Etiquette for using a word someone eelse misspells

[JAPAB]

I was involved in a business email exchange with someone who kept writing "cue" when they meant "queue".

If you wanted to use the word yourself, would you write "cue" to avoid potentially embarrassing the other person, or would you just write "queue" with a devil-may-care attitude?

Or would you just do what I did and avoid using the word altogether and avoiding this problem? :)

I would just spell it correctly.

Spell it correctly - their problem.

I'd spell it properly.

I would definitely use the right spelling in return. If there wasn’t actually a need, I’d find a way to fit it in somewhere just to put the correct spelling out there. Wouldn’t ever pull someone up on their spelling though unless it was something that was going to be made public.

I would spell it correctly.

Spell it correctly . Why would this need a devil may care attitude?!

God, yes, definitely spell it correctly!
They probably won't even notice and carry on spelling it their way.

If there wasn’t actually a need, I’d find a way to fit it in somewhere just to put the correct spelling out there.

Definitely this. It's like how you're supposed to teach language acquisition to children - when they make a mistake, don't correct it, but model the correct form.

Eelse

I would spell it correctly.

You'll have to give context eelse I could be picturing "queue me walking in" or "que me walking in".

I would spell it correctly. I cannot bring myself to do textspeak and get very twitchy about spelling & grammar mistakes

I once wrote what was supposed to be a tech related email to my boss referring to a "porthole" instead of a "portal" because I really didn't realise! He stuck his head in my office and asked if the computer was on a ship! And then explained to me my mistake! We both found it funny but I'm so glad he corrected me so I don't make an idiot of myself again!

Eelse is misspelt. Do you mind me telling you? No? Yes? What does it matter if you know what the person is meaning ?

Tbf, that’s an obvious typo. (Tbf keeps trying to autocorrect to Tango!)
But copying someone’s misspelling in case they feel bad is insane.

Definitely spell it correctly. Not sure why you would ever consider following their mistake. If they are embarrassed that's their problem and hopefully they won't get it wrong again.

Having said that, there is someone who regularly spells a name within my family incorrectly (even on items which are named, personalised gifts). I make a point of always writing this name (correctly) as often as possible in communications but it doesn't seem to have worked yet.

This reminds me of when we had a bar in town called Que Pasa. Most of my workmates pronounced it 'queue' and I always corrected them. But I'm a bit of an arsehole like that

Ever noticed how the word queue is the first letter followed by 4 silent letters just waiting there as if they're in a ....

Always makes me smile.

Spell it correctly confused. Why would this need a devil may care attitude?!

As I said it was a business exchange. There are people who will take umbrage if you correct their spelling. They might feel they are being patronised or shown up or somesuch. Not something you want to happen with a potential customer :)

Well, it seems the consensus is spell correctly.

In my first ever PA/secretarial job my boss liked to use the word 'liaise' a lot in correspondence (which was dictated). I typed up the word, spelt correctly, and she always put a red line through it and wrote 'liase' and sent me back to retype the letter (pre computers). Eventually I just gave up and always spelt it incorrectly.

Had I not been so young/timid/green I would have said something. Looking back I can't believe I didn't.

But you’re not correcting their spelling. Simply using the word (spelled correctly) yourself.
As everyone else around them will be doing, should the occasion arise.
Such over thinking...

It would be more patronising for you to spell it wrong just because they did. They probably won't even notice.

You're actually considering spelling words wrong on purpose? On a professional email?! That's crazy...

Imagine having to explain to someone else that sees it and corrects you!

Imagine having to explain to someone else that sees it and corrects you!

Perhaps I would just explain that I had seen the Home And Away episode where Marilyn and a date are in a restaurant:

Marilyn: do you have such-and-such sauce? (pronouncing the name of the sauce incorrectly)

Waiter: yes, we have such-and-such sauce (pronouncing it correctly)

Marilyn: (embarrassed) oh, I always thought it was pronounced such-and-such.

And her date tells the waiter he can forget about his tip, when he sees she's embarrassed. I could just say that I didn't want to risk losing my tip, so to speak.

No, on a serious note it was never in my mind to spell incorrectly. As I said, just avoided using the term :)