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Original poster

Given that he's probably going to be our next PM, why can't people spell his name correctly?

117 replies

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 13:39

I'm on a number of social media threads, including here on MN, discussing politucs/GE/last night's debate. The number of people who cannot spell Keir Starmer's first name is staggering.

It's four letters. It's not difficult. You don't see people writing Tnoy Blair or Brois Johnson, so why oh why are people writing Kier Starmer.

And before anyone says it's because of the "i before e rule" I've never seen Keith spelled Kieth.

AIBU to think that, if you're going to discuss someone, get their name right. Or should that be thier name?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
mrlistersgelfbride · 06/06/2024 00:02

If they can remember his name and pronounce it that's something.
The MIL has referred to him more than once as "Kazakh-Stan"
😆

Abitofalark · 05/06/2024 23:34

Blarneytalk · 05/06/2024 21:16

Punctuation is also in the papers every day, ridiculous that people still don't get it right.

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What about the comma splice?

Anxiousheartbeat · 05/06/2024 21:44

Blarneytalk · 05/06/2024 21:16

Punctuation is also in the papers every day, ridiculous that people still don't get it right.

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People use online forums like texting though don’t they? They regularly omit punctuation. Try it, it’s liberating 😀

ItsTheSeasonOfTheSticks · 05/06/2024 21:34

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 21:06

@ItsTheSeasonOfTheSticks and @Blarneytalk fair enough, I'd completely forgotten that thread. It was 6 weeks ago (and I have a menopausal brain) so clearly I had buried it!

I still don't understand why that makes me a bot though. I thought a bot was an AI thing.

Edited

I don’t know where the bot thing comes from. I think some people’s reaction to something they don’t like is to scream ‘bot’. I wouldn’t worry about it.

I feel ya with the menopause brain. 😭

TheShellBeach · 05/06/2024 21:28

Blarneytalk · 05/06/2024 21:16

Punctuation is also in the papers every day, ridiculous that people still don't get it right.

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Yes.
Nobody seems to be able to use the semicolon these days.

Blarneytalk · 05/06/2024 21:16

Anxiousheartbeat · 05/06/2024 21:14

YANBU it’s so fucking idiotic he’s in all the papers every day it’s a 4 letter word it’s ridiculous

Punctuation is also in the papers every day, ridiculous that people still don't get it right.

Anxiousheartbeat · 05/06/2024 21:14

YANBU it’s so fucking idiotic he’s in all the papers every day it’s a 4 letter word it’s ridiculous

Original poster
EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 21:12

Blarneytalk · 05/06/2024 21:09

Don't worry Kier, we understand!

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🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
Blarneytalk · 05/06/2024 21:09

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 21:06

@ItsTheSeasonOfTheSticks and @Blarneytalk fair enough, I'd completely forgotten that thread. It was 6 weeks ago (and I have a menopausal brain) so clearly I had buried it!

I still don't understand why that makes me a bot though. I thought a bot was an AI thing.

Edited

Don't worry Kier, we understand!

Original poster
EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 21:06

@ItsTheSeasonOfTheSticks and @Blarneytalk fair enough, I'd completely forgotten that thread. It was 6 weeks ago (and I have a menopausal brain) so clearly I had buried it!

I still don't understand why that makes me a bot though. I thought a bot was an AI thing.

OP posts:
OvaHere · 05/06/2024 20:42

Summeratlast24 · 05/06/2024 15:55

I’ve never met a Keir and have never even heard of it before so I think it’s easily done, especially with the I before e rule.

This must be part of it. Loads of people over 40 probably remember having to repeat 'i before e except after c' in English classes. It's one of those school day things that sticks in your memory.

Also see Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain. 😄

coupdetonnerre · 05/06/2024 20:38

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Blarneytalk · 05/06/2024 20:35

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 20:28

@SpudleyLass I am not a bot, and your accusations are pretty offensive. Please can you link me to the thread I supposedly read/started previously.

The link is 7 posts below this one .. Grin

ItsTheSeasonOfTheSticks · 05/06/2024 20:35

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 20:28

@SpudleyLass I am not a bot, and your accusations are pretty offensive. Please can you link me to the thread I supposedly read/started previously.

I don’t know what that poster is talking about, but you did post on the other thread, about Keir’s name being spelt incorrectly, a few times.

Original poster
EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 20:28

@SpudleyLass I am not a bot, and your accusations are pretty offensive. Please can you link me to the thread I supposedly read/started previously.

OP posts:
Abitofalark · 05/06/2024 20:26

It's so common in thread titles here that I'm convinced it's some sort of secret code. How else to explain it? Keir Starmer's parents were wasting their time in naming him after a Labour Party leader, if they thought it would mean something to future posters. We'll have to wait and see about the voting classes.

gleefulstar · 05/06/2024 19:42

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 14:23

@IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece I think you're right about it not being common, which is why people are confused. But his name is everywhere at the moment, so I thought people would get it right.

If this was the case, nobody would put apostrophes in the wrong place or not know their theirs from their they'res. People wouldn't write alot as one word or use I when it should be me.

Just because something is written down and widely accessible doesn't mean people take any notice of it.

LlynTegid · 05/06/2024 19:35

Keir is after Keir Hardie, one of the founders of the Labour Party.

Misspelling a name is something racists do, especially spelling names of people of Asian heritage. I am sure no-one wishes to follow their example.

BobnLen · 05/06/2024 19:34

It's one of those names that looks right either way so most people probably wouldn't notice if it was wrong

SpudleyLass · 05/06/2024 19:30

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 17:46

I haven't seen another thread about the spelling of his name. If I had I wouldn't have posted.

I've engaged in lots of discussion, both on MN and other sites, about politics, women's rights, Gaza etc. Doesn't make it any less annoying that people can't learn to spell his name correctly.

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Don't believe you. The exact wording was used as in the last thread.

Bots are a scourge on the internet.

Librarybooksandacoconut · 05/06/2024 18:53

Keir Starmer is named after Keir Hardie, founder of the Labour Party. Keir was Keir Hardie’s mother’s maiden name (it was very common in Scotland for boys to have their mother’s maiden name as a first name which is how names like Cameron, Lewis, Stewart etc. became common boys’ names). Keir as a surname with the ei spelling is usually from a link to the Keir estate near Stirling. I live on the Keir estate and it’s definitely an ei spelling and pronounced with two syllables!

ItsTheSeasonOfTheSticks · 05/06/2024 18:31

MyDogsLikePaddleBoarding · 05/06/2024 17:51

This was the one I seen OP, that made me realise I would have spelt it wrong, in case you’re interested. Lots of threads on here have been done before so I don’t know why anyone cares about this one being done again. I’ve only seen yours and this one.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5065611-its-keir-not-kier

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You posted on this thread OP. 😂 Did you forget?

longdistanceclaraclara · 05/06/2024 18:08

WingSluts · 05/06/2024 13:43

Probably the same reason someone might misspell politics...

😂

DarkForces · 05/06/2024 18:04

But I before E except after C. Maybe Keir has got it wrong? 🧐

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