Note from a cranky editor
- Thread starter Greg Cox
- Start date
^Very true. Plus, you have to treat a message board more as a conversation than as a printed medium. Yes, I could wish that people showed more care in their speech and posting, but in conversation we all use colloquialisms and less-than-perfect grammar. While it is true that published work should be as accurate as possible, the purpose of a message board - and indeed, language in general - is communication. Regardless of spelling or punctuation mistakes, as long as the correct message is communicated, then the language has accomplished its purpose.
Nevertheless, I wish people would use apostrophes appropriately!
Nevertheless, I wish people would use apostrophes appropriately!
^Very true. Plus, you have to treat a message board more as a conversation than as a printed medium. Yes, I could wish that people showed more care in their speech and posting, but in conversation we all use colloquialisms and less-than-perfect grammar. While it is true that published work should be as accurate as possible, the purpose of a message board - and indeed, language in general - is communication. Regardless of spelling or punctuation mistakes, as long as the correct message is communicated, then the language has accomplished its purpose.
Nevertheless, I wish people would use apostrophes appropriately!
I learned a simple lesson years ago from one of my bosses(boss's? Bosss?
) If you think about it, it digs into the heart of the problem-when communicating, language mistakes can lead to misunderstandings. Here's what he said:"If you don't have time to do it right, how can you possibly have time to do it over?" Which strikes at the heart of the matter-language errors are 10% accidents, 30% ignorance and 60% laziness. Sadly, it should be closer to 2% ignorance but our education system-ahem, I digress.
Another common error that bugs me is "time dialation." It's not "dialation," it's "dilation." Three syllables. From Latin dis-, "apart," plus latis, "wide." Nothing to do with dials of any kind.
And "floatation."
I rarely notice that one. I mean, if I encounter, "Her floatation devices popped right out of her bra." I usually miss it all together. I guess I'm too busy looking at the pictures.
^^and it's also hard to know if we're talking about a true grammar mistake or just faulty typing/proofreading sometimes.
Well, typos happen. That's no big deak. If someone accidentally types "Spcok" instead "Spock," I assume it's just an one-time thing.
It's the pervasive, recurring errors, like "cannon" versus "canon" that tend to grate on the nerves--and, to my horror, often seem to perpetuate themselves. I fear that there's an entire generation out there that thinks that "cannon" is the correct spelling--just because that's what they always see on the internet!
I rarely notice that one. I mean, if I encounter, "Her floatation devices popped right out of her bra." I usually miss it all together. I guess I'm too busy looking at the pictures.
Wow, under those conditions I'm not sure if I'd notice the spelling either. You'll have to post some pics and I'll let you know.
And it's "altogether", not "all together"!
Mistral said:I'm thinking you folks need to read Eats, Shoots and Leaves until the indignation subsides.
But of course, I've already read it. And lots of other things.
Hey, there's more than one way to be a geek, and in fact no reason why I can't be a geek in more than one way.
Sakloth said:Just be glad it's (mostly) confined to this thread. We who find irritation in these errors do our best not to go around correcting every instance we encounter.
Right. We've got to have a socially acceptable outlet for this stuff. I don't want to tell people 37 times "It's you're, not your," and what's more, I shouldn't - at least not all the time. There are times and places when I should, but this sure the heck ain't one of them.
And yet it drives me nuts. What's a gal to do? Vent, that's what.
Intentional irony, or accidental...?
Wow, under those conditions I'm not sure if I'd notice the spelling either. You'll have to post some pics and I'll let you know.I rarely notice that one. I mean, if I encounter, "Her floatation devices popped right out of her bra." I usually miss it all together. I guess I'm too busy looking at the pictures.
And it's "altogether", not "all together"!
Dang! Caught me! Thought I could slip that one buy!
^ It just needs the one "a" - flotation. (If Silvercrest and Mistral have another issue in addition to this one, I do hope they'll share.) That's how my dictionaries spell it, anyway.
Another word that is routinely misspelled is fluoride. I can't say as I really blame anybody for that, though - that is one odd, non-intuitive spelling.
Another word that is routinely misspelled is fluoride. I can't say as I really blame anybody for that, though - that is one odd, non-intuitive spelling.
Wow, under those conditions I'm not sure if I'd notice the spelling either. You'll have to post some pics and I'll let you know.I rarely notice that one. I mean, if I encounter, "Her floatation devices popped right out of her bra." I usually miss it all together. I guess I'm too busy looking at the pictures.
And it's "altogether", not "all together"!
Dang! Caught me! Thought I could slip that one buy!
ARRRGH!
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flotation
This page lists "floatation" as a common variant. But that may only be the common misspelling entering the lexicon. Plus, it's the internet. Curiously, Wikipedia describes "floatation" as the way the word was "historically spelled."
Well, now I am confused.
--
And since I was recently corrected on this one, it's "I've said my piece" not "I've said my peace" as I so often have written.
^ And here's another weird thing. All of my real dictionaries list it as flotation and don't list floatation even as a variant.
But the dictionary in Word recognizes both flotation and floatation. So what do you say we blame it on Microsoft?
A Google search turns up lots more flotations than it does floatations, though - 3.9 million vs. 913,000. So what with the real dictionaries and the Google search, I'd say flotation is still by far your best bet.
But the dictionary in Word recognizes both flotation and floatation. So what do you say we blame it on Microsoft?
A Google search turns up lots more flotations than it does floatations, though - 3.9 million vs. 913,000. So what with the real dictionaries and the Google search, I'd say flotation is still by far your best bet.
Actually, that one depends on usage, as do words like "everyday" and "every day."Wow, under those conditions I'm not sure if I'd notice the spelling either. You'll have to post some pics and I'll let you know.I rarely notice that one. I mean, if I encounter, "Her floatation devices popped right out of her bra." I usually miss it all together. I guess I'm too busy looking at the pictures.
And it's "altogether", not "all together"!
Similar threads
