# Spelling



## chrismbee (Mar 7, 2011)

DEFINITELY
​
One word that seems to suffer greatly from being mis-spelt.

It is the adverb form of DEFINITE, which is itself derived from FINITE.

Most common distortion I see is "definately" - this is wrong!

If one person can correct their ways by reading this, then I will have a great sense of achievement, a warm feeling in my tummy.


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## novorapidboi26 (Mar 7, 2011)

I often misspell this word, thanks the lord for Firefox spell check....


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## Sheilagh1958 (Mar 7, 2011)

Hopefully this will now stick wth me now because it was a word I *definitely* use to have problems with.


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## Andy HB (Mar 7, 2011)

I thunk its' a grate problam; Speeling is probebly a dyeing art.

Andy "a product of comprihensive edducation" HB


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## KateR (Mar 7, 2011)

I'm glad I'm not the only one to have a 'thing' about this spelling! The other bete noir for me is when people insist on saying 'we was'. Grrrr!


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## chrismbee (Mar 7, 2011)

Perhaps the next lesson should be YOUR vs. YOU'RE ......


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## Northerner (Mar 7, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> Perhaps the next lesson should be YOUR vs. YOU'RE ......



Or 'of' vs. 'have', as in 'I should of done xxx'/'I should have done xxx'! 

Actually, something that grates for me is txtspk 'ur' instead of 'your'


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## KateR (Mar 7, 2011)

How about probally (probably), similer (similar) and seperate.


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## eggyg (Mar 7, 2011)

I also am a spelling and grammar "geek". My pet hates are apostrophes where they shouldn't be or none when there should be. GRRRR!!!! Also when people say "should of" instead of "should have". I have been know to avoid restaurants if the menu is spelt incorrectly. I blame texting, I use predictive and always use correct grammar. My 18 year old daughter is exactly like me and tells off her friends on Face Book if they have mis-spelled a word or the grammar isn't right! I've bred a monster! I'm really worried now incase I have spelt anything wrong on this message!


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## chrismbee (Mar 7, 2011)

Yeah, now we're on a roll ....

DEPENDANT - a person who relies on another, especially a family member, for financial support

DEPENDENT - contingent on or determined by
Negative derivation often mis-spelt - INDEPENDENT (not "independant")


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## eggyg (Mar 7, 2011)

DEPENDENT - contingent on or determined by
Negative derivation often mis-spelt - INDEPENDENT (not "independant")[/QUOTE]

I knew it! I hold my head in shame! (See thread "what we do"). I'm going to lie down in a SEPERATE room to DEFINITELY consider my future as a spelling geek!


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## AlisonM (Mar 7, 2011)

How about the confusion between stationery and stationary?


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 7, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> DEFINITELY
> ​
> One word that seems to suffer greatly from being mis-spelt.
> 
> ...



Really ? How does the word "suffer" from being mis-spelt ? Does it come out in a rash ?

Hmm .... and I think, can't be sure without checking, but I believe you mean it is the "ADVERBIAL form of definite" ; adverbial being the adjective of the noun( adverb).


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 7, 2011)

KateR said:


> I'm glad I'm not the only one to have a 'thing' about this spelling! The other bete noir for me is when people insist on saying 'we was'. Grrrr!



What about the misuse of "sat" e.g. I was sat at the computer. No,No,NO you were SITTING at the computer. 
How many times do you shout at the telly. you lot !!


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## eggyg (Mar 7, 2011)

I am sat here (or is that sitting here?) and I am laughing out loud. I think we all need to get a life! I am going to clean my bathroom now!


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 7, 2011)

eggyg said:


> DEPENDENT - contingent on or determined by
> Negative derivation often mis-spelt - INDEPENDENT (not "independant")



I knew it! I hold my head in shame! (See thread "what we do"). I'm going to lie down in a SEPERATE room to DEFINITELY consider my future as a spelling geek![/QUOTE]

Aaaaaaaaargh ...a split infinitive ! You mean "definitely to consider" or "to consider definitely". The phrase might be otiose anyway, since giving consideration to anything has to be a definite action
You are "doing a Gene Roddenberry" with "to definitely consider ". Our English teacher hit the roof when Star Trek first came out.


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## eggyg (Mar 7, 2011)

mcdonagh47 said:


> I knew it! I hold my head in shame! (See thread "what we do"). I'm going to lie down in a SEPERATE room to DEFINITELY consider my future as a spelling geek!



Aaaaaaaaargh ...a split infinitive ! You mean "definitely to consider" or "to consider definitely". The phrase might be otiose anyway, since giving consideration to anything has to be a definite action
You are "doing a Gene Roddenberry" with "to definitely consider ". Our English teacher hit the roof when Star Trek first came out.[/QUOTE]

I give in!


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## AlisonM (Mar 7, 2011)

So you're boldly going then Eggy?


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## chrismbee (Mar 7, 2011)

eggyg said:


> I'm going to lie down in a SEPERATE room to DEFINITELY consider my future as a spelling geek!




Sorry eggyg, no such thing as seperate - try SEPARATE 

@ McD - one step at a time, there's a dear


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## margie (Mar 7, 2011)

I try not to get hung up on other peoples' spelling on a forum like this. For all I know they could be dyslexic, not have English as a first language or be American and thus legitimately spelling things incorrectly.

I do have areas of spelling where I struggle - I blame it on learning to read and write using ITA. When stressed I will write the first their/there/the're that comes into my head but will generally notice if I re-read it. Worse still I sometimes write a completely unrelated word one that has a vaguely similar sound and starts with the same letters - I think my brain has its own version of predictive text.


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## Steff (Mar 7, 2011)

thanks chris i struggle alot and always ask o/h when im struggling lol


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## Northerner (Mar 7, 2011)

margie said:


> I try not to get hung up on other peoples' spelling on a forum like this. For all I know they could be dyslexic, not have English as a first language or be American and thus legitimately spelling things incorrectly....



I really don't mind people's spelling here on the forum. I'm not keen on text speak though, on here, as it can be difficult to read for an old duffer like me who isn't that familiar with it.


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## Steff (Mar 7, 2011)

Well i have just welcomed a newbie and if it had not been for some lovely person mailing me to let me know id of made a right bo-bo.... i said wonderful but the l at the end was an f


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## chrismbee (Mar 7, 2011)

My original intent was not to scold, but to help.

"Definitely" is mis-spelt everywhere, not only on this forum - try the dominant on-line auction site for examples of atrocious abuses of the English language ; you have to smile at some of them.

The thing I sometimes struggle with on here is the use of acronyms ....


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## Northerner (Mar 7, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> ...The thing I sometimes struggle with on here is the use of acronyms ....



Do you mean TLAs?


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## chrismbee (Mar 7, 2011)

thems'll be the ones


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 7, 2011)

Northerner said:


> I really don't mind people's spelling here on the forum. I'm not keen on text speak though, on here, as it can be difficult to read for an old duffer like me who isn't that familiar with it.



I still get the urge to punch Simon Cowell whenever he says he is "disinterested" in an act - of course he means "uninterested". The two words having completely different meanings.


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## Catwoman76 (Mar 7, 2011)

I think we would all love to be brilliant spellers ! 
When you are upset, anxious or in a bit of a hurry, mistakes are made. We all make mistakes, that's why we have rubbers on the ends of pencils 
Someone once said to me that the way they remember to spell the word necessary, is one C ( one collar) and 2 ss's ( two seleves).  Word association is a good way of remembering.  Sheena


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 7, 2011)

Catwoman76 said:


> I think we would all love to be brilliant spellers !
> Someone once said to me that the way they remember to spell the word necessary, is one C ( one collar) and 2 ss's ( two seleves).  Word association is a good way of remembering.  Sheena



and disappear has one Sausage and two Peas


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## chrismbee (Mar 7, 2011)

Hence my suggestion to remember the derivation from FINITE - most know how to spell that!

As stated before, I'm only tring to help, not to admonish.


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## Sheilagh1958 (Mar 7, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> Hence my suggestion to remember the derivation from FINITE - most know how to spell that!
> 
> As stated before, I'm only tring to help, not to admonish.



You helped me


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## Catwoman76 (Mar 7, 2011)

mcdonagh47 said:


> and disappear has one Sausage and two Peas



 Mcdonagh Can you change the two Peas please?  I really don't like Peas, especially the garden variety yuk  Sheena


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## Robster65 (Mar 7, 2011)

cn ne1 tel me y i hv no frnds ?

is it coz i is a grammar geek 2 ?

rb


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## chrismbee (Mar 7, 2011)

Thank you Sheilagh1958 - that's the warm feeling I was after


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## Steff (Mar 7, 2011)

chrismbee said:


> - that's the warm feeling I was after



you sure you aint just left it too late to go to the toilet


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 7, 2011)

Catwoman76 said:


> Mcdonagh Can you change the two Peas please?  I really don't like Peas, especially the garden variety yuk  Sheena



A teacher told me the Sausage and Peas one years ago, never forgotten it. I suppose you could have plum tomatoes instead - can't have parsnips - they're high GI


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## Catwoman76 (Mar 7, 2011)

mcdonagh47 said:


> A teacher told me the Sausage and Peas one years ago, never forgotten it. I suppose you could have plum tomatoes instead - can't have parsnips - they're high GI



I love  Tomatoes or maybe Peppers ( I love them raw or cooked ) deffainatelley  not Parsnips  Sheena


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## fruitloaf (Mar 7, 2011)

margie said:


> I try not to get hung up on other peoples' spelling on a forum like this. For all I know they could be dyslexic, not have English as a first language or be American and thus legitimately spelling things incorrectly.
> 
> I do have areas of spelling where I struggle - I blame it on learning to read and write using ITA. When stressed I will write the first their/there/the're that comes into my head but will generally notice if I re-read it. Worse still I sometimes write a completely unrelated word one that has a vaguely similar sound and starts with the same letters - I think my brain has its own version of predictive text.



I too learnt to read and write using ITA. I think we were one of the last schools to be using it in the late 80s. Pretty much every school report I've ever had has commented on my poor spelling!


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## Northerner (Mar 7, 2011)

fruitloaf said:


> I too learnt to read and write using ITA. I think we were one of the last schools to be using it in the late 80s. Pretty much every school report I've ever had has commented on my poor spelling!



What's ITA?  I left school in 1977 and don't have kids so never heard of it!


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## margie (Mar 7, 2011)

Northerner said:


> What's ITA?  I left school in 1977 and don't have kids so never heard of it!



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_Teaching_Alphabet

BBC article

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1523708.stm

My infant school used it that would have been around 1970 to 73. Mum hated it my sister could read standard English before school then had to learn ITA then back to standard English.


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## Monica (Mar 7, 2011)

As a foreigner, I shouldn't really put my oar in, but I also hate "should/could OF". I love living in East Yorkshire, but some of the things they say here are just atrocious!! You was, I aren't, is they (is there). If even a teacher says "is they", how on earth are the children supposed to know better?????

I tell my girls off, when they make a mistake like that, but they just say that's how everyone speaks here. Well, it doesn't make it right, does it? I tell them that I don't care about the Yorkshire accent, but I insist that they use the correct grammar or at least the correct word.

Quiz for you: what's a "miand"?(hint - 2 words pronounced like 1)

P.S. I would never correct anyone on here though! And I know I'm not perfect.


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## Northerner (Mar 7, 2011)

margie said:


> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_Teaching_Alphabet
> 
> BBC article
> 
> ...



Oh my lordy! Looks like a narrow escape for me - I have never had a problem with reading and spelling, I could read to junior school level before starting infants. Not sure how I would have got on if I had been forced to read this stuff after already learning conventional reading


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## am64 (Mar 7, 2011)

my speeling has alway been rubbish my dad said i was lazy ..but think more dyslexic.... and that with typos aswell i do ask forgiveness from you spelling geeks for any mistakes i make


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## Monica (Mar 7, 2011)

am64 said:


> my speeling has alway been rubbish my dad said i was lazy ..but think more dyslexic.... and that with typos aswell i do ask forgiveness from you spelling geeks for any mistakes i make



Absolutely!! My OH says he suffers from dyslexia. When he has to write a letter, he usually shows it to me for corrections. He also suffers from "underuse of punctuation". His sentences can be 5 lines long without any punctuation at all.

Last week he sent me a text and at the end he added ...,,,,,!! with the instructions to put them where they belong myself


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## Donald (Mar 7, 2011)

What is the standard here in the uk about the words ending in IZE or ISE such as organize or categorize is it ise or ize and is it authorise or authorize.


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## Monica (Mar 7, 2011)

Donald said:


> What is the standard here in the uk about the words ending in IZE or ISE such as organize or categorize is it ise or ize and is it authorise or authorize.



Good question! I think IZE is american and ISE is english. I could be very wrong though


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## margie (Mar 7, 2011)

ise is the traditional UK ending, though as far back as the late 70s early 80s I had an English teacher say both were acceptable. This from a man who would deduct 1/2 a mark for every spelling or grammatical error you made....... You could have most of the work correct and end up with 1 or 2 out of 10.


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## Monica (Mar 7, 2011)

margie said:


> ise is the traditional UK ending, though as far back as the late 70s early 80s I had an English teacher say both were acceptable. This from a man who would deduct 1/2 a mark for every spelling or grammatical error you made....... You could have most of the work correct and end up with 1 or 2 out of 10.



Oh that's mean!!


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## Donald (Mar 7, 2011)

margie said:


> ise is the traditional UK ending, though as far back as the late 70s early 80s I had an English teacher say both were acceptable. This from a man who would deduct 1/2 a mark for every spelling or grammatical error you made....... You could have most of the work correct and end up with 1 or 2 out of 10.



oh dear that is mean


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## ukjohn (Mar 7, 2011)

Is that why we have had an extra 2 Moderators signed up, because of the extra work load in checking all posts for correct spelling.  Its a bad sign if people can't write freely without the worry of being picked up for incorrect spelling or grammer.


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## Ellie Jones (Mar 7, 2011)

Me, I don't stand a chance!

I'm verbally and visually dyslexic!  Dashed with a zomerset accent which doesn't lean itself to the Queens english let a lone grammer

I had a speach impediment so had to have a lot of speach therapy in my early years so much improved and difficult to detect now...  Sadly over coming dyslexia hasn't been quite so easy to achieve but heck most people work out what I'm writting about...

Thankfully my children are very good as spelling, but two things I ensured happened when they were little, no baby talk 'andy pandy' for hands were out, dogs were dogs not bow wows, trains were trains not choo choo's and when I taught them how to use a dictionary from the word go...

Thankyou to those that forgive me my sins of bad spelling and misuse of grammer...

To the less forgiven tough 

P.S

Live being dyslexic isn't always bad, as it does throw up some very funny situations...


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## twinnie (Mar 7, 2011)

Live being dyslexic isn't always bad, as it does throw up some very funny situations...[/QUOTE]

had to laugh when i saw this so true i am dyslexic too  and yes i used spell check on this reply


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## Northerner (Mar 7, 2011)

ukjohn said:


> Is that why we have had an extra 2 Moderators signed up, because of the extra work load in checking all posts for correct spelling.  Its a bad sign if people can't write freely without the worry of being picked up for incorrect spelling or grammer.



I think you mean 'grammar' John...

Only Joking!!!


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## ukjohn (Mar 7, 2011)

Northerner said:


> I think you mean 'grammar' John...
> 
> Only Joking!!!



Your wrong Northerner....I was refering to my Grandma  I think...
or maybe it was a test to see if you are checking


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## Northerner (Mar 7, 2011)

ukjohn said:


> Your wrong Northerner....I was refering to my Grandma  I think...
> or maybe it was a test to see if you are checking



Ever vigilant John! Ever vigilant!


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 7, 2011)

Ellie Jones said:


> Me, I don't stand a chance!
> 
> I'm verbally and visually dyslexic!  Dashed with a zomerset accent which doesn't lean itself to the Queens english let a lone grammer
> 
> ...


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## caffeine_demon (Mar 7, 2011)

Catwoman76 said:


> Mcdonagh Can you change the two Peas please?  I really don't like Peas, especially the garden variety yuk  Sheena



Ok them - disappear has one sausage and two potatos - and they can be used to make an amusing arrangement


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## chrismbee (Mar 8, 2011)

It is not wrong to correct, provided that it is done in a respectful way.  After all, we learn by our mistakes.  However, we must assess whether to correct could do more harm than good.

As I have repeatedly stated before, it is not my intention - nor should it be anyone else's - to criticise spelling on this forum; heaven knows that the more timid amongst us find it difficult enough to write on here, let alone being worried about being pulled up on their use of the language.

I learned, many years ago, that too many good ideas never get heard, due to the reluctance of some to speak up.  We should always encourage input from everyone, even if some believe that their own contribution is not worthy of our attention.

Wisdom is not the preserve of the extrovert.


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## Hazel (Mar 8, 2011)

The one phrase I hear time and time again - which drives me mad - 'the boy done good'.

aagh!!!!!!!


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## KateR (Mar 8, 2011)

One last thing I will say is I just love English and have had great fun reading this thread. I would never pick people up on their grammar or spelling.


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## NiVZ (Mar 9, 2011)

AlisonM said:


> How about the confusion between stationery and stationary?



I always think of this one as:

stationEry - with an E is for pEns, pEncils, papEr

stationARy - with an AR is for a cAR when it is stopped in one place

My two biggest gripes are there/their/they're and bought/brought.  Really hate it when people say they 'went out and brought something from the shops' - no you didn't, you BOUGHT it from the shop and BROUGHT it home with you.

NiVZ


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## katie (Mar 10, 2011)

lol, I used to spell 'definitely' wrong until about 2 years ago and I couldn't believe how much I truly believed it was spelt 'definately'.


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## MCH (Mar 10, 2011)

NiVZ said:


> My two biggest gripes are there/their/they're and bought/brought.  Really hate it when people say they 'went out and brought something from the shops' - no you didn't, you BOUGHT it from the shop and BROUGHT it home with you.
> 
> NiVZ




They might have been telling the truth though!


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## vince13 (Mar 10, 2011)

.......and the difference between AFFECT and EFFECT seems to get people in a twist (and not just on the Forum).

Thank you fellow-pedants - my excuse is that I was a secretary for too many years and words were rather important somehow !


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## mcdonagh47 (Mar 10, 2011)

MCH said:


> They might have been telling the truth though!



Like when they went out "brought the shop home" you mean


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## ypauly (Mar 10, 2011)

I dont mind people gettings word and letters wrong, I struggle with a few words myself that I wont try and type lol. Others will do the same and have thier own problem words, but as long as people try and make an effort and not use text speak I couldn't get worked up about it.

Lets face it, we all have bigger things to worry about that spelling.


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## Northerner (Mar 10, 2011)

ypauly said:


> ...Lets face it, we all have bigger things to worry about _*that*_ spelling.



I think you meant 'than' spelling...


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## Garthion (Mar 11, 2011)

My biggest gripe with our wonderful fluid language is when (at my place of employment) I have customers ask for "twenny" cigarrettes, now forgive me for this, but in a busy shop the sound ever so much like a number half of that being asked for, which should have been Twenty, the other form is more akin to Ten. 

One point to note before this discussion becomes ever more pedantic, the English language is fluidic by it's nature, as in, it is in a constant state of flux (change) with new words and/or spellings developing regularly and other words falling out of common usage.

Take for instance the form of English used in Chaucer's time, with three words to to say "you", Thee, Thou and Thine/Thane, all perfectly valid, but only is specific circumstances, for instance, "Thou hast offended me greatly sire, put up Thine sword and prepare thee for battle"
This translates basically as, "You have upset me, draw your sword and prepare to fight" we drop the extra instance of the personal noun an uncomplicate our speech as time progresses. The simple truth though, is that our language, unike many others has not stopped evolving, for that is what it is, and will continue to do so for a long while after any of us mere mortals has passed from this plane of existence.
Thane is a mutation of Thine used only after a small number of words, but is included as part of the example.

The term "Put up Thine sword" has two very different meanings, in the example above it has the meaning of "Draw your Sword" though by the time a certain young man from Stratford upon Avon began writing his famous love story it's meaning had been reversed and meant to sheathe your sword. As I said, our language changes 

And yes, when I was a young Billy goat (Kid) I was initially taught to read and wite using the ITA method, but it was dropped at my school soon after I started and they had to find another fault in me (my awful handwritting) My creative imagination, however has not diminished, and, I hope, never will.


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## margie (Mar 11, 2011)

My old English teacher said that where was originally spelt hwere and who spelt hwo. That is how some BBC presenters pronounce it. He also said that if we pronounced where as hwere we would not get our where / were /wear mixed up.


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## ypauly (Mar 11, 2011)

Northerner said:


> I think you meant 'than' spelling...



It was a typo 




honest gov it was, i'm not guilty


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## Caroline (Mar 11, 2011)

My spelling is not brilliant, but it irks me when people get two too and to mixed up and their there and they're.

I worked with an overseas student who had a degree in English who used to get upset when the langauge he heard around him was less perfect than the English he had been taught. There are many influences on our language and the way we spell. I try to be tolerant, we have black and white and many shades of grey (or is it gray) in between.


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## Northerner (Mar 11, 2011)

Garthion said:


> ...Take for instance the form of English used in Chaucer's time, with three words to to say "you", Thee, Thou and Thine/Thane, all perfectly valid, but only is specific circumstances, for instance...



They still say thee, thy and tha in Barnsley!


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