Wasting 5 points for this: but I need to vent as well as ask a question?

Question

Doesn't everyone have the little Check Spelling button on the page when they are either writing an question, or when they write an answer to a question? By all means I am not the spelling goddess, or the grammer queen. But is it that hard to write a question or answer that makes sense?

OOOPS.... I mispelled ONE word.

GRAMMAR
GRAMMAR
GRAMMAR
GRAMMAR
GRAMMAR
GRAMMAR
GRAMMAR
grammar
grammar
grammar
grammar


okay now I think I have it down pat.

Answer 1

I keep seeing people refer to the "spell check" button, but as yet, I have NEVER seen this on my screen when I enter my YA answers. I keep looking all OVER the place for it, but it's not there. I use OPERA as my browser, and I guess it just doesn't show there. If I use IE (yuch, I hate IE) it shows up there. I only use IE if I absolutely, positively MUST visit a website that OPERA cannot handle. Otherwise I avoid IE like the plague.

As for spell-checking, I am my own spell check. I have always been very aware when I type when my fingers make a typo (which many misspellings are), and I backtrack so automatically to correct it. But then, I also DO actually PROOFREAD my work BEFORE I submit it.

There are so many people these days who use this "IM-ing" spelling, and for them, spell check wouldn't work.

I know from whence you come, however. So often, questions (and answers) are so convoluted in their spelling and grammar it makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to understand what is being said. YA also recognizes this problem, and in their Community Guidelines, they DO "STRONGLY" urge people to be careful of their grammar and spelling for this reason! Oh well... what are rules for anyway?


Have a polite day.

Answer 2

EDITED TO SAY: Wyomugs makes a very good point here ~ some browsers do not support the 'check spelling' function, so that some users will not have access to it. That is the first time I have heard that important information!

~*~*~*~

It is hard, sometimes, but I think we need to give each other a break on this to some extent.

Many of the people on this board are quite young, some don't have english as a first language and not everyone is well educated.

I know there is a spell check button, but sometimes people vent and release, and sometimes, sad to say, they really do not know there is a problem.

If I find a question too hard, I just move on to the next one ~ maybe that is something people who deliberately use misspellings should know!

You folks are missing out on some great answers!

In the meanwhile, glad YOU have the chance to vent, now ... relax, take a deep breath ... there are more questions that need you :-)

Cheers :-)

Answer 3

Hi!!! Everyone does have the little Check Spelling Button on the page. It isn't that hard just to write an answer or question. It is just there because some people may use it or some people don't like to type it all out so use shortcuts. I don't use it just because it's a waste of time to me.

Answer 4

I so agree with your vent! I think many people just use text messaging etiquette when using the Answers forum, but alot of folks just don't know enough to use the spell check feature. In other words they are so oblivious to their own lack of spelling and/or grammatical proficiency that it doesn't even occur to them that they could possibly be misspelling half the words in their question.

I'm no linguistics professor, but I know enough to use the spell check feature! There is also another button called the edit button. If you find that you misspelled a word in your original post, you can then go back and fix it. Like say if you misspelled the word "grammar" in your question and then fixed it using the edit button, then all those who picked on you for making a small oversight would look just a bit foolish. (You go girl!)

By the way, if you choose a best answer for your question then you gain back three of the points you lost for asking a question. Just FYI.

Answer 5

I know how you feel. I used to take out my red pen every time I read the college (college!!!) newspaper and put it in their mailbox with red marks all over it. Ironically, only Firefox has spell check, for now.

Every time I read a question/answer on Y! Answers with bad grammar and/or spelling, I honestly feel I'm talking to a 3rd grader, so I end up dumbing down my answers.

You'd think that this is what the Preview, Modify and Edit options on our answers are for...

Answer 6

I think it's because people are trying to be the first answerer to the question and they end up typing so fast that it's full of typos and spell check takes too long for them.
It also seems like there are a lot of people from different countries on Y!A and english just isn't their first language.

As for the people who misspell their questions .. who knows... but I guarantee that everyone who answers this question is hitting that spell check button for sure! :)

Answer 7

Sometimes if you don't know that you're spelling something wrong you don't bother to check it. For years I spelled that artificial butter stuff M-A-R-G-E-R-I-N-E. I thought it was all right, so I never bothered to spell-check it. I was amazed to learn that it was really spelled M-A-R-G-A-R-I-N-E. Then too, sometimes if the word is spelled correctly, it will go through a spell-check, even if it is the wrong word. And finally, lots of people on this site are English learners. You gotta cut them some slack. (Though I admit that sometimes their sentence structures can be quite annoying.)

Answer 8

I cannot stand it myself, but I would say something to the offenders' defense. Sometimes when you type a rather lengthy response, the check spelling will not work. It will just sit there and "think" on it for a while. It is at these moments that even I will forego the spell check and suffer the wrath of all. :-)

Answer 9

Yeah, that check spelling option needs to be on every Y/A box. Like the Source and Question details boxes.
To keep spell masters powerless. Or you will see a lot of Spell Masters magically appear. Like on this question.

Answer 10

Corrections: ...when they are writing a question and grammar queen.

Most people don't realize when they are making a mistake. It seems as though not enough emphasis is placed on grammar and spelling nowadays. I should know, I've been teaching for 12 years and I see many teachers making simple spelling and grammar errors.