Page 3 | ThAn thAn thAaaaaan

Thispupsgottofly · 2025-07-12T16:36:20+00:00

I swear this didn't use to be such a common error, but I have read so many posts today where people say then when they mean than! I guess it's because lots of people (including me) pronounce it 'thn'. Eg. If you say you'd rather stay at home then go to the beach it sounds like you're going to do one after the other! Aaaaargh!

Pandimoanymum · 12/07/2025 19:01

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 12/07/2025 18:41

You would know. Honestly. As soon as you meet them you know whether they are of the 'chester draws' persuasion.

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Yes, actually you are probably right, thinking about it. The conversation between us would likely not be quite as sparkling as I'd like!
Someone I met in person described an event that disappointed him as "a bit of a damp squid" and I couldn't get past it. There were other signs that he wasn't going to pan out, to be fair but I still felt very judgy.

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 12/07/2025 18:58

🥱

WhistlingStraits · 12/07/2025 18:56

Has anyone else noticed all the “n” instead of “and” lately? I keep seeing posts with it and it’s baffling. Along the lines of “its just me n my kids n I know he loves us n wants the best for us n I understand but…” Where does that even come from? It seems batshit to me.

I have, I think it’s just one poster that keeps popping up.

ScrambledEggs12 · 12/07/2025 18:55

I know people who write 'been' instead of 'being'. I suppose they must be human beans?

WhistlingStraits · 12/07/2025 18:55

I’m always twitching at the increasingly atrocious SPAG on here, though I’ve not actually noticed ‘then’ for ‘than’.

Purplecatshopaholic · 12/07/2025 18:51

Not seen the then/than thing. Thank goodness. My favourite at the moment is a website I saw where someone was looking forward a meal which included dolphin wars potatoes. They will always be known as such in my home now!

Shitmonger · 12/07/2025 18:47

Has anyone else noticed all the “n” instead of “and” lately? I keep seeing posts with it and it’s baffling. Along the lines of “its just me n my kids n I know he loves us n wants the best for us n I understand but…” Where does that even come from? It seems batshit to me.

Some of them are definitely speech to text mangling people’s accents. Especially things like “his” instead of he’s. I think they pronounce it that way and the phone doesn’t know the difference.

WingSlutz · 12/07/2025 18:46

Another annoying one is ‘babies’ instead of ‘baby’s’. My baby’s feet are cute, not babies! Unless you have more than one baby in which case it’s ‘my babies’ feet’.
Grr.

Allseeingallknowing · 12/07/2025 18:45

Please remove duplicates - I pressed Post twice as it’s so slow!

Allseeingallknowing · 12/07/2025 18:43

Open boarders mentioned again!

Allseeingallknowing · 12/07/2025 18:43

Open boarders mentioned again!

Allseeingallknowing · 12/07/2025 18:43

Open boarders mentioned again!

threenaancurrywhore · 12/07/2025 18:42

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 12/07/2025 17:58

As soon as I see mistakes like this, I start making (unwarranted and unnecessary) judgements about the poster. I mean, anyone can make an autocorrect mistake or have a slip of the finger, but consistent grammatical mistakes just make me think that someone has never read a book or newspaper in their lives and relies on the internet for all their information.

I know, I know, I shouldn't think like this! And I do try not to, but...

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Haha, I do this too. As soon as I read “seen as” or “his been texting” or similar, I start erring towards a YABU judgement.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 12/07/2025 18:41

Pandimoanymum · 12/07/2025 18:26

I can't do online dating because I get so annoyed with the awful spelling & grammar, even though know it's ridiculous to judge someone on it. If I met someone in real life and liked them I wouldn't have a clue what their writing was like, yet because I can see it, it completely puts me off them. "Lookin 4 my sole mate" urgh, no no, go away!

You would know. Honestly. As soon as you meet them you know whether they are of the 'chester draws' persuasion.

Allseeingallknowing · 12/07/2025 18:36

Don’t even mention the misuse of less and fewer!

shirtyshirt · 12/07/2025 18:34

They read gazillions of poorly-spelled social media posts and online content, which actually perpetuate common spelling and grammar mistakes.

The other day I second guessed "bear with me" because I see "bear with me" so frequently.

shirtyshirt · 12/07/2025 18:32

Tbh the lack of comprehension is the most annoying thing on MNs

shirtyshirt · 12/07/2025 18:30

For some reason the last month my auto correct has changed than to then. It also is suggesting the wrong spellings for some words 🤔

Pandimoanymum · 12/07/2025 18:26

I can't do online dating because I get so annoyed with the awful spelling & grammar, even though know it's ridiculous to judge someone on it. If I met someone in real life and liked them I wouldn't have a clue what their writing was like, yet because I can see it, it completely puts me off them. "Lookin 4 my sole mate" urgh, no no, go away!

Original poster

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 18:24

mathanxiety · 12/07/2025 18:12

Ehem!!!

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Sorry, I didn't notice your user name. Nothing personal!

OP posts:

Devilsmommy · 12/07/2025 18:20

mathanxiety · 12/07/2025 18:12

Ehem!!!

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🤣🤣🤣

Isittimeformynapyet · 12/07/2025 18:19

DublinLaLaLa · 12/07/2025 18:06

And, whilst you’re at it, pop that second ‘f’ back on ‘of’…

Lots of these mistakes phonetically replicate spoken English. I think it’s fine as long as everyone know what the poster means. It isn’t an application for a job. You’ve proved yourself that when you’re writing in a hurry, people can make simple mistakes.

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I don't have a problem with the odd spelling mistake or possible typo, especially on forums like this, but seeing the same error spreading like wildfire is actually distressing to me.

It's a genuine thing and I can't help feeling the way I do. I don't want people to feel bad, but it feels like everything I learnt is out of control. It's like I have word OCD!

Original poster

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 18:18

Yes I get autocorrect often changes things annoyingly and yes I made an error not putting two fs on off but that was a typo.
Nobody is perfect!
But the then/than thing can be confusing because it changes the meaning like in my example.

OP posts:

mathanxiety · 12/07/2025 18:12

Thispupsgottofly · 12/07/2025 17:58

Dear American people, take that s of 'anyways' and put it on the end of 'math'.

Ehem!!!

mathanxiety · 12/07/2025 18:11

TaborlinTheGreat · 12/07/2025 18:05

I don't think it's just that people don't read. People may read less published stuff, but it total they read absolutely loads more than people did 50 years ago. They read gazillions of poorly-spelled social media posts and online content, which actually perpetuate common spelling and grammar mistakes.

Agree.