to be completely baffled as to why people care about spelling mistakes

[fairydoll]

Title says it all.It is totally beyond me why anyone cares about other people's spelling mistakes.
Why do they care? What does it say about that person?

Good spelling matters a lot in some contexts, and not a lot in others. On a message board like this, I tend to assume that people are typing quickly, in order to keep a 'conversation' flowing, so mistakes will creep in - and as others have said, I can tell what they are saying, and that's what matters here.

But spelling mistakes on important documents show a lack of attention to detail, and I do think this makes a very poor impression.

I did actually correct someone's spelling on one of the threads about tomorrow's teachers' strike - where a NE London tutoring college has posted an advert for their establishment, where they offer 'tuitioning', and misspell successful, as well as misplacing an apostrophe. For me, it seems inexplicable that an educational establishment would seek to advertise its services, with a mistake-ridden advert!

I don't think I am superior because I can spell well - but I don't see why I should apologise for this ability either. There are plenty of things that I am bad at, so why shouldn't I be proud of something I am good at?

becaus speling mistakes distrakt from the messaje

It is fairly rude to point it out, but on mn most people only do it when the poster is being unkind, abusive or rude themselves, I think.

I get paid to check other people's spelling - so I do care and it is hard to turn off at times.

But sometimes it is important to see the creativity and the interesting use of language in posts, rather than nitpick. For example, scottishmummy has used a lovely expression 'bibble babble.' Brilliantly descriptive, onomatopoeia at its best.

To all those who say spelling mistakes matter in a CV (for example) but not on a chat board...

... don't you think that the two are linked? If people with poor spelling see the correct spelling on a chat board, they might be more likely to pick up the right spelling and use it in their CV. If they see the wrong spellings all over chat boards, they may continue to think the wrong spelling is correct, and use that in their CV instead.

There's obviously a time and a place, and spelling mistakes on MN or any other forum really shouldn't make any difference.

That said, spelling does matter to me, and there are certain spellings that really irritate me and I do judge. If you write 'their' instead of 'there' (and vice versa), and 'your' when you really mean 'you're' then I will judge you. And that old favourite 'councillor' when you mean 'counsellor'. The last one is important as they mean totally different things!

And as for the spelling of 'ridiculous' as 'rediculous' ...

But, as others have said, I keep my irritation to myself!

(Thank you OP for the opportunity for a mini-rant )

my mn composition and syntax bears no relation to my professional writing.because mn isnt required to be exacting standard,is maent to be fast pacey and spontaneous

Bad spelling is bloody annoying in any kind of formal setting; there is no excuse for it and it looks awful. Use a spellchecker fgs!

Of course I am far too polite to point out mistakes but I always, always notice. [Strides purposefully over to the pedants' corner with arse-rod firmly in hand]

I like your stream of consciousness style of writing on here, scottish.....I genuinely do...

There are a lot of people with exact spelling, beautiful composition and sizzling syntax..but they lack the fire, the creativity of someone who loves language.

That said - on a CV it is a no-no. I have just proofread a CV where 'customer' (should have read client anyway) was written as 'costumier'. It was throughout the document. Sometimes we are blind to the mistakes we make over and over again! I am pedantic enough to suit my profession. I can't drive a car or do anything practical. Words are my only skill.

aye but mn isnt formal,theres no requirement to be exacting
work and professionally- yes
mn hell no

There are a lot of people with exact spelling, beautiful composition and sizzling syntax..but they lack the fire, the creativity of someone who loves language.

This pays lip service to the old and untrue, yet somehow cliched, idea that learning to do something properly has a negative impact on creativity. In which case an awful lot of musicians and composers can bin their practice notes at once.

I take people less seriously if they spell really badly.

I can't spell and it annoys me when people take the piss out of me for it, however my reading is perfect unlike DF who reads words as words he knows if you see what I mean, if he doesn't recognise a word he replaces it with one he does no matter how little sense it makes, I was rolling around on the floor laughing when he tried to read out an insurance document about 8 years ago but now that kind of thing just annoys the hell out of me.

And he went to school, served his whole sentence. I've never been to school not even once I don't know what they teach em.

or don't space appropriately, or don't punctuate correctly

plenty keechy but well spelt posts on mn
crafted and composed to make a pedant bristle with pride.but crushingly duill

Although I don't mind spelling mistakes on somewhere like MN, if I'm buying on ebay & the seller has made a mistake I don't buy from them.
If they can't be arsed to spell check when trying to make money, I automatically think they're dodgy!!

at least 70% of spelling corrections actually mean "I am pissed off with you but I can't think of anything intelligent to come back at you with, or any well thought out response to your post, so I'm going to point out that it's basically, not basicaly and do the humpty face at you because it will make me feel I won and I got to put you down a bit over something at least."

haha yes.the its their not there when they cannot muster a cogent argument

Magnificent: I do it in those situations usually because there is so much wrong with what the person is saying, and so little intelligence on display, and so little cogency or sense, and so often rudeness and abuse, that it seems a bit pointless and time-consuming to explain, and it's easier to say: "definite". It is a bit silly though. Sometimes too tempting.

lol to passive aggressive humphy face
oft seen as haven't got balls to be truthful so used as in "well if you want to use daycare orphanage thats uop to you.good luck:)"

heads up to the reference and link crew to divert an argument
tits

Usually it doesnt bother me ,although as a retired English teacher and current English examiner, it does grate when people mis-spell common words.However,I only mention it if the thread is about education/teaching and the poster is claiming to be 'educated' herself.There was an instance releting to home-schooling a few months ago when I really had to ,metaphorically, bite my tongue.

CogitoErgoSometimes "... but if I'm reading something with a spelling mistake it's as annoying as listening to a CD that jumps."

That's a really good way to explain it! A spelling mistake sort of distracts you from what the person is trying to communicate to you, interrupts the attention you've been paying to the message.

And as has already been said, it depends on where it is - a formal letter from the school would make me doubt the ability of the teacher who sent it, on MN I'd probably just assume the poster was posting from their phone/upset/in a hurry.

some folk always play russell group and degree brag
i swear ive seen it in most inopportune threads...
do i take butter out of fridge prior to baking?
well yes! one does since when one went to pisspot and russell group uni and studied Ah telt ye so getting a 2:1 with distinction in crowing

peoples'
couldn't resist :o)