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

@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.

I assume that means you'd like us to point out the many mistakes in this post of yours then?

I feel sorry for people who get so bothered by a written mistake that they can't take a step back and think about why everyone doesn't have perfect spelling and grammar. Those who do should consider themselves privileged and STFU imo. Many people who make these 'irritating' errors do so be due their education has been lacking or they are not as able intellectually as you. It's awful to put people down for things outwith their control. Nobody is saying 'could of' to piss you off, and if you understand the post I see no need to correct people - language is communication and if you know what the poster meant, including and errors, then the communication is complete.

@HeadNorth

It is a dick move to correct spelling on a chat forum. Posters that do it reveal themselves as petty twats, so I usually disregard their opinion. I don't care what petty twats think, it's a moo point

totally agree.

YANBU, OP. I have a degree (first) in English literature from a top university, I write complex agreements and proposals in my job, which requires perfect literacy. I am the spelling buff in my family.

Once in a while I do make the odd mistake on MN (their instead of they’re perhaps), when 99 times out of 100, I would get it right.

It really doesn’t need pointing out by some pedant, who I could out spell any day.

@Tlollj

Is it ‘spelled’ or ‘spelt’ btw. I’ve seen both on this thread? Either? Are they interchangeable?

The US uses spelled for both simple past and past participle. The UK did use spelt for both, but now spelled is becoming more commonly used.

It's the equivalent of someone walking round with their tights accidentally tucked into their knickers.

I don't do it but the words changed are often not 'spelling errors' but grammar mistakes, or using similar looking words incorrectly.

I have dyslexia so I spell things wrong quite often. I don't know how to use grammar

When I see someone correct spelling/grammar on MN. I automatically think they are doing it to be nasty. I almost hear a snigger in my head when I read it.

I think people also forget that adults can have dyslexia people also think adults all had the same access to education

Are we assuming that all bad spelling is the result of dyslexia, though? None of the many spelling errors we see all the time are made by anybody without dyslexia? Obviously, there will be typos and stupid autocorrects, but IF it wasn't done by mistake/because of dyslexia and comes from a point of ignorance, would you not want to learn? How is it particularly different from any other error, really?

Just supposing I were to go off on a rant about the USA's reaction to Russia's actions and demand that Trump should put his foot down and start acting like a real leader, I would want people to point out that one particular area of my knowledge that's clearly not correct - better to be embarrassed briefly than allowed to continue indefinitely, IF it were something that I could easily learn and remember.

It's great to be kind and nobody likes a bully, but if we get to a point where people never feel able to gently point something out, everybody else sees the incorrect version and many will subconsciously absorb it as if it must/might be correct. The end result is all of the 'should ofs' and the like becoming de facto accepted as 'correct'.

Whatever the reasons behind it, if a post is full of spelling errors - maybe grammar and punctuation errors too, as well as one massive unseparated paragraph, I will often find it just too incoherent to understand and have to give up. I'm not claiming that the odd error/typo will render it thus, but would people really not want to know that, having posted something and earnestly awaiting responses and engagement, they aren't likely to get anything - not because nobody likes them or is interested in the subject, but because they've just communicated in such a way that they effectively haven't really posted at all?

@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

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

@cormorantes

There is clearly a need to correct spelling in schools, in editing, in drafting, copy writing etc. I am not sure this extends to mumsnet posts but when your job involves correcting spelling it does become habit.

I'm an English teacher, Academic Manager, and materials writer. I don't feel the need to put MNers down and humiliate them by pointing their mistakes out.

Spelling/grammar mistakes do make me wince, especially if they’re of the very basic type - it’s/its, your/you’re, etc. - and I do wonder why anyone of average intelligence can’t sort these things out. They really are not difficult!

But I’ve only ever corrected anyone once - on a largely male forum where some smartarse had corrected someone else - and made a basic mistake in his own post. I did enjoy that! 😈

The most cringe-making correction I ever saw was on a members-only forum, where many of us knew each other or had at least met, and someone who’d obviously always thought herself superior, corrected - on the open forum when she could have sent a pm - someone who’d used a Latin phrase incorrectly.

Appalling!

I don’t correct people on here but I do really struggle with seeing things spelled incorrectly or incorrect grammar used, particularly when it makes it harder to understand what’s being said. Similarly with people who use the wrong words for things (less and fewer is a real bug bear). It just makes me feel uncomfortable (I suppose a bit like when you look at tiling and can see that one is not lined up properly - perhaps not a great example).

However, I’m not perfect either so also make mistakes but I’d be happy to be corrected because I’m neurotypical (so mistakes are 100% down to me) and I want to learn because stuff like this interests me.

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

I didn't know this, thank you.

I’m pretty average at maths - does this mean I no longer have to worry about my incorrect calculations? Are people rude to point out my errors?

@Fairislefandango

And do you only do it behind the safe anonymity of a computer screen, or would you correct people's language in person as well?

What I do find amusing is how many of the self-proclaimed pedants on MN clearly have a very patchy understanding of grammar themselves, which is often demonstrated both in their posts and their apparent inability to explain why other posters' language is wrong. Actually, that's the only time I do sometimes correct others' mistakes - when they were the ones rudely criticising another poster's language and then they come out with a complete howler themselves. Most gratifying.

Quite.

Like the post directly above yours.

Pedants' Corner has gone from being a nice place where language quirks were mused on, to a nasty "guess what I've just seen" point-and-laugh. Invariably, as you say, by posters whose own knowledge of English is very sketchy. It's even more fun to point their mistakes out. Then they tell you that you've misspelled Muphry.

Are we assuming that all bad spelling is the result of dyslexia, though? None of the many spelling errors we see all the time are made by anybodywithoutdyslexia? Obviously, there will be typos and stupid autocorrects, but IF it wasn't done by mistake/because of dyslexia and comes from a point of ignorance, would you not want to learn? How is it particularly different from any other error, really?

Of course they aren't all a result of dyslexia. But people have strengths and weaknesses, things they're good or bad at. Are they all fair game? I'm not great with numbers, and I have a dreadful sense of direction. Oddly enough, random people pointing out my mistakes or failures does not cure me of these difficulties.

I think that anyone who believes they are going to make a significant difference to people's ability to spell by going around 'kindly' pointing out their mistakes is possibly deluded, but most likely just disingenuous and doing it to make themselves feel superior, or just enjoying venting their irritation. As a previous poster said, check your privilege. Good for youif you find spelling and grammar easy. Some people don't and never will, however often smug twats on the internet 'try to help' them.

• you if

Like an earlier poster I find incorrect spelling distracting and difficult which can cause me problems when reading (and like previous poster is part of my job).
I have learnt as an adult to keep quiet and say nothing unless asked eg to help friends and family with something important (cv's,
job applications etc) and wouldn't do it on here.

@PukkaP

I do it because if I spelled something incorrectly, I’d want someone to let me know.

Oh dear, you don't really have the ability to think outside of your own little box then do you?

The people you're correcting could have (for whatever reason) received a really poor education. If that's the case, they will already know that and you and your big red pen will just make them feel more shit and possibly quite humiliated.

Just try to think about this for a minute. If they stumble across people like you on every forum every time they post, or every time they send a text/email, they're hardly going to look for advice even if their life is falling apart.

But as long as you'd want someone to let you know, that's ok is it?

I’m pretty average at maths - does this mean I no longer have to worry about my incorrect calculations? Are people rude to point out my errors?

I was thinking along those lines, too. People with dyscalculia must find it maybe even more difficult - at least with words and letters, there are general rules and patterns, but not so with numbers. Imagine a number version of Wordle, where you're given the first digit of a 5-digit number and have only five guesses to find the number!

There's a huge difference between condemnation/bullying/belittling and trying to achieve accuracy to a sufficient point that everybody understands what is being communicated.

@WorraLiberty

What's quite amusing is that I'm on a hate list elsewhere in Mumsnet related cyberspace for having corrected one of the poster's grammar on here. If I corrected her grammar on here it was because she was being a twat and correcting someone else's whilst making mistakes herself. I have never, and would never, do so otherwise.

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.

Surely noone actually believes they are actually “helping" someone by picking apart their spelling on a public forum? Come on now

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER

Spelling/grammar mistakes do make me wince, especially if they’re of the very basic type - it’s/its, your/you’re, etc. - and I do wonder why anyone of average intelligence can’t sort these things out. They really are not difficult!

But I’ve only ever corrected anyone once - on a largely male forum where some smartarse had corrected someone else - and made a basic mistake in his own post. I did enjoy that! 😈

The most cringe-making correction I ever saw was on a members-only forum, where many of us knew each other or had at least met, and someone who’d obviously always thought herself superior, corrected - on the open forum when she could have sent a pm - someone who’d used a Latin phrase incorrectly.

Appalling!

They are not difficult to you. I can't untangle the use of it's /its, or your/you're . Also because someone does not know how to use grammar or spell well. It does not mean they are not intelligent.

It underlines in red if not spelt correctly. My spelling isn't great, but I just google the word and correct the spelling.

Same with apostrophes - just google it if you're not sure. You just come across as a bit think and lazy and it make your point appear less pertinent.