I have always had problems with bad spelling and bad speaking.
I don't know why.
I have always been really good at using correct terminology and spelling.
Once in a while, I screw up and I have to correct myself.
When I do it on this blog, I hate it.
I spend more time going back and proofreading the blog than I do writing it in the first place.
I hate goofs.
My goofs.
They irritate me.
If I do make a mistake, I have to fight the urge to edit after publishing.
Sometimes I win.
Sometimes the urge does.
I don't really have much of a problem with other peoples mistakes.
I notice them, but usually that is it.
Some things really just bug me.
I don't say a word-unless it is Kiddo-, but still...
I just want to scream "That's wrong! You fail!"
This weeks Ten Things Tuesday is all about Word Missteps
1. Uh and Um
This just drives me insane. Good speaking doesn't involve making noises that aren't real words so you can think about what you need to say. Just spit it out!
These days you could pick out any interview or speech by a politician or celebrity and have a drinking game using uh and um and 95% of the time you'd end up feeling pretty good by the end of it.
2. Angles and angels
This is just one of those words many people can't spell. Why? There is a big difference between angel and angle. You are not a blue-eyed angle. Seeing that just hurts my eyes.
3. Congrads
Why are people writing this now? Have you seen this? The word is congratulations- congraTs for short. Now, all of a sudden I am seeing a D where the T should be.
4. Awe and aw
Here is another one. I am now seeing people write awe when the correct spelling is aw for what they are using it for. I would like to blame smart phone auto-correct for that, but sometimes people are using their computer.
5. Irregardless
Come on! This isn't even a word. The prefix ir is taking away. How do you regard any less than regardless?
6. Ignorant and stupid
People use the word ignorant when they mean stupid. " That is so ignorant." No, it's stupid. Stupid means you are an idiot. Ignorant means you are unaware.
7. Scratch and itch
You do not itch a scratch, you scratch an itch.
8. Imply and infer
When I say something, I imply it. If I tell you something, you infer it.
9. Right word, wrong spelling
Like their, there, they're or here and hear.
Proofreading is your friend. So is the dictionary.
10. Double or triple negatives
I have used them before to be goofy, but really-it's just bad grammar. It's hard on the ears.
Example- I don't know why nobody likes me. I didn't do nothin' to nobody.
There you have it.
Have a great day!
I love it when people rely on Spell-Check to catch their mistakes. While the software can catch misspellings, it can't check for context. An example of this was when I pointed out a mistake in a report written by a supposedly intelligent individual. He looked at me like I had two heads and sniffed, "Well, I spell-checked it. It's fine." Shrugging my shoulders, I said "okay."
ReplyDeleteAnd submitted his report stating he was a "lethargy" instead of "liturgy" reader.
One of my pet peeves is the near constant misuse of "loose" and "lose."
When Kiddo was in 7th grade her teacher decided not to have spelling because it was not needed. How pathetic. As you say, spell check is not perfect.
ReplyDeleteSmart people can be so stupid sometimes. lose/loose is a bad one too.
I am guilty of spell-checking. Truthfully, on the blog when I'm commenting I don't bother much and sometimes I mess up just from typing too fast. The other day I told someone I was bacon on their blog instead of back on...but it was funny so I just let it go. Now writing my MC, that a different ballgame altogether. :)
ReplyDeleteI typo a lot. I am very anal about rereading and correcting everything. Spell check can be helpful.I use it sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI'm always surprised by "awe" and "aw", too. So strange.
ReplyDeleteItch/scratch are interchanged a lot in Minnesota. Someone told me that it's because the Swedes have just the one word (as in "hey, itch my back, would you?") but maybe they just made that up...
Pearl
This was a fun post, Ruth. If only the men placing personal ads would read this, they might stop looking for a perfect angle. (Then again, they'd have to learn to read first.)
ReplyDeletexoRobyn
Number five makes me want to scream. Thank you for saying it for me. Also number nine...oh yes!
ReplyDeleteHowever, the phone - and texting has made a huge change in the game. I am like you when it comes to speaking or writing, (although lately I have noticed a slip in myself), However - as a rule, I really am aware of good grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Until, that is, you read a text I have written. Sometimes I am just lucky to get anything that is readable and understandable. Even more so since I trying to learn the "swype' method...
Great post! My sentiments exactly. :)
You know what an English taught me this year? There is no such word as 'alright.' If you're going to write it, it should be 'all right.' Or not at all.
ReplyDeleteWell, alrighty then.
@Robyn: Angle? They sound obtuse while you're acute.
ReplyDeleteOhhhh......sorry. I won't bother you with any supplementary jokes.
Pearl, My husband is always saying he needs to itch something. It drives me nuts. Finally, about a week ago he said it right. After only 15 years of me telling him.
ReplyDeleteRobyn, Thank you. I think my head would explode if I were to read those ads all the time.
Jamie, You have totally lost me on the swype thing. I don't text so have no clue what that means.
Al, I thought it was alright or all right. I don't know. School was many moons ago.
I do know a lot is two words and I was raised it was one word. Who knew?
I have ALWAYS used 'alright' (and I'm an esteemed man of letters), but she was pretty insistent. She even had a question on a test that the kids had to pick which was correct: all right or alright. Thank goodness I'm just a Teachers Assistant.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of an I Love Lucy episode where Lucy was getting some lessons about good grammar (or something like that). Her teacher told her that there are two words she should never use: one was swell and the other was lousy.
Lucy didn't bat an eye when she asked, "So, what are they?"
Maybe it got changed and nobody told us.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny. I don't remember that episode.
Bad spelling and bad grammar make my skin crawl. You should hear some of the stuff my kids tell me, you'd think English is not their first language, or second or third.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I can imagine. I am just lucky my daughter seems to have picked up my need to speak grammatically correct.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you! I think Congrads is an unfortunate mishap caused by greeting card companies thinking they were clever for writing ConGRADulations on graduation cards. People saw it and assumed that's how it's spelled. It's tragic.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yeah, irregardless. So unnecessary.
How about REFRIDGERATOR? I assume because so many say FRIDGE now, and the D had to be added or it seemed like swearing, and like CONGRADULATIONS, it sort of got stuck that way?
ReplyDeleteAnd swype is a faster, easier texting method but a bit different from the usual, and just so you know---that is the correct spelling, even though it's wrong!
Happy Hump Day!
Mama, I never thought about greeting cards starting the congrads thing. Why are people so stupid?
ReplyDeleteJamie, The fridge thing is a good one. I never understood why the short form has a d but the word refrigerator doesn't.
You have a good day too.
If you ever do see it, you'll think of me.
ReplyDeleteLanguage is always evolving. I remember when donut was spelled doughnut and Halloween had an apostrophe in it, but grammar is constant and I hate to hear people corrupt it. But I'm no expert - I also thought "alright" was a word.
ReplyDeleteAl, I am sure I will.
ReplyDeleteKara, I remember those.
Nice post! Insightful!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading my blog.
ReplyDeleteIt is very strange that when I read this posting of yours it felt like those issues are my own. I know that I have been attributing my bad spellings to possible slight memory loss as I am of that age when these worries begin to seem real. You seem to be very young to start worring about these issues. A blooger friend (Arlee Bird) had also mentioned that bad spellings could be a result of fast typing. May be he is right. I would rather believe that then think that I am loosing it. LOL
Good morning. I left you a Liebster award on my blog. Have a great day! :)
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post. After I've published a post I sometimes see errors I've made. When I first started blogging I used to fix them; now I don't care. What does that mean? Am I getting sloppy? I think so. I still don't care. :)
ReplyDelete*^_^*, Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMunir, You are welcome. I don't think bad spelling has to do with memory loss. People make mistakes. Some people though just misspell all the time. Maybe I just know some really bad spellers.
Laila, Thank you. I've been a little behind on my blogging. I will check it out.
Belle, It's good to see you. I think it means you are more comfortable with it not being totally perfect.
Hahaha...I wonder if I irritate you beyond all irritation with my play on words at times :) A very enjoyable post to read and so true. My hate the most poor word usage is people I listen to on the radio, TV, or in person, using 'uh' at least five times in every sentence. My brain begins to curdle about three sentences into the conversation, then I'm either turning to another station or figuring out how to escape the 'uh' happy person conversing with me. There have been many times I've corrected my posts after publishing...can't help it, lol. I have a huge dictionary sitting by my computer, and if I cannot figure out the spelling enough for spell check to work, then I type the mispelled word into Microsoft Word, because it's better at correcting spelling. I also like to say cause instead of because. I think it should be 'cause, but I usually just type cause. I also have been known to make up a word here or there, cause I can :) I'm a bit behind reading your posts, but you still are one of my most favorites.
ReplyDeleteYvonne, You could never irritate me.
ReplyDeleteI say cause instead of because too. Til instead of until is another one I do.
How sweet of you to say. I am a bit behind in writing.