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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be appalled?

74 replies

LolaTheShowgirl · 09/12/2007 21:18

I am really bothered by the number of people (adults) who can't spell. The standard of literacy on here is high (except for the fishy one, but we'll let her off because she's so funny ) but as I browse various forums I become more and more disgusted at the nation. I'm not the best speller in the world but it's really basic words I saw. I admit i've been browsing dating profiles and out of 20 that i've seen, 4 have had basic words spelt wrong!

OP posts:
nickernacker · 09/12/2007 21:41

slim22...as opposed to being fictitious or in some way an hallucination?

coby · 09/12/2007 21:42

my typing on here is pretty bad - mainly because I'm typing too fast and not pre-reading and also because my keyboard is blocked up with crisp crumbs etc .

I have to say I am pretty shocked at the standards of spelling on ebay though - really, really bad sometimes. It's not the poor spelling that puts me off bidding though it's the 'text speak' they use in their listing when they are expecting you to pay for £10K for their car. Surely they could at least bother to speak properly for that amount.

Magdeltwinkle · 09/12/2007 21:43

I think its more typos than spelling mistakes on mums.net. Re: the dating sites if he cannot spell correctly on his ad/profile chances are he is pretty thick so don't bother

Original poster
LolaTheShowgirl · 09/12/2007 21:44

If you are typing quickly then fair enough but i'm talking real silly spelling mistakes like i've seen today that aren't done by typing quickly.

OP posts:
jinglebells2shoessmells · 09/12/2007 21:45

so how do you know that someone is not typing quickly

nickernacker · 09/12/2007 21:46

By the slug trail.

bookofchristmascarolsmum · 09/12/2007 21:46

I think some people are almost proud of poor spelling as they claim poor teaching and so on at school. It's almost like an affectation or badge of honour with some people. I'd find it hard to take someone seriously on a dating site if they couldn't even write a decent profile. Everyday chat is a bit different iyswim.

Original poster
LolaTheShowgirl · 09/12/2007 21:46

I'm really not flaming anyone on here as it so easy to be typing quickly and make an error but we all know how to spell the word really, don't we? Like I said, i'm not the best speller in the world but it's really basic words the average 8 year old could spell with no problems and the examples are 20-something year old men!!!

OP posts:
TinyTimLivesinVictorianSqualor · 09/12/2007 21:47

I just typed 'thie' instead of 'this' on a different thread!
See, that's obviously a typo, no-one, absolutely no-one in their right mind could think I was unsure how to spell 'this' so put an 'e' on the end.

nickernacker · 09/12/2007 21:47

Maybe that's why they're on dating sites...

mumzyof2 · 09/12/2007 21:48

Does it really matter? Isnt this a website for support and help? Not an English exam?
Too be honest, if you read some of the problems in the 'Miscarriage' section, or the 'Bereavment' threads, I think you'll find the LAST thing on some of those peoples minds is whether their SPELLING is perfect??

TinyTimLivesinVictorianSqualor · 09/12/2007 21:51

mumzyof2, these are dating profiles, basically pages where you are trying to sell yoursel, not people who are distraught and not really in the mind to think about spelling.

TinyTimLivesinVictorianSqualor · 09/12/2007 21:52

yourself
Ugh.

TrinityTheRedNosedRhino · 09/12/2007 21:53

I do get annoyed when I see loose written when they mean lose

mumzyof2 · 09/12/2007 21:54

The OP wasnt just about Dating forums, it was about ALL.

Original poster
LolaTheShowgirl · 09/12/2007 21:54

mumzyof2...if you read, i'm not slating the spelling of us on mumsnet but of the men on another site and of course the country in general.

OP posts:
TinyTimLivesinVictorianSqualor · 09/12/2007 21:56

It mentioned mainly the dating profiles she has read. Do you not think that those who are typing with time to think should at least attempt to spell properly???
Sometimes it's the most simple spellings that jump out at you, no-one is expecting a masters degree in English (though the pedants desire one), just a basic respect for the English language.

FAWKEOFFwiththetinsel · 09/12/2007 21:57

are you shitting me ?

Original poster
LolaTheShowgirl · 09/12/2007 21:59

Thanks TinyTim

OP posts:
Original poster
LolaTheShowgirl · 09/12/2007 22:00

Wouldn't it put you off a potential date if he couldn't spell though?

OP posts:
nickernacker · 09/12/2007 22:01

Dh is dyslexic. It took him until the age of 27 to learn how to spell 'more'. I don't think it fazed me.

mumzyof2 · 09/12/2007 22:01

If the case was 'respect for the English language', surely there wouldnt be any swear words or slang? Or text language?
I have an A-level in English but I still dont see why it matters? If you know what the person was meant to say, why does it matter? And some people actually cant spell simple words, a lot will be type-o's, and a lot probably think that it doesnt matter, which, when you think about everything that is going on in the world, it actually doesnt.

TinyTimLivesinVictorianSqualor · 09/12/2007 22:02

Lola, I met my dp online and his profile was what I now tell him was 'poncey' but it showed he had a good command of the written word, which did help.
If he had written 'I lyk cars n stuff, n drinkin wiv me m8s' I would've probably never spoken to him!

bookofchristmascarolsmum · 09/12/2007 22:02

Depends what he could or couldn't spell - if it was my name, I would take offence!

bookofchristmascarolsmum · 09/12/2007 22:03

TT - my dp likes the word for prentious for things he doesn't understand or like .