posted on January 18, 2001 03:48:06 PM
Thanks Rainybear! How kind of you , but My crotts are already well-stoptt.
I do have a couple of lonely perfume botts 'though..nah won't fitt. Thanks anyway(s)!
Jamamama99
Don't be bummed, this is a kinder and gentler way to get people to realize that the written word is something to be proud of.
Sure spelling isn't the be all end all (Jane Austen couldn't spell!).
Be afraid that more people know who was doing what on "Friends" than know the difference between "who's" and "whose."
Now that's something to get sad about!
Irregardless in the dictionary!!!...ohmyfreakin'god!!
posted on January 18, 2001 06:26:27 PM
This is for sharkbaby, in reference to the inclusion of "irregardless" in dictionaries.
Linguists (those who study language) are generally considered either "prescriptive" (this is the way it SHOULD be) or "descriptive" (this is the way it IS).
James Kilpatrick, who writes the Sunday newspaper column on "The Writer's Art," is 100% prescriptive, as were your English teachers in school.
Webster's dictionary tends to be descriptive. If the word is being used in everyday English, it will be included in the next edition. Remember the uproar when "ain't" was included, in the late 1950s?
That's all it is... find yourself a prescriptive dictionary to counter those who would rather C all new usages included, irregardless of their usefulness and conformance to the accepted rules of English.
posted on January 18, 2001 09:00:03 PM
I think that this thread is great. Fun too. It made several people look up a word or two in an effort to double check and see if they were right.
Making fun of others is not what this thread is about. Besides, how do most of us learn, except by our mistakes. I know I do - a lot!
BTW ohandrea it is old-fashioned. And it is hyphenated because it is a compound modifier. But I also tend to want to use old-fashion.
posted on January 18, 2001 09:23:00 PM
two of the most commonly mispronounced words are forte and dissect. forte is NOT pronounced for-tay!!!!!! it is pronounced fort!!!!! dissect is NOT pronounced dye-sect. it is pronounced diss-ect as is any word with a double consonant.
posted on January 18, 2001 10:56:11 PM
Thanks, Brie, for assuring me I am not so old-fashioned after all.
Say, I was just looking at an item up for bid, and oh, my! I wish I could share some of the really hilarious spelling and grammatical errors in this person's auctions, but they are so unique as to make the seller quite identifiable. We would have to invite them to the conversation, and that wouldn't be nice, would it?
Really, the seller seems to be a nice person with good feedback and is getting bids. Seems to be new to the keyboard, using all caps, little if any punctuation, and oh, my goodness, I really wish I could tell you how they spell kimono!
Is there a nice way to tip them off to "spell checker"?
posted on January 19, 2001 12:36:51 AM
Yes, let's do a search for spell check programs, or even a regular dictionary, and use the "send this auction to a friend" if you find an auction listing full of spelling and/or grammar errors.
Type a message like "i seen ur okshun, it looked real gud, but i think u may need sum speling help. i now u may take ofens 2 this but know u can make an xcellant add next tyme. i'm stil gonna bid, i bidded last nite on anuther 1 but it seems i losed it."
posted on January 19, 2001 01:41:13 AM
I am incensed at the number of ways "incense" has been slaughtered on ebay. Do a search for "burner". It really is amazing, but the prize would have go to the seller who lists "incest burners".
Another favorite was in Brownsville, Texas. A sign outside of a local merchant read: "Look for our coupon in the Brownsville Harold."
posted on January 19, 2001 09:21:36 AM
LMAO!!! This thread is the best in a long time, I am DYING laughing here.
EG - thanks! See, I knew I "payed" attention in school!! LOL!
I wanted to respond to so many funny people in this thread but I would be here all day!!
Back in Catholic school, I was a straight A student (of course this was before turning into a rebellious arrogant punk in the 70s), and there used to be these large spelling bees held in the auditorium. By the way, there were too many RULES in school like they made me wear a DRESS (!!!!!!! gak gasp choke !!!!!!) and of course they measured the length to make sure it wasn't too short!! Well I remember one day being in a hurry to get to school and not being really ready, I quickly put on a dress that was way too short for their rules. Then when I got there, I found out we were having one of those huge spelling bees in front of this big crowd in the auditorium. Gulp. This was back in the days when I was still easily intimidated and scared to death of the nuns! So when my turn came to go up and speak at the podium, I was SO scared about getting yelled at about my dress, that I PURPOSELY spelled the word wrong that I was given! This way I was able to get booted out of the contest and get the heck outta there in a hurry!! (Is it any wonder I've been in therapy for 15 years??)
Rocker
)
This was back in the days when I was still easily intimidated 
Rocker