For the Spelling maniacs...

I've been trying to resist this thread . . . roll/role.

Role model, honour roll, on a roll, etc.

Also non-errors, including vernacular English:

Non-Errors

Oh, I'll just stop there.

Oh no I do some of these! I mean wrong! Others I do right. I'm always talking back to the tv, correcting them on between and among - it makes me feel like I'm part of the show!

I worked, with a guy, who used, extra commas. It drove, me nuts.

"Where's the store at?" "Where's the store?" No need to end a sentence with a preposition.

I have almost everything you all listed in your posts on my list, too. I admit I want to comment on people and correct them, but I refrain, because I don't mean to offend. I'll admit to a few bad habits myself. I do say "off of," "ain't," and end sentences with prepositions. However, when writing professionally (as opposed to a casual letter or chatting on the Internet), I am much more careful with my words.

I want to thank Cranky Old Hermit for pointing out what's probably my #1 peeve: People saying "should/would/could of" instead of using "'ve" or "have." Drives me nuts!

It's not a misspelled word, but if I may add another term that makes me want to slap someone, it's the misuse of the word "literally." I just heard a guy on the radio who talked about Hilary Clinton and some other person "literally joined at the hip." Unless there was surgery involved, or HC is a conjoined twin and I never knew it, she is not literally joined at the hip with anyone.

One more, if I may: There is one person I know online who uses double quote marks to emphasize words and phrases in his/her writing. No italics, no bold, just quote marks. Lots of them. And many of those words don't make any sense being emphasized! I like this person, and I don't mean to say anything bad about him/her, but I just start twitching when I see his/her posts! I'm using this thread to vent, because I have been holding this in for a long time.

I'm not perfect, either, and I'll be the first to admit it. Some of you probably get annoyed with the fact that I sometimes start sentences with conjunctions ("and," "but," or "or," generally).

Thanks for starting this thread,s4ndm4n2006. I just feel better getting it out. I admit these reactions to poor spelling, grammar and usage are my hangups. I had English teachers who corrected us and made us do work over and over again, and some of it rubbed off. I'm glad. It makes me a better writer and reader, and I'm grateful to my wonderful teachers. (Some teachers weren't so wonderful, but I did have a few really good ones.)

I'm - almost literally - insane for correct usage, spelling, punctuation and grammar, but for some reason 'definately' bothers me most. I think because the misspelling is so far off from the pronunciation of the word. I was always the spelling bee nerd.

I can't stand the saying "my bad", it really grates my carrot

this. Exactly this.

this topic again? I usually avoid these topics but they keep popping up!!!!!

I have issues with spelling sometimes, especially when I am triggered. I tend to swap words around like a person with dyslexia would do, and letters as well- If writing out or typing when triggered I do tend to use the wrong there, their.... and other words.

When I re-read my own writings I can pick this stuff out.

Some words I had learned the incorrect meaning to them while growing up, so naturally some of those words I do use out of context.

Ha! Tooken... That just reminds me of how my father used to scold me for not using proper English, but yet I learned it from Mother who he allowed and wanted to bring us up-- It was NOT my fault he did not teach his children how to talk (*or should it be speak) properly. After so many scoldings and how stupid, I was told I sounded, I tried best to get that word out of my vocabulary but it took time.

Oh geez and "By far" and I would add "From" so "By far From" was one thing I used out of context or was just putting in too many words... Far From is all I need to say
Thanks the stars I am with a man that while this may annoy him just a tad, he tries to help me out at times. We end up laughing most of the times though

Thank the stars some of you do not hear me speak because that is one thing that annoys my s/o some times-
"quirky" --- hours of me saying corky because I just don't really hear the difference of "kirk" and "cork" for some reason with this word unless it is said rather slowly, and broken down. He had to use examples too..

:duh: No wonder I was in speech therapy till 5th grade, but I moved to a different county for middle school, and the teacher that taught the speech class there, was like: "you're smart, why are you here"... little does "you're smart" have to do with some things like this, because this is a different type of smart that I must not have.

Fesable was a word I had the hardest time "getting" and that wasn't until a few years ago, I always heard, and thought it was "th"esable ....

I wonder how many would be mad at me if they saw my penmanship, because there are times - that when writing I will upper case letters with in a word--i.e. SummeR-
I also upper case words in sentences too. Trying to be cautious of that writing right now. Don't want to piss any one off here.

I don't know why exactly, I do remember when I was a teenager and reading about E.E. Cummings (an American Poet) and his capitalization style, or lack there of. someone I sort of related to

I know when I feel really down and worthless, I tend not to capitalize "I" because "i don't mean anything any ways."

When I was in a Spanish class in High School, my teacher pulled me aside and asked me if I swapped around vowls in English because I was constantly doing it also in Spanish, -- yeah I do that a lot.. I may have a tad of dyslexia, I tend to swap numbers around as well.

Oh geez the i before e after c thing? I had a math teacher get upset with me because I was always swapping that around too. I was in college math courses yet to boot in high school.


So On Behalf of the rest that aren't as "great" as others--- SORRY

And No wonder why some people don't read my posts or reply to them

(((Thanks for the ones that are my friends here though for accepting me for how I am and still talking to me even though I ain't got no good english))))

's

Using 'good' instead of 'well', such as in "It went good" or "He/she did good", is another thing irks me along with some of the things mentioned above. However, I cannot complain too much as I know there are things that I do that bothers others. Such as for some reason I constantly say "on accident" even though I know it is "by accident"; it constantly slips out inadvertently that I have to constantly work on and I know this drives some people nuts for good reasons. I appreciate your patience.

Yeah I always think, if you're so ding dang darn sure, then how come you can't SPELL IT??!!

This is one that people may ding me for because it's old school, but I was taught that when you didn't know the gender of someone, you automatically referred to them in the masculine. I don't understand why this is so looked down upon today; it is nothing against women in my opinion. It makes the language neater and easier to read. Why should it be necessary to say "he or she", "him or her"...isn't one enough regardless of the gender involved? Why are some so dang sensitive?

In addition, I was taught that when addressing a letter and you didn't know to address it "Dear Sirs:", once again the masculine. If you do this now and it hits the desk of the wrong person, expect to be reemed out for it. And what's the deal with exchanging all of the gender specific words with gender neutral words: mail carrier instead of mailman? Why can't people be confident enough in their own sense of identity and realize that those words were never intended to be sexist? Why should we change the entire language just so we won't offend anyone?

Okay....getting off the now.

I hate it when people say alot instead of a lot. I hate the word ain't, that's not proper English! Your and you're. Its and it's. Affect and effect. Then and than. Using the word moot. "Contrary to common misuse, “moot” doesn’t imply something is superfluous. It means a subject is disputable or open to discussion." --> 20 Common Grammar Mistakes That (Almost) Everyone Makes | LitReactor

You make a significant point about the brain working on meaning versus mechanics. When I am really deeply into writing creatively, my mechanics crumble, especially the spelling. Topics of emotional gold or crap do not lend themselves to spelling well, to the point that I can use that as in indicator of my own emotional engagement at the moment! I'm glad we have a 4-hour edit window here - my obsession gets some exercise, then.

Math! My calc instructor dismissed names of things as "just words." I have so many feelings about that. I haven't yet met a math person who is also a word person, but it must be possible. Math person in the sense of at home with the abstract stuff like theoretical physics or proofs. (Not trig proofs, but real proofs.)

No need to be sorry, I feel. Content matters far more than mechanics, and if the content can be followed, that's great.

Don't you mean "reamed" out, Maranara? Gotcha! (I'm teasing; I like you, Maranara.)

There are historical reasons for the change, for things that are more important than making language smooth. I like the writers who explain they are going to alternate he and she, because it doesn't set up a one-gender impression in the mind. I might use "fireman" instead of "fire fighter" sometimes in speech with my husband, but as far as a more formal context, I'm happy with being more inclusive to us women. I prefer the tone it sets. I still snicker when I use fisher (which to me is first in my mind a bird) instead of fisherman, but that's the way we roll here in Canada.

I actually get a kick out of vernacular English at times, or regionalisms, ruralisms, and this one of yours that I have never seen before, I also like. But I draw the line at "I seen."

Minuscule! 6 out of 5 books even get it wrong, spelling it "miniscule" and I lose all respect for those editors.

I hate acronyms! they really confuse type readers!

You'll like this term, then, "acronym soup." That's what a prof called one of my first drafts. I used a lot of them, just as in any science journal in my field. (smile) Hey, how do emoticons work for you? Can the reader make sense of them?

According to Dictionary.com, both spellings are considered correct.....now. I know this wasn't true at one time. This is probably an example of society conforming to people's errors, deciding is wasn't worth the trouble to edit or fight the "incorrectness" anymore. It wouldn't be the first time.

Ah the old acronym soup, it is a love or hate thing like marmite, i hate it!!!! I do a lot of work with the local council, they are much better at keeping acronyms out of the paperwork that is sent out before meetings since i ping it back to them if my reader can't understand it!

emoticons are hit and miss, it depends on the programme used sometimes it says hug sometimes it reads the whole list of commands used to make the hug i have taught my reader to recognise the basic ones used on here so it now says hug rather than spending ages reading the commands

Beauflow, and all - I think I'm right that you read this thread in the humorous spirit in which it was intended, but just in case! Everyone makes mistakes. I find I make them a lot when I'm tired.

I can't imagine anyone here considers mistakes in writing or speaking to be a character flaw, so there's certainly nothing to apologize for. Sometimes I grumble inwardly when I encounter a mistake - usually a common mistake or cluster of mistakes - but it's usually directed at the educational system, not at the individual. Or at the fast-paced world that doesn't value rereading and editing any more. Don't get me started!

Thanks Maranara; I should have guessed that the fashion had changed. Looks like the word was based on "minus" but then some people decided they liked "mini" instead. When I got married I was heck-bent on saying, "for better or worser", that being the archaic but I chickened out. I like that it is parallel and think "worse" sounds like it is spelt (not to be confused with spelled :-) "Worser just sounds softer and nicer to me. Maybe I should have tried for "bet or worse"? LOL

My husband really hates acronyms. He once received an email at work where he didn't understand a single thing because it was all acronyms so he replied with "WTF?"

When it comes to grammar and spelling with younger people, I blame emails and texting more than anything else. I taught school for over 20 years and it got so much worse as time went on. Kids don't see why they can't use "u" instead of "you" or the letter "c" instead of "see" and it seems most kids don't know the differences between "there", "their", and "they're".

And regular errors on here and elsewhere don't bother me. They happen. I type very fast and almost always go back and fix things. It's when an error is habitual when it's obvious the person doesn't have a clue....those are the ones that bother me.

Especially pronounced "EXspecially."
Nuclear pronounced "nukular."

H3rmit - i think you're right, people are either math or word. I scored 93 percentile on verbal and 94 percentile on math on my gmat (business school admissions test) and they "added up" to a 97th percentile overall. I was surprised.

Tookiwartooth - okay forgot what I wanted to say. Oh yeah - joey on friends saying he thought it was a moo point - cuz cows don't care about it!!

Hankster...I've always admitted I'm "right-brained," great with words, language, deficient in math ability! Sounds like you have a gift of both left AND right-brainedness!

Maranara...I too am a teacher, and I agree with you about the texting thing.