Spell Check

[LV2HNT]

Whats the big deal with spelling? I know it is important in certain situations, but on the internet? As long as you get your point across I have no problems with errors. Have you seen the emails floating around that prove that the human mind only needs the first and last letters of a word to be correct to read it?

[Grizzly Adam]

Whats the big deal with spelling?

No big deal, evidently ... Tracer said spelling wasn't an issue on this board; but he would like it if this forum had a spell-check feature, and evidently some others would too!

Some people have a difficult time with spelling; some don't. Spell-check programs are a wonderful aid for those who struggle with spelling, but they can easily become a crutch that is abused by those unwilling to learn proper spelling. I believe they are inherently harmful in learning environments, because they foster a certain dependency on aid rather than a motivation to learn. No one ever becomes a better speller by depending on a spell-checker. That being said, those who have trouble find them a vastly improved help compared to the old dictionary!

Those who have no trouble with spelling must be tolerant of those who do, and refrain from making associated judgments; spelling deficiencies aren't necessarily linked to intelligence or education! Many good spellers have done nothing to be so, but simply enjoy it as a gift and ability, just as some folks are especially good at math.

Like many mental disciplines, effort to always use correct spelling has been in general decline for many decades now. That is a shame because communication via the written word is the conservator of the world's knowledge ... even on the internet (the apex of communication technology) we are still dependent on the written word. Since clarity is everything in communication, striving for correctness is always commendable.

LV2HNT, your point is noted ... the main thing on an informal forum such as ours is "getting your point across" ... so I'd say to anyone concerned that if you can do it with correct spelling, by all means do ... if you can't, use a checker if you have it, and if you don't have access to one, post anyway. Most likely, we'll be able to translate!

Those e-mail examples of words with the vowels missing and the consonants scrambled demonstrate just how good we are at memorizing words commonly read, but of course it would be impossible to teach reading and writing from such texts ... and that's why standardized spelling is so important: you can't learn to read and write without it, and even those who read and write poorly depend on some semblance of standard spelling!

The importance of writing when you need to even if you can't spell well can't be overemphasized; history has long depended on such documents as journal entries and personal letters and records and the like, many of which feature rather poor spelling. They are priceless nonetheless.

So by all means, have at it everyone ... gud spelar or knot!

[fuzzy]

...

[VixChix]

A bit off topic, but...
www.Dictionary.com has a great feature called "word of the day"

http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/list/

Each day they send an email with a new word... it's educational and I enjoy guessing the pronunciations and the meanings of words that are new to me.

[Grizzly Adam]

I subscribe to Merriam Webster's "Word of the Day."

I find the etymology of words especially interesting.

[Pydpiper]

Aoccdnirg to a rcesaerh at Cmbarigde Uneirvtisy, it deson't mttaer in waht oredr the lteters in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the fsirt and lsat ltteer be at the rhgit pclae.


I don't form opinions on those who do not take the time to check their spelling, but on a personal note I do take pride in presenting myself the best I can, and that does involve 5 seconds for a spell check before I send my message out into the world.