Now, I am not trying to be overly critical, and I know I will probably be flamed for my comments but...
After reading the post below about politics, it amazes me how many spelling and writing errors people make. I don't know if it is due to people not reviewing what they wrote before they submitted their posts, or whether they just don't know any better. But it sure makes reading difficult.
At McCarren Airport in Vegas, there is a large kiosk in one of the terminal areas. It has four rather large, lit signs telling the 10 million people who see it every year that they sell "collectAbles". Don't you think that someone by now would have told the owner that it is spelled "collectIbles"?
Punctuation? I don't believe they teach that anymore. That school time is filled with the new math that tells kids that if they feel good about the answer, than it must be right.
You should see the brand-new store signs that go up in New York City with spelling errors, grammatical errors, etc. That the store owners _may_ be new immigrants is no excuse -- how about getting someone fluent in English to do a once-over.
Well, it's no better in the scientific disciplines. Reviewing manuscripts for the peer-reviewed journals is a nightmare these days. Usually the authors get the spelling right because they're using Word or WordPerfect, but the grammar is atrocious. They probably think Strunk & White was a duet that played at Woodstock.
The level of science journal writing is very low: most of it sounds like pretentious crap. One solution might be to insist that authors produce text that is suitable for a 10th grade level. Make them disintangle their convoluted sentences!!!
apparent lack of empathy and tolerance displayed by many that makes me weep (Okay, not so much weeping but rather disappointment). I understand your frustration, but spelling just isn't our biggest problem.
By the way, there is a hair salon in Queens spelled ``Hair Saloon'' - a swig of hair anyone ?
Ever read a note your child passes to one of their friends in school or read over their shoulder as they chat on MSN? Example: When we were in science, all da boox were cuverd n crap, then da teach waz L8. Music they listen to...and I admit, I get into it as well. Chingy: Right thur (there) I have a feeling that the english language is changing quickly with kids these days to just plain LAZY.
NOT that it means too much, but writers, published writers, REAL writers use proofreaders to handle usage and mechanics for them. Ya see folks, writers write; wannabee writers look for spelling errors. I do not mean to offend anyone in here, but let's get real; half of the posts on this ridiculous subject need a correction or two. Check out the one before mine. The difference between "their" and "his" or "her"(s) evidently does not exist for that "writer." True story: Pronoun Agreement is a skill that comes naturally to a writer with an ear for the language. Sadly, it comes all too infrequently for almost everyone writing here, in newspapers, and speaking on radio and television. If the subject of the sentence is singular, it screams --to writers, at least-- for the singular pronoun to represent it. NOTE: In advertising, nearly ALL spelling errors and errors in syntax (neon, billboards, magazines, etc) are made INENTIONALLY. Your attention is drawn to the supposed "mistake." a la "Winston tastes good LIKE a cigarette should." Where's the error? Get over it: Spelling ain't no big ting.
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