To wonder how people make it to adulthood without knowing

[Staffy1]

That a Christmas tree decoration is called a "bauble", not "ball ball"? Or how they make it through junior school without knowing the difference between "his" and "he's"? What happens in schools these days and don't people ever read anything?

@Chumleymouse

I thought a curb was a baby fox ☹️

No, 'curb' is a baby furx.

Oooh, I'm come over all Inspector Clouseau now, if you'll pardon the expression.

[quote Bella43]@AdobeWanKenobi The 'walldrobe' does sound interesting though. It's like a cross between a wardrobe and the wall in Game of Thrones. I may have to write a book now...[/quote]

Walldrobe has become surprisingly common. There are always a few advertised on eBay. I can sort of see where it came from, it's against a wall after all, but it's fast catching the popularity of the famed Chester draws.

I wish teachers would pull kids up on the correct usage of "loose" and "lose" though. They're such common words and when you write the wrong one some people will immediately class you as uneducated, fairly or not.

Oooooh! Another one.... “Arks” instead of “Ask” 🔨🔪🪓🗡🧨⚰️😡

Am I being dense? Are people really confused as to why “could have” gets turned into “could of”...?!!

Erm... “could’ve” sounds very similar to “could of”, it’s still wrong, but there’s surely no mystery as to why it happens...

DH and I are both dyslexic and DDs test just came back to say she is too.

We find it so hard explaining the rules to her and working out what is supposed to go where and especially why. She loves to ask why! And I just don't know.

The English language is not consistent. And it's very confusing.

I often don't see letters and miss them out and DH muddles up most letters in words when writing. DD is 8 and can still only spell phonetically (had to spell check that word 😂) the actual spelling doesn't stick in her head.

I love "skelington" but I love "icenning" more. (icenning is the stuff on top of a cake just to make clear) but a close second is "dinning table" and am hot footing it over to the skelington thread which I haven't scene so will probly vue some grate ones.

off his/her own bat

If you do something off your own bat, you don't require assistance. If you use the incorrect phrase “off your own back”, you definitely need help.

@Wendyhause

I love "skelington" but I love "icenning" more. (icenning is the stuff on top of a cake just to make clear) but a close second is "dinning table" and am hot footing it over to the skelington thread which I haven't scene so will probly vue some grate ones.

What's wrong with dinning table? Is it supposed to be dining? Also what's with the poisoned carrot? I haven't heard of that phrase before.

@rainkeepsfallingdown

I don't know where I picked up the correct spelling of bauble, but I doubt it was from school. It was probably from all the reading I did outside of school - I loved books as a child. That came from my parents encouraging me to read, and not all parents take the time to nurture interests like that.

More likely it's from the phonetics, many people will never have seen bauble written down. We had a good friend for a few years, when we were no longer living close by we had to address a Christmas card and realised that we both had a different idea of the surname, never having written it, Dixon or Dickson!

@FitterHappierMoreProductive

Am I being dense? Are people really confused as to why “could have” gets turned into “could of”...?!!

Erm... “could’ve” sounds very similar to “could of”, it’s still wrong, but there’s surely no mystery as to why it happens...

Usually it's the kind of person who claims that they don't pronounce "would've" like "would of" that are confused.

I just rush and don't check what I've written. I never seem to remember to read back before I send. Maybe later on I see it and cringe. I make silly mistakes, it's hard because it's hurtful to be corrected and shown up, but you can't learn otherwise. I've learnt so much as an adult.

I am originally from a different European country. There were many words I used to misspell and no one corrected my mistakes. In my country people would have pointed them out to me.
On cheques I used to write xxx pences.

@Chumleymouse

I’m one of those people who just can’t be bothered with correct grammar, since I left school I’ve had very little use for it , Common sense and practical skills are much more useful to get me through life than being able to spell properly.

Maybe others would value good grammar over, say practical skills, poor grammar would probably cause you problems if you were applying for a job, unless they couldn't care less either!

@LagneyandCasey

Have you seen the chester drawers thread, op? It's full of these delights.

Must correct you there - it tends to be written as "Chester draws".

Does it really matter? You know what people mean when write those things.

Tbh it absolutely makes me cringe to hear people's smug, superior attitudes towards people with worse grammar and spelling than them. Good spelling and grammar are not a sign of moral worthiness.

^ agree with both of these points from pp! 👏

Also it may sound like I make some of the mistakes mentioned when I’m talking really fast, with my regional accent. But I do actually know the difference - e.g., may sound like I’m saying “could of” or “chesta drawers” but I wouldn’t spell them like that.
(Not that I think it’s so scandalous if people genuinely don’t know and make mistakes!!).

English isn’t my first language either and I can vouch for the fact a lot of the grammar rules aren’t entirely logical.

Have you ever had problems applying for jobs, @hansgrueber?

Exactly. For example the patronising pp who said that gaps in a person's knowledge can be filled with a simple Google search, did not factor in that you would need to know what you don't know first.

That you Donald? I must be one of the few people who thought Donald Rumsfeld's famous speech made perfect sense!

@RaspberryCoulis

The internet has a lot to do with it. Nobody reads paper newspapers any more. Lots of people don't read anything.

So if all you're seeing on your computer screen is a stream of content from poorly-educated "influencers" writing about their "ball balls" or "how it's definately gonna sno" this year, then you think that's the right way of spelling. There's no subeditor, no-one with a red pen crossing out mistakes and making you redo work which is poor.

My own DD is bad for this - she constantly mixes up "were" and "where" and writes things like "The Jacobites where defeated at Culloden". At least she gives me things to check before handing them in. Have to say, the teachers rarely pull them up on this sort of error though.

I completely agree with this. It carries across to spoken language too. So many children and young people now only read and listen to material online, most of which uses very poor English. I know that it’s always been the case that not everyone has great grammar, etc but I think online content has a lot to answer for!!

Some people say this is not important but it is - the ability to communicate well is so important - it’s obviously essential in many jobs, but also makes life easier in general.

@ravenmum

I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you mean. Clearly there are people who write “would of / could of” etc when they mean “would have / could have” and don’t realise they are wrong. But the people criticising them on these threads surely have sufficient imagination to realise that “would’ve and could’ve” is the reason for the mistake?! Because the way these threads read, no one ever acknowledges that...

@4cats2kids

My MIL calls anal anall to rhyme with panel.

Does that mean she doesn’t watch enough porn?

How does that come up in conversation?

Are you sure she isn't saying annals?

Some are just confusing/misremembered though, aren’t they? E.g is it a fine-toothed comb, or a fine tooth-comb? ( I’d imagine the correct one is the first, but it’s often enunciated like the second), and JK Rowling uses “toe-rag” in Harry Potter, but I was always told that as this term was used in Victorian times in a derogatory way, to refer to the kids who lived and worked on commercial barges on the canals, it should really be “tow-rags”

Maybe others would value good grammar over, say practical skills, poor grammar would probably cause you problems if you were applying for a job, unless they couldn't care less either!

When it comes to work or applying for jobs I just double check everything I’m writing, get others to check it over, google whatever - suits me fine.
However when I’m just casually writing online (e.g., social media / MN) I’m not too phased, and presumably most people can understand what I’m trying to say regardless of my grammar 🤷‍♀️ don’t think it’s that deep

The proliferation of spellings like Thru and using a number 4 instead of for etc doesnt help.

@Meruem

Some people just aren't that bright. I genuinely don't mean that in a nasty way. We all have different levels of intelligence and spelling is really difficult for some people. I feel like there's this assumption on MN that we all start from a level playing field and if we don't learn/achieve xyz, it's our own fault. Some people just aren't as bright as others, and that's ok. Or it should be.

I have 3 degrees and I still can't spell -but maybe I'm not that bright? Having a 1st class degree from Oxbridge etc Sad that some people spelling as an indication of brain power, or emotional intelligence.