelling (correct American English looks mis-spelled to the English, for instance).

People typo, and proofing is really hard (we tend to see what we meant, rather than what we actually typed).

People typo and don't bother reading what they typed before submitting.

There is spell check on this site, and a lot of people just don't bother using it. Sometimes, though, it freezes.

A lot of people don't care about spelling; and how important is it, really? The purpose is to communicate in such a way that people can understand what you're written. Trivial mistakes don't prevent communication (though they do distract some people).

What bothers me more than spelling (though I notice the mistakes) is the quality of thinking and writing -- the posts that you really can't understand at all because they're so poorly written.

Answer 4

You're absolutely right and no amount of cajoling can even get them to use the damn spell check freely given here. You ought to go to the Arts and Humanities..Poetry section. Oh sweet Mary, it's a real travesty there.

I once brought up this new "text messaging" style of communication recently, how really inappropriate it is in the "real world" outside of cell phones, and dear God you might've thought I was the devil incarnate trying to steal souls at some of the reactions I got from the younger crowd.

Apparently a lot of them just don't get the fact that the real world is not going to put up with their ignorance . . . . . well, ok I guess you could pump gas somewhere and not need a whole lot of spelling skills, but good luck findind a good paying job somewhere when you can't write a complete sentence, or ask a real question here at Yahoo Answers, and can barely spell your own name.
I had better spelling skills in second grade!
I think it's very sad because, you know the education level of these folks the minute they post a question or answer and you also know these folks aren't going anywhere in their lives.

You cannot term it education when students are passing their grades with such poor skills, a cottage industry maybe, but not education.

One other point: If people here don't take the time to at least confront such atrocious spelling and writing skills in the forums where it's appropriate, then we're part of the same problem they've had all their lives, DENIAL.

Answer 5

I quite agree that we are surrounded by people who can not spell properly.

You ask, is this today's society? What is the reason for this? Is it down to education? Personally, I blame the advent of television. You see, when I was a child (pre television), we had to entertain ourselves by reading. Yes! Reading BOOKS! You cannot begin to imagine how educational this was. Then we had the computer, with gadgets like spell-check, so there was no longer any need to refer to a dictionary and look a word up to understand, not only how it was spelt, but what it actually meant.

I lay the blame at the feet of society - a society that is so busy with earning money that they dump the responsibility for educating their children upon others, the State/Government included. Parents no longer have the time to play with their children, to read to them, to talk with them. They are so busy they give them computers and televisions to play with, a poor substitute for books and conversation. Then they hold their hands up in horror and exclaim "Why can't our children read, write and spell?"

Try switching off the television and the computer and give them books to read.

Having said that, communication is not restricted to spelling. A person who judged another on their ability or inability to spell properly would be very shallow indeed. I sincerely hope you do not fall into that trap?

Answer 6

I have got to agree.
Some of the questions, [and answers ] are totally unreadable. Many times [because of atrocious spelling and bad grammar] I have just gone to the next question as I just cannot make sense of them.
You have spell check on here why not use it?
I would suggest that it is common politeness, if you ask a question, at least help the answerer to understand, don't make him struggle to read what you have written.
I might add that, yes I know it is text speak, but that has come about because on a text you are limited in the number of characters you can send. On this site there does not seem to be any limit to the number of characters you can use, and there are a large number of non English speakers on this site. it is difficult for them to follow GOOD English, but all the bad English just makes it even more difficult for them.
Come on all of you, have a little consideration for others, make an effort to type GOOD English, it makes it easier for all of us.

Answer 7

I can spell, and I've had the same education as most people.

It's probably due to a lack of motivation.

There's nothing wrong with text-speak in the right circumstance - for example, in a text message, or with other people who you also use it - but on a site like this, which contains many different people, some of whom will not understand text-speak, then it makes a lot more sense to type in Standard English.

Answer 8

Do you want to take a look at the list of the great minds in Western History who could not spell worth a lick? I would rather talk to a person with an understanding of the world around them, and an ability to have complex logic and reason who can't spell cat, then the opposite. A person who has no insight, no knowledge, no wisdom or analytical ability, but who can spell. To me spelling does not matter if the person has nothing to say. I think we can all get off our high horse about spelling and read the text. See if the person is saying something or not.
B

Answer 9

Down to the education system of the past 30 years where expression was the order of things and the actual English and spelling were quite secondary. We are reaping the rewards of this system with captions on TV being mis-spelt, teletext pages carry a lot of mis-spelt words and bad English. If I see a badly worded or bad spelling on a question am am sure to let the person know about it.

Answer 10

The thing I can't fathom about txt spk or whatever is, is that it seems to be another dialect. And to be able to write in that manner is learned. A society where people are unable to get to grips with language, and the rise of mobile technology (something that promotes laziness), has engendered a new form of language that is an easy way out for the more ignorant.

Answer 11

Partly poor education but also the general standards of society are deteriorating. Some are too lazy, others don't see any value in it.

We all make mistakes of course, but I get more irritated by those people who deliberately write in 'text' speak. That is just plain ignorant and rude.