-Stoopid peeple kant spel

[Ursus]

http://www.happyplace.com/3645/the-best-obnoxious-responses-to-misspellings-on-facebook

[sonic]

http://www.happyplace.com/3645/the-best-obnoxious-responses-to-misspellings-on-facebook

 

That's the first time I've cried laughing in ages!

Edited July 31, 2011 by sonic

[Melvadius]

Unfortunately I find those examples more sad than funny.

[Kosmo]

The most ironic was the speling certificate.

[caesar novus]

I think there are both good and bad misspellings (sp?). English has all kinds of irregular historical oddities that may or may not contribute meaningful distinctions. When it doesn't, I can appreciate a change to a more regular form, like swimmed rather than swam - especially from non-native speakers. There is a grey (gray?) area... do we absolutely need the who/whom or effect/affect distinctions?

 

A related issue is choice of words such as the BBC list of 50 worst Americanisms http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14201796 . I think some are a step forward, some a step backward, and others neutral. Like the included notes from American readers in that article, this is a process of evolution. Mutations can be thought as random, and most misfits will die off but a few improved innovations will survive.

 

There once was intelligent creationism in the form of spelling simplification by Ben Franklin or somebody of the American revolution era where various British spellings were shortened and regularized, although not all caught on. Meanwhile misspellings offer a window into the mind of the writer - are they obviously unaware of the roots of the words they use, or do they cover up a mess with a spell checker which lets them insert many (rightly spelled) wrong words that sound the same?

Edited August 1, 2011 by caesar novus

[Melvadius]

Are they dislexic , have they accidently misspelled something and missed correcting it before posting, is English a 2nd or 3rd language, did they not get taught proper English usage whether UK or USA, are they still at primary/ elementary school?

 

There are a lot of reasons for bad grammar and/ or spelling some of which can be corrected by the author being more careful or having a better education but many of which cannot or else the 'moving finger has written' rightly or wrongly on the Internet and moved on. We don't always have the chance to proof read what we have written and/or correct it if we spot a mistake

 

Clipping items from something like Facebook can seem funny (especially) if taken out of context but how happy would one of us be about an accidental mistake here being picked up especially with (additional) adverse comments broadcast in the same way?

[Northern Neil]

 

A related issue is choice of words such as the BBC list of 50 worst Americanisms

I checked out that list, and indeed, some of them make me shudder - especially when nouns and adjectives suddenly start cropping up as verbs. On the other hand, and being totally fair, some Americanisms were actually extant in 18th century English - for example, the word 'gotten', which appeared on the list. A similar word is sidewalk. With regard to these examples (and many others) American English actually uses the correct, original form. What better way to explore this subject than to read Mother Tongue, a history of the English language, by Bill Bryson, American writer and British resident?

[Ursus]

Honestly I didn't care to analyze it as much as you guys. By the time I had come to the herpes/ Her Pies and "you need a comma" /"she's in a coma" threads, I was rolling in laughter along with Sonic.

 

As far as the BBC's list of Bad Americanisms, I have looked at the list and simply shrugged at most of them. It's still English, even if it is not the Queen's English taught in Oxbridge. Rather, the American massacre of the English language occurs among Ebonics in urban culture, hick speak among poorly educated rural whites, or "Spanglish" among young Hispanic immigrants.

Edited August 1, 2011 by Ursus

[Viggen]

...with my history of sloppy english, i rather shut up in this thread .... ;-)

[GhostOfClayton]

I don't know who Alyssa is, but I know that I love her unconditionally. Anyone who is more of a grammar fascist than me has my heart forever.

 

A great quote from a comedy show:

 

Next up on Channel 4, a documentary examining the reasons for decreasing education standards among teenagers . . . and that's followed at ten o'clock by Big Brother.

[Maladict]

That's hilarious, especially the tattoos.