To not understand why people correct spelling

[Lockeddownagain]

Just reading a thread on here and someone felt the need to correct the spelling of another then put sorry in brackets. They aren't sorry or they just wouldn't have done it. I'm super dyslexic and spell stuff wrong all the time but why do people need to correct it. If you are a spelling corrector would you tell me why you do it?? Thanks

If anybody on here can't understand a post because of spelling mistakes or a "should of", then it says arguably more about their own literacy and comprehension skills than it ever would about the person making the mistake tbf.

It really depends how many spelling mistakes and how far removed from the correct spelling they are. Some people's prose feels like you're trying to wade through Chaucer - except that Chaucer was using the correct spellings for his time.

How will people learn the correct spelling from a random poster on the internet when they have failed to learn and remember it from having read the correct spelling of it (unless it's a very unusual word) countless times during their life and probably had it corrected by teachers, autocorrect and very likely already by other internet pedants? They won't. That's why they're still getting it wrong.

Maybe I'm the only one, but I learn loads of new facts on MN on a regular basis. For me, that's the whole attraction of a forum: learning a lot of other people's opinions, knowledge and perspectives as well as sharing a little of my own; but I realise that a great many people (especially those who never bother to read the threads) just prefer to give their own opinions and have no interest in ever hearing anybody else's.

It doesn't even need to be a particularly unusual word - just one of the many thousands of words that make up the language, which might have hitherto flown under your personal radar - or one where you know the correct spelling but not the correct pronunciation, or vice versa.

It really depends how many spelling mistakes and how far removed from the correct spelling they are. Some people's prose feels like you're trying to wade through Chaucer - except that Chaucer was using the correct spellings for his time.

I stop reading after more than a couple of minor mistakes. Life is too short to spend time trying to decipher stuff which the writer didn't spend time writing properly. And it's not like there's a shortage of random postings on the internet

I don't think I've ever seen a post on MN which I found hard to understand due to poor spelling or grammar. I've certainly seen many threads where posters claim not to be able to understand the OP though. Of course, they could have just closed the thread rather than hang around to criticise the OP's language. Perhaps I'm being uncharitable though, and their failure to understand is genuine and caused by poor comprehension skills...

I think it depends on how you read. In my job I'm used to reading and digesting large volumes of properly written stuff very rapidly, and that's how I read most things. Fast reading and comprehension does depend upon the writer following the rules of English. As a reader, coming across stuff that isn't properly written is a bit like doing 70 on a lovely smooth road and then hitting a patch of tarmac they've just started resurfacing! If your literacy isn't that good to start with it doesn't affect you - you were only doing 40 in the first place.

Not that I would correct anyone, I just skip over the posts that are not properly written

Hmmm. I'm used to reading a lot of work written in bad handwriting with lots of mistakes, in several languages which are not my first language. I guess I'm probably better than average at deciphering meaning from imperfect language.

I don't think I've ever seen a post on MN which I found hard to understand due to poor spelling or grammar.

I wouldn't say they are legion, but I've seen a fair few; but even if I could somehow recall any of them now in any detail, I'm obviously not so dull or unkind as to seek them back out or post links to any of them.

Beautifully described, Ophelia.

@Babdoc

There seems a lot of defensive anger on this thread, from people who apparently want to continue mangling their grammar and spelling, and assume anyone correcting them must only be doing it out of a feeling of superiority. When I correct someone’s post, I do it from a feeling of sympathy, and a wish to explain the grammar or spelling that they manifestly do not understand, so that they will not embarrass themselves in future - perhaps in a more important context, such as at their work or on a CV. If you saw a woman walking in the street with her skirt caught up in her knickers, surely it is kinder to point it out and let her fix it, than to let her continue embarrassing herself all the way home?

Wrote a long post and lost it, but basically I agree with Babdoc.

I rarely correct though because a lot of people seem to get extremely offended. No one really cares if you use the wrong version of 'there' in a forum post, but if you use the incorrect one on a CV, spellcheck won't pick it up but a hiring manager probably will and would possibly dismiss your application.

I once made the mistake of using brought instead of bought and two posters decided to correct me but it was done in a very mean girls way.
I would never correct someone's spelling on here. No need for it and it can be hurtful.

I rarely correct though because a lot of people seem to get extremely offended. No one really cares if you use the wrong version of 'there' in a forum post, but if you use the incorrect one on a CV, spellcheck won't pick it up but a hiring manager probably will and would possibly dismiss your application.

I find it really amusing that people actually think correcting the spelling of an adult online will actually help their employability.

As if somehow lessons that didn’t sink in, for whatever reason, during school, growing up, work etc will suddenly sink in when someone corrects them on MN.

@JudyCoolibar I find your post extremely offensive. You are implying that people routinely fabricate dyslexia, and that it's possible to definitively tell from a forum post whether someone is dyslexic. In reality, the error may only be minor, as spell check helped the person out for most of their post.

Should anyone who points out that they are dyslexic (in response to your unsolicited pedantry) have to show you their educational or occupational psychologist's report, in order for you to be sure that, yes, you were, in fact, being horrible to someone with dyslexia?

@Fedup845, if that's what you take from my post, you haven't read it properly. Not once did I suggest that people routinely fabricate dyslexia: as I said, I am very familiar with it and know very well the nature of the problem. I simply expressed my dislike of those people who actually are very obviously fabricating it - and trust me, you can tell. For what it's worth, I don't bother to take them up on it, life is too short and I've seen the reaction it gets on MN; so I don't go in for "unsolicited pedantry", nor I am never "horrible" to them either.

Your post is a classic example of the MN tendency to assume a lot of untrue allegations from absolutely nothing in order to be able to attack someone.

I am really fascinated by how you "can tell" from a post? Seems I should have saved myself the £750 for a professional dyslexia assessment then, and just had a random pedant look at my Mumsnet posts to confirm my diagnosis?
I suggest you publise this amazingly quick forum post scanning diagnosis technique that you've pioneered. Perhaps submit it for peer review in a psychology journal? It really sounds quite revolutionary.

It's irritating but I wouldn't correct someone.
Lose/loose, discusting,rediculous, rest bite are particularly annoying.

HQ delete posts that are only made to correct other people's spelling and grammar, so do report them

Seriously - I'm another dyslexic, I can usually tell if a word looks right but sometimes my spell can be too far out for predictive text to correct. If it write (spelling?) After it it actually quite happy for someone to correct it.

I can't be doing with up-their-own-arse grammar pedants pointing out people's spelling mistakes. I have to admit, I wince when I see some of the spellings, especially those that appear over and over again, but pointing them out to the person is patronising. Maybe save your comments for the BBC and other media outlets, where SPAG errors are rife and show a lack of professionalism.

As for all this faux altruism - 'Oh, I'm just pointing out someone's mistake to HELP them' - I'm sorry, but I don't believe you. You might even have convinced yourself of your motivations, but I think you're deluded. And I think you're a dick.

I find it really amusing that people actually think correcting the spelling of an adult online will actually help their employability.

As if somehow lessons that didn’t sink in, for whatever reason, during school, growing up, work etc will suddenly sink in when someone corrects them on MN.

Well quite. I've said this in a variety of ways on this thread already, but some people are hard of thinking.

The 'But what if they make the same mistake on a cv?! ' people also conveniently ignore the fact that people generally have spellcheck when they are typing a document on their pc or laptop, and will also check their cv or job application carefully, or get someone else to, unlike when they are posting on MN. Having poor spelling and grammar does not mean you are too stupid to grasp the difference in importance between a cv and a Mumsnet chat.

I think 95% of those who correct others' spelling online are smug, disingenuous arses. The remaining 5% are probably misguided, insensitive and perhaps a bit dim, since they fail to recognise a) that it's pointless and b) that the majority of people will find it upsetting, embarrassing or just plain annoying.

@Babdoc

There seems a lot of defensive anger on this thread, from people who apparently want to continue mangling their grammar and spelling, and assume anyone correcting them must only be doing it out of a feeling of superiority. When I correct someone’s post, I do it from a feeling of sympathy, and a wish to explain the grammar or spelling that they manifestly do not understand, so that they will not embarrass themselves in future - perhaps in a more important context, such as at their work or on a CV. If you saw a woman walking in the street with her skirt caught up in her knickers, surely it is kinder to point it out and let her fix it, than to let her continue embarrassing herself all the way home?

I really like the knicker comparison @Babdoc

I've had my written English criticised (constructively) plenty of times as an adult, by people who knew better than me. It was really helpful, and I think I write better English because of it. I would really hate to think that I was blithely making some mistake and people were just letting me carry on.

@OpheliaThrupps you are looking at this from the perspective of a neurotypical person who can remember and take on new language rules when corrected.

Dyslexic brains process language differently, and a simple correction will do sweet FA to help, which is why it's best that people refrain from "helpfully" pointing out SPAG errors in an OP's post, unless the error is so grave as to make the post unintelligible (which it almost never is).

[quote JudyCoolibar]@Fedup845, if that's what you take from my post, you haven't read it properly. Not once did I suggest that people routinely fabricate dyslexia: as I said, I am very familiar with it and know very well the nature of the problem. I simply expressed my dislike of those people who actually are very obviously fabricating it - and trust me, you can tell. For what it's worth, I don't bother to take them up on it, life is too short and I've seen the reaction it gets on MN; so I don't go in for "unsolicited pedantry", nor I am never "horrible" to them either.

Your post is a classic example of the MN tendency to assume a lot of untrue allegations from absolutely nothing in order to be able to attack someone.[/quote]
It’s amazing that people get through school with u diagnosed dyslexia and have to go though tests if people like yourself can tell if someone has it or not just from an internet post.

I’m surprise you have time to be on here given that you must be run off your feet with people wanting your easy assessments…

OpheliaThruppsyou are looking at this from the perspective of a neurotypical person who can remember and take on new language rules when corrected.

True, but it's also the case that even neurotypical people vary enormously in how good they are at this. Even among nt, intelligent people fortunate enough to have had a good education, there are still those who are poor spellers.

I think it's apparent a lot of posters on this thread seem to think that poor writing is irritating, slows them down or that poor spellers are claiming to be dyslexic when they are not.

It's absolutely fine to not understand dyslexia, Its a hidden disability so if someone is reaching targets it may look like we fake it. (Hint we really don't and working twice as hard to keep up)

but it's really not ok when there have been plenty of posts on here explaining what it is and what individuals have trouble with to continue to claim they are being helpful or were being lazy etc. we hear these comments all the time, trust me.

Would anyone on this thread ask someone using crutches to "speed up" because they are slowing the able person down? Or tell a blind person "you just need to try harder at seeing" dyslexia IS a disability under the equality act. It's is real. But we also have ALOT of other talent which get pushed to one said because the world concentrates on this one thing we find difficult.

@Fairislefandango

OpheliaThruppsyou are looking at this from the perspective of a neurotypical person who can remember and take on new language rules when corrected.

True, but it's also the case that even neurotypical people vary enormously in how good they are at this. Even among nt, intelligent people fortunate enough to have had a good education, there are still those who are poor spellers.

It's not even about being good at it sometimes. Muscle memory and ingrained habits are a real thing. In informal settings or when speed is required the brain goes to what it knows unless people actually focus and actively try to remember what the rule or difference is.

I'll use myself as an example. I read ominous a long time ago in a book without ever hearing it. I read is as omnious, the voice in my head read it as that and it stayed that way for years until I was talking with someone and they pointed out the right way. I actually looked in the dictionary because I couldn't believe it was wrong, it looked and sounded so right to me. Even now when I know, if I'm reading it in a book or thinking about it my brain automatically reads /says it as omnious and then I have to remind myself it's wrong. It feels strange and alien the right way so it takes a conscious effort to do it that way. Luckily it's not a word I have much use for in day to day life.

Would anyone on this thread ask someone using crutches to "speed up" because they are slowing the able person down? Or tell a blind person "you just need to try harder at seeing" dyslexia IS a disability under the equality act. It's is real

I agree, however a lot of people claim ‘dyslexia’ when in fact it maybe something else. Not all dyslexics are bad at spelling, nor are they unable to read. Some people just can’t be bothered.