Spelling
The computer has cleaned up poor handwriting by eliminating it. Everyone can now write in a legible font and everyone, now, can spell. If they can’t, they’ve been ignoring the wavy red underscore on any questionable word.
The handwritten letter and the polite thank-you card have fled to the outskirts. For some, this is a cause for lament. A letter in ink meant someone had gone to a deal of trouble, for you.
They have been replaced with the email or the SMS, but the news is that people are writing more. We are also reading more. We may be reading junk, but we are more literate than ever.
Continue reading "New forms of language actually make us more liter8" »
The late Josie Hankin was by all accounts a much-loved lady who led a full and happy life. Sadly she is now at peas. That’s what the card on one her wreaths said. Not just “peas” but “Rast in peas”.
The florist in question, Bunch After Bunch in the Melbourne suburb of Ormond, was unmoved by the complaints from Ms Hankin’s grieving niece, whose transcribed bereavement message came with the added insult of referring to “Anty” Josie.
The owner, who gave his name only as Arthur, said he employed several people for whom English was a second language. Regardless, he said it was the job of his staff job to sell flowers, not spell properly. “We supply flowers - good flowers,” Arthur said. “We are not card writers.”
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Dieter Moeckel says:
Winston I tend to agree but the problem of news readers and other commentators/ talking bodies seem to be chosen for their ‘looks’ and ‘personality’ or even ability to provoke, embarrass and abuse rather than their skills in language. News readers actually read news prepared by journalists, whereas the personalities… Read more »
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fairsfair says:
It seems they should have got someone of your experience to write the card Penbo (and arrange the flowers). I am sure they would have then complained about the fact it looked like someone with a recent head injury had jammed together some roses and baby’s breath… but oh look… Read more »
Welcome to Monday at The Punch.
Here’s a historical tidbit for the word-nerds out there. A proposal to simplify English spelling passed a second reading in the British parliament today in 1953; with the aim of making spelling easier for young children.
What’s on your mind? Share it here.
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fairsfair says:
It was that article - they invoked Goodwins and Godkins… last time I was supplied a link from a dipshit who was calling, wikipedia told me it was Godwins. So if they are going to invoke it, they may as well get it right! It must be your autotext! Read more »
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Peter says:
Bob Brown said today, we go to the polluters and say, ‘You have to pay for the damage you’re causing to Australia’s security, to its environment, more importantly to its future Translation,,, today the Greens go to the Polluters and say you may continue to harm this Planet so long… Read more »
Next time you update your Facebook status or send off an email without checking for spelling errors, think of the children and pick up a hard cover dictionary.
A recent study by the University of Manchester has found that thanks to our predilection for communicating online, we’re raising an entire generation of bad spellers:
“The increasing use of variant spellings on the internet has been brought about by people typing at speed in chatrooms and on social networking sites where the general attitude is that there isn’t a need to correct typos or conform to spelling rules, “ said Lucy Jones, the author of the study.
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Caitlin32Berg says:
I propose not to wait until you get enough amount of cash to buy different goods! You can just get the mortgage loans or car loan and feel fine Read more »
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marley says:
Lily - I understand what you’re trying to say, but it would have had a bit more credibility had you understood the difference between “it’s” and “its” or the spelling of “solely.” Read more »
There’s no way to tell how this appeared in real-time, because it was an invitation-only event, but the transcript of Australia’s first live webchat with Kevin Rudd is strewn with spelling mistakes and errant or non-existent punctuation in the Prime Minister’s messages.
The first sentence from the most powerful man in the country, guardian of our trillion-dollar economy: Hi PM here lets get going with this Nearly a thousand people contributed ton the climate change
Which makes you wonder: will live blogging exercise be extended ton other ministers?
Continue reading "Why expect kids to punctuate when the PM can’t?" »
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charlie says:
Now in the interests of fairness to Mr Rudd will The Punch publish this comment? Somehow I doubt it. Can you spell the word hypocrisy Paul? http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2009/08/11/pm-needs-a-new-keyboard/ [Charlie - more than happy to publish. The error did not appear on The Punch. As for “ton other ministers”, see other readers’… Read more »
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Venise Alstergren says:
There’s one thing all the Rudd-haters are frantic to do, which is to pour liquid manure over him at any price; for any reason. The minute he does anything at all, he is crucified. The minute he does nothing he is lumbered with a vicious scam by the man who… Read more »
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