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10 Words You Need to Stop Misspelling

Archive: 63 posts

Hey everybody... I know that forum communication is informal and doesn't get logged at the Library of Congress (sorry - strictly US reference there), but misspellings and grammatical misuse are some of my biggest pet peeves. I try to make a concerted effort to avoid correcting people and become a mad dictator of proper use of the English language. Furthermore, I realize that for many people who use this site English is not their first language. To these people I give a pass. There are also many of you who are very young and may not have learned all that can be taught on the subject. To you I say, please bear in mind that I offer up the following link with a light heart, but a beseeching plea to pay close attention.



http://theoatmeal.com/comics/misspelling		2011-02-11 04:21:00

Author:
v0rtex
Posts: 1878

Lol Oatmeal is my hero.2011-02-11 04:23:00

Author:
Patronus21
Posts: 266

Great list! I'll contribute some more.

Necessary
Process
Possess
Customize
Government
Environment

Also, the worst and most hilarious misspelling I've ever seen came from a high schooler: "the benefit of the daught"		2011-02-11 04:26:00

Author:
Incinerator22
Posts: 3251

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/misspelling

When I read the title, I thought of that comic.

Yes.		2011-02-11 04:26:00

Author:
Unknown User

Hey everybody... I know that forum communication is informal and doesn't get logged at the Library of Congress (sorry - strictly US reference there), but misspellings and grammatical misuse are some of my biggest pet peeves.

Yeah! Go Grammar Nazis!

http://www.pollsb.com/photos/o/22249-spelling_and_or_grammar_nazi.jpg		2011-02-11 04:30:00

Author:
CyberSora
Posts: 5551

ALOT (http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html).
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m-dk_m6L5MM/S98tmTiZA4I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/wISrV_9VE7A/s400/ALOT2.png		2011-02-11 04:39:00

Author:
midnight_heist
Posts: 2513

The English language, it's....its rules dont apply to me.2011-02-11 04:42:00

Author:
MrFunctionality
Posts: 637

I always mess up restraunt at work. Lol. Just don't yell at me if I typo on ya Vortex, trust I know better and am a bad fast Typist. 2011-02-11 04:46:00

Author:
Morgana25
Posts: 5983

betaz... <_>2011-02-11 05:32:00

Author:
Jonaolst
Posts: 935

The English language is a transient thing - there is no definitive (their is no definative) spellings, as they change through popular use.

If enough people start spelling something in a certain way - then that is the way it is spelled.

Your 1000 year Reich is coming to an end with the advent of text speak. srsly 		2011-02-11 07:54:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970

It's a good point you're raising. I definitely think there are a lot more people losing their ability to spell correctly than before. I'm not sure whether your post will be very effective though. If the young generation had its way everything would be acronyms and abbreviations. Maybe they're weird or then again, maybe we should just loosen up a little.

I think I should go lay down, this hot weather is affecting me.		2011-02-11 08:05:00

Author:
SR20DETDOG
Posts: 2431

I need to stop saying "alot"; I say it a lot... (That's better! )

The errors that annoy me the most are when people say "could of", "would of" or "should of"; It's "could've", "would've" and "should've". :kz:

By the way, every time someone writes "physco", you give "PSYduck" a massive headache! He says "Psyyyyyy", not "Fiiizzzzzzz".


http://www.akaihane.co.uk/pokemon/images/general/psyduck_rap.jpg		2011-02-11 10:40:00

Author:
Rhys125
Posts: 841

It's a good point you're raising. I definitely think there are a lot more people losing their ability to spell correctly than before. I'm not sure whether your post will be very effective though. If the young generation had its way everything would be acronyms and abbreviations. Maybe they're weird or then again, maybe we should just loosen up a little.

I think I should go lay down, this hot weather is affecting me.

Ah, you nailed it.


The errors that annoy me the most are when people say "could of", "would of" or "should of"; It's "could've", "would've" and "should've". :kz:

Yeah - this one gets me too. But you should've noted that it's 'could have', 'would have' and 'should have'.
2011-02-11 13:11:00

Author:
v0rtex
Posts: 1878

The English language is a transient thing - there is no definitive (their is no definative) spellings, as they change through popular use.

If enough people start spelling something in a certain way - then that is the way it is spelled.

Your 1000 year Reich is coming to an end with the advent of text speak. srsly

It's often the meaning of a word that will change not the spelling of it.

Also consider the context of the thread, we rarely use text talk in forums.		2011-02-11 15:18:00

Author:
MrFunctionality
Posts: 637

Text speak can go die in a fire. I should not need a degree in cryptography in order to understand the message that is being sent to me.2011-02-11 18:28:00

Author:
Patronus21
Posts: 266

i belive you mean cryptanalasis.

i am, rather unfortunately, a bit of a grammar nazi. the unfortunate part is that i have problems with spelling, typing and language in general.
to this day i struggle to write down my first word...		2011-02-11 23:00:00

Author:
unXpectiD
Posts: 1132

i believe you mean cryptanalysis.


Until modern times cryptography referred almost exclusively to encryption, which is the process of converting ordinary information (called plaintext) into unintelligible gibberish (called ciphertext).
Close enough.		2011-02-12 06:01:00

Author:
Patronus21
Posts: 266

i dun geet wat dis thred iz abowt, ken sum1 halp meh, pl0x?2011-02-12 07:59:00

Author:
Bremnen
Posts: 1800

I always enjoy using considerably long words to confuse my companions and giving me a supreme upper hand in discussions. Someone who does not understand has already lost.

And because I have a strong urge for joking...

You're thread has had an affect on me to properly spell, no more dark grammatically wrong days, just shining wether! Alot better then shortening words to the ridiculous. Definately better. Its almost like woah! They're is nothing more important than proper spelling so remember not to loose to the insanity...
2011-02-12 11:03:00

Author:
moonwire
Posts: 1627

I always mess up theatre and restaurant.
As finnish person, I have rights to mistype / mispell difficult words in english, because It's not my main language.

Right? :o		2011-02-12 11:49:00

Author:
Coconuts
Posts: 384

Now that I read this thread, I feel kung fused 2011-02-12 11:51:00

Author:
OmegaSlayer
Posts: 5112

As finnish person, I have rights to mistype / mispell difficult words in english, because It's not my main language.

Right? :o
Indeed. I have no right to get on your case, as I myself only know two languages: English, and bad English. 		2011-02-12 19:56:00

Author:
v0rtex
Posts: 1878

I always used to spell tomorrow wrong.... i used to put tomarrow all the time 2011-02-12 20:02:00

Author:
Snrm
Posts: 6419

comphermc

'nuff said.		2011-02-12 20:29:00

Author:
Jonaolst
Posts: 935

I always enjoy using considerably long words to confuse my companions and giving me a supreme upper hand in discussions. Someone who does not understand has already lost.

And because I have a strong urge for joking...

You're thread has had an affect on me to properly spell, no more dark grammatically wrong days, just shining wether! Alot better then shortening words to the ridiculous. Definately better. Its almost like woah! They're is nothing more important than proper spelling so remember not to loose to the insanity...


LOL I will try to keep my insanity when I am having a rhetoric. 		2011-02-12 20:29:00

Author:
Unknown User

I understand that people misspell words but every time I see someone write then when they should use than a little bit of me dies inside. I usually don't really want to point out that stuff because people tend to get angry if someone corrects simple grammar mistakes. So, I will probably continue dying inside.

But please, if you noticed that you make those mistakes all the time take a look at that list, memorize them and make this world a better place.		2011-02-12 20:37:00

Author:
napero7
Posts: 1653

This thread made me feel like learning how to spell Fahrenheit once and for all! I can spell anything now.2011-02-12 20:37:00

Author:
Oddmania
Posts: 1305

I'm gonna buy the poster and hang it up at my school and spam this over facebook, people spell worse than my 9 year old brother there.2011-02-12 22:12:00

Author:
oldage
Posts: 2824

Well, You all are misspelling "English" as it was intended to be spelt.

The works of Shakespear are written in "Modern English" - as opposed to the "Old-English" spoken by the Anglo-Saxons - and yet not a single one of you spells a majority of words the same as Shakespear did.

Shakespear would be raging like a grammer Nazi at your misspellings.

What's most important is the conveyance of "meaning", as in "Did you understand the sentence?". You could spell something correctly and still be talking gibberish. Or U cud spel smthng hwevar U lik & stil cnvey the meening.

Alot of people who have trouble spelling words have things like mild dislexia, and it's very arrogant to look down on those people.

"It's a **** poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word." 		2011-02-13 12:09:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970

That's not point, Shakespeare happened hundreds of years ago, English has changed a lot since then. That doesn't mean we're all spelling things completely wrong, it's just how English is now.

And nobody's looking down on dyslexics. That's not their fault at all, and that's understandable, same goes for those whose first language isn't English. But if your first language is English and you're not dyslexic you're perfectly capable of spelling properly and are just being lazy.		2011-02-13 12:31:00

Author:
Doopz
Posts: 5592

Oh, but it is exactly the point.

The English language changed from Shakespears time to now, right?

What makes you think that we are not currently witnessing a transformation into "New English" that will include text speak abbreviations etc, and these "common misspellings" that you're all raging against?

As has just been demonstrated, the English Language is not "Set in Stone" and is a transient thing, prone to changes in both spelling and grammar, that flux with popular use through time.

Get wth teh Timez Grandad! 		2011-02-13 12:38:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970

Okay, fair enough, it may well change. But as of right now at this very moment, those spellings are incorrect. We're in the present, not the future.


Get wth teh Timez Grandad!

But I'm only 14! 		2011-02-13 13:00:00

Author:
Doopz
Posts: 5592

Okay, fair enough, it may well change. But as of right now at this very moment, those spellings are incorrect. We're in the present, not the future.



But I'm only 14!

Right, we are in the present... and what is "presently" happening to the english language is that spellings and grammar is changing - thanks to things like mobile phones and Teh Internetz.

What you guys are all doing is clinging to the past.

Eg;
How do you spell "l33t"?		2011-02-13 13:06:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970

I don't care if times are changing. If you look up "there" or "their" in the dictionary, or any other word for that matter, it has a correct spelling. When you write a paper for school, teachers expect you to go by the correct spelling that is PRESENTLY in the dictionary. :3

I got in a -very- heated discussion in Sociology the other day with some students about text speak. I believe it's pure, absolute laziness. Ever since I started actively using the internet at 14, I have always capitalized, punctuated, and spelled things out completely. Even when I TEXT. I'll send someone a paragraph of a text message and everything will be spelled out, capitalized where needed, and punctuated correctly. Text speak is taking over the minds of young children in a very disturbing way. They are certainly losing their grip on the English language.

Anyway. As for spelling, learn how to spell. If you're typing on the computer and something comes up with a red line under it, SPELL CHECK IT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.

I am a spelling/grammar Nazi. Alllll da way.
Maybe it's just because I've been in several regional spelling bees throughout my school years. :x

P.S.
Macnme,
You're ranting about how Shakespeare would be turning over in his grave regarding our supposed "misspellings." Uhhhh... welllll.... Shakespeare has an E on the end of it. :3		2011-02-13 14:19:00

Author:
Unknown User

A majority of spell checkers are in American English and so still spell it the wrong anyway, which just goes further to illustrate my point that the english language is constantly changing.

And it is you who are losing your grip on the English language, by not keeping up with the latest innovations in the language - such as text speak.

The dictionary is updated on a monthly basis as new words come into existence and old words fall out of use.		2011-02-13 15:44:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970

Hehe, the curious thing about your arguments are that they are all spelt perfectly. o_O

But it is true the dictionary is always changing, however I simply cannot understand what some people say on other websites (naming no names. )		2011-02-13 15:50:00

Author:
PygmyOwl
Posts: 1316

Last night I went to a party and I had alot of fun. Their was so many people their and alot of things to do! Two people where playing DDR, and when the other guy loosed, he got really angry, it was wierd to sea someone get so angry over a game. Than the party ended, and I went home.
killed me a bit to type that. </3		2011-02-13 15:52:00

Author:
Unknown User

Hehe, the curious thing about your arguments are that they are all spelt perfectly. o_O
Well, if you misspell a single word on this thread everyone will shoot you on sight.		2011-02-13 15:54:00

Author:
gdn001
Posts: 5891

Lolz. Oatmeal is epic2011-02-13 16:22:00

Author:
Unknown User

So are we Brits allowed to tell the Americans how to spell and pronounce words then?
It is "The English Language", and not "The American Language" after all?

You're Doing it Wrong! 		2011-02-13 16:30:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970

Those are relatively simple concepts and words that get misspelled far more than they should. I hate posts that are near illegible. It bugs me as well.2011-02-13 16:48:00

Author:
piggabling
Posts: 2979

Those are relatively simple concepts and words that get misspelled far more than they should. I hate posts that are near illegible. It bugs me as well.

But there is a marked difference between an illegible post, and a misspelled one.

A post could have perfect spelling and still be total gibberish.
Or could be entirely in text speak and be the most poignant and erudite comment you have ever read.

But even the examples in the OP -such as: Alot... is contentious.
It is an abbreviation of A & Lot - just as awhile is an abbreiviation of a & while.
The english language is littered with these kinds of words - a new word formed by an abbreviation of two existing words to create another (An & Other) word.

While it may not be "officially" accepted, the fact that it is in active use makes it a valid word - and it will only be a matter of time before it is accepted wholesale into the English Language proper.

You grammar Nazis are like Cnut trying to hold back the tide

I like the word alot a lot and use it alot 		2011-02-13 17:00:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970

"Perhaps this common spelling error began because there does exist in English a word spelled ?allot? which is a verb meaning to apportion or grant. The correct form, with ?a? and ?lot? separated by a space is perhaps not often encountered in print because formal writers usually use other expressions such as ?a great deal,? ?often,? etc.

You shouldn?t write ?alittle? either. It's ?a little.?"

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/alot.html

"Alot" is not a word. "Lot" is a noun. And "a" is its article.


And it is you who are losing your grip on the English language, by not keeping up with the latest innovations in the language - such as text speak.

I suppose you are losing your grip on the English language as well, because I don't see you using text speak. I don't use text speak because I'm not lazy. If I used text speak in a paper for college, my professor would be mortified and I would get a horrible grade for it. Because "u" is not proper English. "You" is.		2011-02-13 18:51:00

Author:
Unknown User

Two people

You let one slip.

Interesting statistic: During Shakespeare's time, there were 100,000+ words, now there are over 400,000.		2011-02-13 21:52:00

Author:
Incinerator22
Posts: 3251

But there is a marked difference between an illegible post, and a misspelled one.

A post could have perfect spelling and still be total gibberish.
Or could be entirely in text speak and be the most poignant and erudite comment you have ever read.

But even the examples in the OP -such as: Alot... is contentious.
It is an abbreviation of A & Lot - just as awhile is an abbreiviation of a & while.
The english language is littered with these kinds of words - a new word formed by an abbreviation of two existing words to create another (An & Other) word.

While it may not be "officially" accepted, the fact that it is in active use makes it a valid word - and it will only be a matter of time before it is accepted wholesale into the English Language proper.

You grammar Nazis are like Cnut trying to hold back the tide

I like the word alot a lot and use it alot

I never said that a misspelled post was an illegible. You inferred that to be the case. I simply said that I don't like illegible posts and that these concepts are quite simple.

Retorts for the win.

Still, jokes aside, misspelling annoys me, and I don't like illegible posts.		2011-02-13 22:00:00

Author:
piggabling
Posts: 2979

lol, why is shakespeare even relevant to this conversation. The guy couldn't even spell his own name, and was born in a time before any real concept of "correct" spelling existed....

And macnme has one of the few universally accurate points here. Whatever yesterday's accurate usage of the English is, tomorrows will be different. Beyond the ability to convey one's meaning to another individual, all language constructs are purely academic and superficial - little more than a curiousity or an annoyance, depending on your stance...

Case in point: the use of apostrophes, which has forever been an issue for many people, is liable to be dropped from officially accepted correct usage in English. And this sentence contains another example of something that used to be considered wrong, but is now widely accepted, because of the fact that it was so widely used for so wrong. The truth is that the reality of how the language evolves will always be several years ahead of where the academics judge correctness to be. So any "offcial" guide to usage of the language is little more than a history lesson...		2011-02-13 22:46:00

Author:
rtm223
Posts: 6497

I hate hate hate hate hate hate HAAAAAAAAAAAATE when people use "u" in place of "you". Does it really take that much time to add two letters?

In addition to that, when people use XD XP ^^; :3 -_- O.O >_>, etc. I die inside every time I see one of those.		2011-02-13 23:51:00

Author:
Arkei
Posts: 1432

ahh well, emoticons are quite usefull for conveying emotions in text messages.
the developments of language are coming into place at a rapid rate.
WiFi is a good example, without being a corruption of the english language it is a new word. the great part is that it's got an uppercase letter in the middle of it!		2011-02-13 23:59:00

Author:
unXpectiD
Posts: 1132

I hate hate hate hate hate hate HAAAAAAAAAAAATE when people use "u" in place of "you". Does it really take that much time to add two letters?

In addition to that, when people use XD XP ^^; :3 -_- O.O >_>, etc. I die inside every time I see one of those.
Why? They're incredibly useful for displaying emotion since text fails so miserably at doing that.		2011-02-14 00:14:00

Author:
Patronus21
Posts: 266

The only thing that really bugs me, is that I might make a post on a website, and then get shouted at by some American who says that I'm spelling a word wrong. But the thing is, words are sometimes spelt differently in different countries;

Colour (English)
Color (American)

See?		2011-02-14 00:46:00

Author:
standby250
Posts: 1113

And this sentence contains another example of something that used to be considered wrong, but is now widely accepted, because of the fact that it was so widely used for so wrong.

Is the example using 'And' as the first word of the sentence?		2011-02-14 01:17:00

Author:
SR20DETDOG
Posts: 2431

Not talking about emoticons in general, I'm talking about those specific ones. They're so obnoxious.2011-02-14 02:35:00

Author:
Arkei
Posts: 1432

Im afendid bi this poast! abunch of us cant speall four an reson!!


haha just kidding (stupid joke i know)		2011-02-14 07:16:00

Author:
SketchNZ
Posts: 1668

Also, this "New English" (of using text speak and abbreviations) has given rise to a rich new culture of comedy that would otherwise not have existed;

http://www.geekmaispastrop.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/lolcat-grammar.jpg		2011-02-14 08:03:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970

Person 1 How do you spell *word*

Person 2 gives an incorrect spelling.

Person 1 That's wrong.

Person 2 But you just asked how I spell it.		2011-02-14 08:34:00

Author:
Rabid-Coot
Posts: 6728

This is actually quite an interesting topic;

I was discussing this with my brother and my Dad - and of course, they are of the opinion that anything other than what they were taught is an abomination and to be derided and frowned upon.
The point my dad made was that, if kids today only learn to communicate in this new abbreviated text speak, then soon they will be unable to read a book written in the 'proper' way. They'd see a word like "Enough" and think "ee-no-u-guh!!! what does that mean?! Oh it means Enuf " and they'd be missing out on all of the books and literature written in the 'old' format.

I then pointed out that they no longer teach copperplate writing in school - and all it took for them to stop doing that was the transition from old style inkwell fountain pens to Biros. No-one today (except for a few specialists) can read copperplate writing, and so all letters/books/scrolls etc written in the 'old' format are completely unreadable by modern standards.

Now we have had one of the most significant technological revolutions in human history with the advent of the internet and mobile phones... this is bound to impact on the way in which we communicate with each other.
Text speak has many advantages in this new form of communication - especially if you have restricted characters - like a text or tweeting - so using "U" instead of "You" not only makes perfect sense, it is advisable if you want to stay within your character limit, and doesn't impact the meaning of your sentence (unless you are a grammar nazi).


"The times they are a changin'"
Bob Dylan		2011-02-14 14:19:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970

Yeah, I'm sick of these peaople mizpelling leet!!!
They are the suxor.
Bremnen, your the 133tist <3

But abbreviations like U instead of You and R instead of Are have existed since LONG before the advent of the internet.

Toys 'r' Us, Gulp 'n' Go - for instance.
I never realised just how ahead (a & head) of the curve they were		2011-02-15 08:10:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970

Misspellings and "grammar changes" occurred back in the ole' days as well (I'm pretty sure "ole'" is a word, no?), not just in modern times (AKA because of the Internet).

http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/public/news_images/4/80558_200499_1.jpg

Don't assume it's the Internet's fault here for changing the way we pronounce and spell words nowadays. People just use the word so much in a certain way that it's bound to change to become easier for the people to use. It's always been that way.

Side-Note: Abbreviations are proper grammar. Why anybody thought they weren't, I will never know.		2011-02-16 03:07:00

Author:
CyberSora
Posts: 5551

How bout words people need to start pronouncing correctly? (Although I live in the south, so there are a lot of those words around here)

My top 2: People who pronounce the "L" in Salmon, and people who leave the "R" out of February.		2011-02-26 05:59:00

Author:
Madafaku
Posts: 738

First: stop misspelling misspelling.

Second: stop misspelling croissant. There is no "uh" in it.

And third: stop misspelling on purpose. Unless you're part of the Bad Spellers Untie coalition, you will be severely punished by the local Grammar Nazis.		2011-02-26 06:59:00

Author:
Outlaw-Jack
Posts: 5757

I don't understand the American spelling of "aeroplane". You spell it "airplane" (I believe). Is it pronounced that way also, with a missing syllable?2011-02-26 12:25:00

Author:
thecatreturns123
Posts: 84

I don't understand the American spelling of "aeroplane". You spell it "airplane" (I believe). Is it pronounced that way also, with a missing syllable?
Well....it's a plane... and it flies in the air. Seems easy enough to understand. And yes it's pronounced with two syllables.		2011-02-27 02:35:00

Author:
Patronus21
Posts: 266

Never heard of "Aerofoil"?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om7O0MFkmpw		2011-02-28 15:12:00

Author:
Macnme
Posts: 1970


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