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

Another dyslexic here! It's certainly not to help us. Would you point out mistakes people with other learning disabilities do? Especially if them mistakes to were a result of their learning disabilities. Often posts are written quickly and in some cases when the poster is upset or emotional about something. It's a d* move correct it in your head if you have to.

I don't correct on here because everyone says it's rude. But I just think, if no-one corrects you then you'll never learn how to spell/use an apostrophe/ what the saying actually is. I find that odd, but my excuse is I'm a pedant and also a teacher so I like to have things correct and correct things!

OP dyslexic aswell and I've been corrected on here several times. It does not help! For all the people who think it does, its just humiliating.
My spelling and grammar is shocking, not just because of my dyslexia but because when we were around 10 years old, teachers were told to stop correcting spelling (my mum was told this at parents evening by my teacher at the time).
Even I can pick up on mistakes sometimes but would never point them out.

It makes them feel better about themselves to put someone else down.

^This. People are welcome to feel irritated by spelling mistakes, but that is very much their problem. Publicly picking other people up for their mistakes is rude, pointless and unnecessary.

It's part of my job to focus on accuracy of language. I do not correct spelling and grammar unless I'm doing it for work, because it is a petty, unpleasant thing to do.

Many people couldn't give a shit if they spell like a 5 year old. This is why literacy levels in the UK are so embarrassingly poor.

I teach English to foreign students and often caveat spelling or grammar rules with "but you'll find many native English speakers make mistakes with this, so don't assume you're wrong because they've done it differently".

@GeneLovesJezebel

If you continue to spell a word wrong, and it’s not corrected, how will you ever learn to spell it right ? But I wouldn’t correct on here as I know some people have reasons why they spell incorrectly.

It's to do with how the dyslexic brain works. The brain can't de-code written language in the same way a neurotypical brain does, so no matter how many times I'm corrected for the same spelling it just does not process.

I spell the same words a different way each time that on occasions even spell checker doesn't know what I'm saying.

"college/colleague" "brought/brought"

It’s a pathetic thing to do and I’ve always assumed those who do it are a bit dim. It’s also entirely pointless, if you can read a word and know what it means then the word has served it’s purpose. Adults who can’t spell well are fully aware of the fact.

I can’t think of other situations where we needlessly correct strangers but I like the image of someone going around a bus correcting strangers hairstyles!

It can be irritating to see a spelling mistake but it's usually polite to let it go. If your child makes a mistake you might correct it so they learn or if the mistake is going to be sent to a customer or displayed on a notice board it might be best to point out the error. On here I think it should only be done if the mistake means some posters think it's a different word and it confuses what the post is about. Unfortunately I think it is often done to make people feel superior.

As long as I can get the gist of what is being written I don't care.

I think some people like to feel superior, some people are a bit too obsessive about language and can't ignore mistakes so have to correct it, and some notice and it annoys them, but they have an awareness of dyslexia and language disabilities so just ignore it.

@Lockeddownagain

I just have never understood the need.

In some people it is because it absolutely drives them dotty to see mis~ spelled words, or even worse, to bad grammar.

''I could of''

''I should of''

''I wanted to lend some money off my sister''

''I could loose my mind''

''Putin holds the reigns of power''

Aaargh!

@GeneLovesJezebel
If you continue to spell a word wrong, and it’s not corrected, how will you ever learn to spell it right ?
Dyslexia is a disability. The brain of a person with dyslexia is neurologically different. You look at writing and automatically decide it into letters and associated sounds. A dyslexic brain is missing some or all of that function, writing is seen by the dyslexic brain as shapes and processed in the same easy as other shapes are. It’s a really unpleasant attitude you have to disability there, you might want to reassess it.

I often notice spelling mistakes but never correct them. My SIL always uses ect instead of etc (including on her CV) and I am torn on whether I should point this out as don't want to be seen as being petty/judgemental. My correcting her spelling comes from a good place as I don't think she realises the correct spelling and I think that's also what a lot of people do on MN, I don't always think the intention is mean.

Edit...I made an accidental mistake in my post. Am happy to be corrected.
:)

@oakleaffy

*Lockeddownagain
I just have never understood the need.
In some people it is because it absolutely drives them dotty to see mis~ spelled words, or even worse, to bad grammar.

''I could of''

''I should of''

''I wanted to lend some money off my sister''

''I could loose my mind''

''Putin holds the reigns of power''

Aaargh!*

Sure but don’t like aviator sunglasses or the man that grunts in gym class but I understand it’s not my place to mention these things to them.

I wouldn’t do it on here. But I have sometimes seen posters grateful for the correction.

I would however like to see every post with ‘of’ instead of ‘have’ autocorrected.

[quote Franklyfrost]@GeneLovesJezebel
If you continue to spell a word wrong, and it’s not corrected, how will you ever learn to spell it right ?
Dyslexia is a disability. The brain of a person with dyslexia is neurologically different. You look at writing and automatically decide it into letters and associated sounds. A dyslexic brain is missing some or all of that function, writing is seen by the dyslexic brain as shapes and processed in the same easy as other shapes are. It’s a really unpleasant attitude you have to disability there, you might want to reassess it.[/quote]
And that’s why I wrote the second part of my post, which you have chosen not to use.

@feliciabirthgiver

I often notice spelling mistakes but never correct them. My SIL always uses ect instead of etc (including on her CV) and I am torn on whether I should point this out as don't want to be seen as being petty/judgemental. My correcting her spelling comes from a good place as I don't think she realises the correct spelling and I think that's also what a lot of people do on MN, I don't always think the intention is mean.

On a CV I would want someone to point it out to me. Not on Mumsnet.

I really don't think people will learn to spell because some random on Mumsnet has corrected hem.

Proof reading and corrections are part of my job so it's automatic for me, but I wouldn't dream of correcting someone on a forum. Poor spelling and grammar doesn't matter much in this context, it's most often just fat fingers on a stupid phone keyboard and anyway, it's rude and petty.

But I have to admit that I do wonder WTF is going on in education these days that a large chunk of the population can barely string a written sentence together without a glaring error. I'm not talking about dyslexia or disability, I'm talking about the standard of teaching being in decline amidst the general population.

My dad still picks me up on errors in my emails, and he's 85. My mother did it too, while she was alive - especially critiquing my verbal pronunciation!

@feliciabirthgiver

I often notice spelling mistakes but never correct them. My SIL always uses ect instead of etc (including on her CV) and I am torn on whether I should point this out as don't want to be seen as being petty/judgemental. My correcting her spelling comes from a good place as I don't think she realises the correct spelling and I think that's also what a lot of people do on MN, I don't always think the intention is mean.

Please do point out her CV. Official letters and documents are not the same as mumsnet corrections.

I don't have any problem with spelling being pointed out in my official paperwork (now I'm more comfortable telling people about my dyslexia I do ask for someone to proofread important documents and very grateful when they do)

It's hard to explain as my brain functions as I know it. I have no idea what "neurotypical" is because to me what I do is normal to me. I just know I'm different and I find certain tasks a lot harder than my peers, but likewise I can think outside the box a lot better than my peers. Swings and roundabouts 😂

I wouldn't do it on social media but I see why people might be moved to correct the very common mistakes that have become much more prevalent in our population entirely because they appear on SM all the time and go uncorrected ( Loose / lose, desgusting, e.t.c,)

@Franklyfrost

I don't correct people , it just makes me grit my teeth and go ''Arrgh'' inwardly.

@RedHelenB

Words look wrong though if not written correctly. I get picked up cos of predictive text. My d's is dyslexic, how is not picking up that's word is wrong helpful? It's not a matter of being superior, just correct. Like if I pronounced something wrong in a foreign language I wouldn't mind being corrected on that.

Agree. Why would you not correct a word. I guess the context is important. If people are posting needing help, then it's not the time to correct. If a teacher did it, would you just assume they are dyslexic and leave it. Off course wouldn't.

@SingaporeSlinky

I don’t correct people on here, but I do shout the correct word in my head. Not because I feel superior, but it’s just really annoying, and I hope when someone else does correct them, that the Op realises and might learn from it (although unlikely). Sometimes it’s obvious it’s autocorrect, but more often than not, it’s someone just mixing up ‘bought’ and ‘brought’.

This is me. I have some friends on Facebook and two of them are the loveliest people but they cannot spell. I never say anything because I understand what they mean but I cringe inside.

@KatherineofGaunt

I don't correct on here because everyone says it's rude. But I just think, if no-one corrects you then you'll never learn how to spell/use an apostrophe/ what the saying actually is. I find that odd, but my excuse is I'm a pedant and also a teacher so I like to have things correct and correct things!

If you’re a teacher then please consider that no matter how many times you correct a student with dyslexia it’s not going to work as the original word, the misspelt word and the corrected word will all look exactly the same to them. There are ways to improve spelling for those with dyslexia, it varies from person to person, but it’s often associating language with pictures or narrative.