Spelling and grammar

I'll just share a story my old man used to tell me, if you think it's a lot of old carp just ignore it, but it's just something I TRY to remember.

A field commander saw an opportunity to win a battle, but couldn't do it with the troops at his disposal. So he called on the radio

"Send reinforcements, we're going to advance!"

the radio operator at the other end heard

"Send three and fourpence, we're going to a dance!"

he laughed, put the radio down and didn't send the reinforcements, the battalion advanced and were slaughtered.

Whose fault? The radio operator for not listening? Or the field commander for not speaking clearly, then clarifying that he had been understood? The radio operator had no reason to question what he heard. The field commander knew he was taking troops into battle who were outnumbered and knew the importance of the instruction.


It is up to you to ensure your posts are as legible as possible, so well done mate for sticking in a spell checker and using it. Even if it doesn't pick up everything, your posts in this thread have been much easier to read.

The spell checker is not always right, earlier on you typed "Prepaid" rather than "Prepared" and I'm guessing the spell checker did that not you, and people can see that, whenever its the right spelling but the wrong word, so don't worry about that.

The spell checker may seem like a pain in the butt now picking up every other word, but as Messie said about learning, you will also learn from the spell checker. Once you have seen the spell checker correct "thogh" many times and replace it with "though", you'll stop mis-spelling it and you'll need the spell checker less and less, so my advice is stick with it.

Originally Posted by Ed

When I first started work in a law office, I had to ask someone to sign a document. It was a statement. I gave it to him, and this bloke looked at me, and went bright red. He didn't say a word, and didn't even pick up the pen, he was too embarrassed. It suddenly occurred to me that this bloke couldn't read or write. To former public school boy me, this came as a great shock - after 42 years of free education, people left school lacking this fundamental ability. I hadn't encountered it before. How does it happen? I don't know - how can anyone go through school for 10 years and not be able to read or write? I'm sure that someone will explain. Messie???

And so it taught me a savage lesson. Never to take anything for granted. I know that some people can't read and write, I've experienced it. Not everyone has a great ability in written English.

I wish people would stop judging others by their own standards.

+1

[mr.anderson]

Originally Posted by Ed

I wish people would stop judging others by their own standards.

Spelling is a standard. It is either correct or incorrect.

In a similar way, putting brake fluid into your engine is wrong. 1 does not equal 2.

If I didn't know and I was about to put brake fluid into my engine, I would be pretty pleased if someone pointed it out.

Originally Posted by mr.anderson

Spelling is a standard. It is either correct or incorrect.

In a similar way, putting brake fluid into your engine is wrong. 1 does not equal 2.

If I didn't know and I was about to put brake fluid into my engine, I would be pretty pleased if someone pointed it out.

As you have a conditional perfect you need a subjunctive.

'If I didn't know and if I were...'

[ophic]

Originally Posted by Ed

As you have a conditional perfect you need a subjunctive.

'If I didn't know and if I were...'

Originally Posted by Ed

...and what about people who don't speak English as a first language? Should we similarly judge them?

No, of course not

As someone who is married to one, no we shouldn't. But then my wife ALWAYS uses the spell checker and makes an effort to learn words she has got wrong, or is learning for the first time (been at the hospital the last two days talking to doctors about the inside of my sons gut, so she's learned a few new words!). So if people are making the effort that's all that matters.

Several French friends from University don't speak English properly, despite having spoken it in day to day life now for 15 years, they still have a strong accent and make fundamental grammar mistakes, such as using a plural when a singular is appropriate. One in particular has called me "Collins" for 15 years, and still says "I'm ty-red", when he is tired. I gave up correcting him 10 years ago.

By contrast my wife has been speaking English day to day for about 9 years, and while most people can tell she is foreign, they don't know where from and some don't realise she is not English at all. Some of the French girls I know have also got close to my wife's level of English language competence.

The difference between the two groups is effort and attention to detail! Plain and simple. Those who are getting the language perfect constantly strive to improve and achieve that, those who still sound like Rene from Allo Allo, have got to a level where they are sufficiently understood and are not interested in taking it any further.

Originally Posted by mr.anderson

Spelling is a standard. It is either correct or incorrect.

...

Well actually no - the English language is quite dynamic and changes all the time (albeit slowly over many years - we no longer say thou and thee and doth (unless you live ooop norf!) we have taken on some American spelling, and what was not acceptable in an academic essay say 10 years ago, is now and new words make their way into the dictionary regularly - but it doesn't matter much...on an internet forum...does it?

[ophic]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

The difference between the two groups is effort and attention to detail! Plain and simple. Those who are getting the language perfect constantly strive to improve and achieve that, those who still sound like Rene from Allo Allo, have got to a level where they are sufficiently understood and are not interested in taking it any further.

Ok. You've given an example of the fact that different things are important to different people. Miss Ophic is also foreign and also quite capable of correcting my English! But she doesn't know the first thing about engines. She's capable of learning, but isn't interested - even though it might prove extremely useful.

[mr.anderson]

Originally Posted by Ed

As you have a conditional perfect you need a subjunctive.

'If I didn't know and if I were...'

Indeed. You have proven my point.

Originally Posted by ophic

Ok. You've given an example of the fact that different things are important to different people. Miss Ophic is also foreign and also quite capable of correcting my English! But she doesn't know the first thing about engines. She's capable of learning, but isn't interested - even though it might prove extremely useful.

Of course, and if language is not that important to them then fair enough, but they shouldn't be surprised if they are discriminated against when it comes to job applications, etc, as a result of a strong accent or incorrect grammar. My wife saw a marked increase in response to her CV when she took her nationality off the bottom, and a friend with a strong accent has often been upset by irate customers on the phone asking "to be put through to somebody who speaks proper English".

Unlike engine mechanics, language and communication is a core skill for life, and if you are going to live in a foreign country it will usually help to master the language. If you're not bothered, or work in a profession where it's not important, then fair enough. I don't have any problem with those friends who still sound like Rene (sarcastic but you know what I mean), I understand them no problem, I've been listening to it for years.

My wife has to get it right as she has worked in international trade, translation, and now retraining as a secondary French and Spanish teacher, but language is also a bit of a hobby for her.