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

Exactly. This is so, so simple and yet the people who profess to be so well educated, just can't seem to understand it.

Or they do but they think their irritation is far more important.

Yes. Thank you.

Believe me, if pointing out errors eliminated even half of the inaccuracy in students' writing (or speaking), I would be overjoyed.

You can't really believe that all those people making mistakes have never read the correct version of any of those words and grammatical structures? That they never had them corrected at school? Of course they did. It didn't fix the problem. Having them pointed out by an MNer decades later when the habits are more ingrained and the brain less adaptable is going to help even less - i.e. not at all.

I spend a significant amount of time proof reading and correcting reports for work. I also spend a lot of time writing them. These documents will be scrutinised to the letter, and I spend ages agonising over paragraphs or single words to see if something can be inferred/misread etc.

I'll be fucked if I am going to do that with family and friends. If I can read it, I don't care. My own messages are usually typed quickly whilst rushing around like a blue arsed fly, or grappling with small children/dog. They usually contain many auto-correct failures or grammatical errors. Could not care less.

Anyway, I've said all this on multiple threads before and never changed anyone's mind, so I think I'll get back to the housework.

I write court documents and reports for work and my spag is fantastic on there. Get me on a forum or group chat and things go wrong left, right and centre! I wouldn’t mind being corrected because I usually do know the correct way, I’m just too lazy to proof read a text or go back and change anything.
Words that don’t make sense do irk me a bit though, especially at work because it can change everything in the sentence..
Brought is a weird one, and can confuse the sentence but it seems to be a thing around the midlands. Our family member is a teacher and uses it incorrectly? I do wonder if she also teaches the children the incorrect word too so it’s just creating a new meaning for the word?

Also, as seen in my post, people use spag incorrectly to put emphasis on words or sentences to change the tone that otherwise would be difficult to portray without a high English language education

That isn't a mistake (I've seen loads of people say that), it makes no sense and is idiocy, pure and simple so I won't apologise for calling that out.

Ffs. I think maybe you have a very narrow definition of the word 'mistake'. As for your 'idiocy' comment , I don't really trust myself to respond to that fully without risking a ban. Suffice it to say, making grammar errors does not mean a person is an idiot. The 'bought' and 'brought' thing is simply an issue of the past tenses of two verbs sounding very similar. And it's catching - the more it's heard, the more it's repeated. No idiocy required.

@WinniesHunny

Typos or spelling mistakes are fair enough. I corrected someone the other day who as saying how they had "brought" their car.

That isn't a mistake (I've seen loads of people say that), it makes no sense and is idiocy, pure and simple so I won't apologise for calling that out.

I do feel though that dyslexia is used as a crutch for the thick. My FIL is dyslexic and I have great sympathy for him as it's been a struggle throughout his life, and I think those who are just stupid but claim to be "a bit dyslexic" are minimising the struggles that those who genuinely have the condition have to deal with.

And you think going through life being "just stupid" as you called it is a walk in the park?

I bet your FIL went through childhood being called lazy and stupid too. Wonder how he'd feel to know you use his condition to brand others as less than.

@WinniesHunny

Oh, sorry. Everyone is obviously of equal intelligence.

Arseholes.

And you think that calling people thick is a good description of different intelligence? You are the arsehole.

@WinniesHunny

Oh, sorry. Everyone is obviously of equal intelligence.

Arseholes.

Did you not have the intelligence to realise the previous replies were from posters taking umbrage at your use of the words 'thick' and 'stupid' to describe human beings, rather than claiming everyone is of equal intelligence?

Interesting...

@WinniesHunny's post displays a high degree of ignorance about dyslexia. In this view, a person is only genuinely dyslexic if they find everything a huge struggle.

Many dyslexics have exceptional IQs, in terms of problem solving skills, but struggle to spell. It's why GCHQ actively want to recruit people with dyslexia, as they often perform at far higher level than neurotypical people when undertaking certain coding tasks.

I am an academically high achieving dyslexic, and this attitude, that I must be making up my condition because I am not shit at everything (just spelling) boils my blood.

I'm not at work when I'm on MN though, are you? As designated spelling monitor?

Who designated me?

I find it annoying if I see a meme on Facebook with incorrect spelling or grammar, or if I'm out and about and I see a notice for the general public to read which is badly written.

It amazes me the amount of people who don't know how to use an apostrophe. I thought this was taught at primary school.

@Mamamia7962

I find it annoying if I see a meme on Facebook with incorrect spelling or grammar, or if I'm out and about and I see a notice for the general public to read which is badly written.

It amazes me the amount of people who don't know how to use an apostrophe. I thought this was taught at primary school.

I believe the inability to use an apostrophe correctly is a legal requirement to work as a greengrocer.

It's the wrong word being used repeatedly that bugs me. There's a thread here at the moment that is making my teeth itch.

Have I said anything? No. The OP is clearly worried and it would be rude. Thanks to those who have modelled the use of the correct word ( and have been ignored!)

I know a teacher who has to correct every single error. It has very little impact on spelling but a huge impact on self confidence. She genuinely can’t understand why the dyslexic children in her class never want to write anything in her lessons. She thinks they are being lazy. I think they have worked out the best way to defend themselves from her angry pen.

WinniesHunny - Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking of!

Outside of work, I don't correct people's spelling or grammar and can usually tell if it's a typo or ingrained misconception, but it does irk me. In fact, sometimes I get a physical reaction to bad grammar and spelling, especially when it's in the kind of copy that people produce for a living. (There's a thread on Chat about a derelict property and the nonsense in the estate agent's guff makes me cringe)
For people who are wordsmiths/language-lovers, I suppose it's like not picking up on an incorrect calculation or fact. But I'd have to be in a really shitty mood to point it out to someone on MN who is just posting thoughts and opinions.
Full disclosure: I do point it out to people professionally but I think teachers and school staff should model correct spelling and grammar

It would help if there was an edit option on here, why isn't there the option? I often get caught out because of the predictive text on my phone.

I love the school of thought which suggests that the people who blithely misspell on Mumsnet, are somehow saving themselves to absolutely nail it on official documents. It's not a finite resource.

Clearly, when someone is dyslexic - and that's usually pretty obvious - it's best left. I'm afraid I can't always stop myself when the poster is ranting about the stupidity of a SiL/GP receptionist/ASDA till operator. The temptation to say 'Yeah, but she probably knows how to spell 'disgusting (hint - there's no 'c') . . . ' is sometimes too great.

Frankly, I should've thought pointing out an error on here might prevent someone making it on a job application. Who knows?

I wouldn't correct spelling on a forum like this. We all like to have rules and know when things are right and wrong but when you dig into why that is, as pps have said, it's a bit uncomfortable.

That said I think it's important to communicate clearly on a text forum like this where words really are all we have. Lots of posts really don't set their message out clearly, and could have done with a bit of thought beforehand. People won't help you if they don't get what you mean? Long paragraphs and stream of thought that isn't organised into sentences makes it hard for me as a native English speaker. That's nothing to do with spelling, and everything to do with being aware how your message lands.

@HunterHearstHelmsley

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

I know this, because I always correct my sisters spelling. Only my sister, its fun to piss her off

Once you have mastered correcting spellings you may want to buy Apostrophes For Dummies!