eleezybeth
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,784
Jun 28, 2014 20:42:01 GMT
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Post by eleezybeth on Feb 28, 2015 21:13:31 GMT
I have a co-worker who sends out 10-15 emails a week with losing spelled loosing. I would LOVE to help her out and let her know but... she is a royal rip who would take offense. But... she sends this to our whole company! The distro list is about 125 people. So how do you tell someone who would like to know but would take offense in being told.
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Post by cmpeter on Feb 28, 2015 21:27:35 GMT
It depends on the context and person. I wouldn't correct a message board post. But, when my BIL sent out A link to his business website and it said "we pay attention to ever detail", I let him know he probably meant "every detail".
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 14:28:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2015 21:29:25 GMT
I don't typically correct others because I'm afraid my correction will have an error in it. I'm the last person in the world that would correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc., because my correction WILL have an error. It's just Murphy's law. I only commented in general, to no one in particular, about no one in particular, on a phrase I often see and hear misused.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 14:28:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2015 21:30:45 GMT
I have a co-worker who sends out 10-15 emails a week with losing spelled loosing. I would LOVE to help her out and let her know but... she is a royal rip who would take offense. But... she sends this to our whole company! The distro list is about 125 people. So how do you tell someone who would like to know but would take offense in being told. do you know who one of her office pals is? Maybe plant a bug in the pal's ear and let it go.
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AmeliaBloomer
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,842
Location: USA
Jun 26, 2014 5:01:45 GMT
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Post by AmeliaBloomer on Feb 28, 2015 21:32:25 GMT
I have a co-worker who sends out 10-15 emails a week with losing spelled loosing. I would LOVE to help her out and let her know but... she is a royal rip who would take offense. But... she sends this to our whole company! The distro list is about 125 people. So how do you tell someone who would like to know but would take offense in being told. That's a tough one. Why is she writing about losing so often? What, no winning?...or finding?
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Post by krazykatlady on Feb 28, 2015 21:37:32 GMT
I would have appreciated what you did and how you did it. Probably would have been a little embarrassed but glad to be able to fix the problem. The call out on the other thread was mean spirited and uncalled for. In my opinion it should have been handled differently. Public shaming is never a good idea. That's just it, my intention was not mean spirited in any way. I didn't call out a particular person at all. As I said, I see it and hear it everywhere lately. It was a very general mention. You're right, you didn't call a name out in particular but you did post it within an hour of a pea using it in a thread so it seemed as if you were referencing her.
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Post by M~ on Feb 28, 2015 22:10:19 GMT
It depends, really.
My personal life motto: If you're going to be a bitch, don't be a stupid bitch. I don't mind bitch; however, I do mind people who put shit out there thinking that they're smarter than everyone else and letting people know in no uncertain terms that they think everyone else is stupid, then make glaring and painful mistakes themselves. That's being a stupid bitch. I'll gleefully point out your mistakes then.
If we're in a professional setting, I'll cringe internally but say nothing in public, and in private only if I think you're the type to invite that sort of feedback, or if you're my friend. In which case, that never really happens because my friends and I vet everything we do like a zillion times before e-mailing or submitting something for signature.
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Post by annabella on Feb 28, 2015 22:22:55 GMT
It depends, really. My personal life motto: If you're going to be a bitch, don't be a stupid bitch. I don't mind bitch; however, I do mind people who put shit out there thinking that they're smarter than everyone else and letting people know in no uncertain terms that they think everyone else is stupid, then make glaring and painful mistakes themselves. That's being a stupid bitch. I'll gleefully point out your mistakes then. But that's the thing, since you have no witty come back for the bitchy thing someone said, you result to attacking their spelling mistake. We're typing fast, on phones, we're not submitting articles to a newspaper here, just chatting online, it's not that serious.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 14:28:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2015 22:30:01 GMT
That's just it, my intention was not mean spirited in any way. I didn't call out a particular person at all. As I said, I see it and hear it everywhere lately. It was a very general mention. You're right, you didn't call a name out in particular but you did post it within an hour of a pea using it in a thread so it seemed as if you were referencing her. I didn't reference anyone.
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Post by M~ on Feb 28, 2015 22:35:48 GMT
It depends, really. My personal life motto: If you're going to be a bitch, don't be a stupid bitch. I don't mind bitch; however, I do mind people who put shit out there thinking that they're smarter than everyone else and letting people know in no uncertain terms that they think everyone else is stupid, then make glaring and painful mistakes themselves. That's being a stupid bitch. I'll gleefully point out your mistakes then. But that's the thing, since you have no witty come back for the bitchy thing someone said, you result to attacking their spelling mistake. We're typing fast, on phones, we're not submitting articles to a news paper here, just chatting online, it's not that serious. No, you're not just addressing a spelling mistake. You're also addressing the fact that they're clearly wrong in what they're saying. For example, if we're having a discussion about some legal topic, someone invariably uses legal terms incorrectly, while at the same time putting other people down. That to me is rich: on the one hand, some poster is chastising others for "not really getting it," while on the other hand, the poster herself is using terms incorrectly. You are right, it's just a message board, but if you (the general you) put yourself out there as having "superior knowledge" while chastising everyone else for "not really getting it," then check your shit. In other words, if you're going to be a bitch, don't be a stupid bitch. Feel free to disagree. That's my perspective.
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Post by annabella on Feb 28, 2015 22:38:09 GMT
No, you're not just addressing a spelling mistake. Yes we are, hence the title of this thread is "Correcting other people's grammar/spelling errors"
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Post by monklady123 on Feb 28, 2015 22:41:28 GMT
Masada/Maseda is such a minor detail, she's the only one who will see her layout, she's not going to break out her letters and fix the title. Why do you care? Probably because if I made something, like a layout or whatever, and posted it in a public place I would hate for it to have an error in it. I would *want* someone to point it out to me so I could fix it, because I'd be embarrassed for it to be public. I guess I go by "treat others as I'd wish to be treated", and I would definitely wish for someone to point out spelling errors in something I'd written.
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Post by Native New Yorker on Feb 28, 2015 22:46:57 GMT
If I spelled the title of my layout wrong I would certainly want to know. There was a typo on a layout of mine that was published. I wish that I had noticed prior to publication. I recently had a coworker get upset when I corrected something that would have gone home for parents to see.
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Post by M~ on Feb 28, 2015 22:48:20 GMT
No, you're not just addressing a spelling mistake. Yes we are, hence the title of this thread is "Correcting other people's grammar/spelling errors" Well, I'm not.
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Post by AussieMeg on Feb 28, 2015 22:52:52 GMT
Despite the fact that I may have come across as a bit judgy on the other thread, the only people I actually ever correct are my kids. I am amazed at the number of kids who say things like "I brang my ball" and their parents don't ever correct them. I want my kids to speak better than that. My kids get annoyed with me at times, but my DD has admitted that now she is grateful that I picked up her mistakes early so they didn't become bad habits.
I have a friend who is a bigger grammar freak than anyone I know, and a friend of hers has her own food blog. She makes quite a few spelling and grammar errors on pretty much every post, but my friend can't bring herself to correct her. She really wants to, but doesn't know how to bring it up.
ETA: I did correct my grammar freak friend the other day - she sent me a message saying "He eluded to that in the meeting." Then she sent another message saying "eluded??". I replied "Actually, it's alluded." She was shocked that she got it wrong. She's the one person, apart from my kids, that I would ever correct, because she is like me - she would rather be gently corrected than continue to make a mistake. Honestly she would be annoyed with me if she found out she was making a mistake and I didn't correct her.
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Post by AussieMeg on Feb 28, 2015 23:03:56 GMT
I just thought of another example - my old boss used to ask me to proofread a lot of her emails, because her spelling is atrocious. I had no qualms about correcting her because she specifically asked me to do it. She struggled at school because she was dyslexic, and had spent most of her school years being told she was stupid. She didn't want to come across as "stupid" at work. (She wasn't stupid, she was a very savvy person professionally.)
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Post by corinne11 on Mar 1, 2015 0:54:00 GMT
Once during a crop I corrected a Canadian tourist who had labelled her beautiful scrapbook layout "Ayres Rock" This was in the day of hand cut lettering and I did hesitate but when I realised she would only need to swap 2 letters to make "Ayers Rock" I did tell her. She laughed and got the Undu out straight away.
As a teacher I do correct my colleagues when they have misspelt words on their board, particularly when it is in a spelling list. I've seen students learn a word incorrectly all week and then get it marked wrong on test day. Obviously I do it in a light hearted way-"hey, you must have been in a rush this morning" I did gently correct a teacher who had written "code of arms" because all the students were writing it down in their work and it would have been embarrassing to have a bulletin board full of posters labelled that. I must not be considered rude because people always ask me to proof read notes and help them with job applications.
Once I sent a diary note to a parent in which I "apologised" for her not receiving her child's book (which the child had forgotten!) She very rudely replied "SPELLING!!!!!" and circled my word in red pen. I WANTED to copy and staple a page from a dictionary and explain that "as we lived in Australia I chose to use that spelling rather than the American one", but of course I just dated and signed her reply instead!
On social media or message boards? No way. I really had to sit on my hands when I saw a teacher write "colliflour" but I resisted the temptation. I know that I am a spelling and grammar fiend, but to many other people it is not as important in an informal forum. And let's be honest, despite errors, I've never yet read a post where I did not understand their intent and that's what communication is all about.
Corinne
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Post by chaosisapony on Mar 1, 2015 1:16:51 GMT
If I had been the receiver of the OP's PM regarding Masada/Maseda I would have been embarrassed! Happy to know, but embarrassed because the layout was published on the internet where nothing ever dies and my mistake could live on in infamy. I would have felt like an idiot because everyone else looking at it throughout the internet probably noticed the misspelling. That kind of stuff bothers me so I would be glad that someone took the time to let me know so I could fix my mistake.
Recently on this board I was corrected in a thread I made about turmeric. Never in my life had I ever noticed that there was an "r" between the "u" and "m" in the word. It's like my brain just glossed over it any time I read it. I remember when I was corrected I immediately Googled it because I was convinced I wouldn't miss something like that. Google, of course, told me I was wrong. In that particular case I was glad it had been pointed out because these are things I want to know! I don't just want to walk around talking about "tumeric" like an idiot for the rest of my life.
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theshyone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,411
Jun 26, 2014 12:50:12 GMT
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Post by theshyone on Mar 1, 2015 3:12:14 GMT
I lost 99% of my ability to spell! grammar! sentence tense! word meanings. I had to/still relearning it all.
I've had some people nicely point things out. I've had some people not so nicely point things out. Then I've had people belittle me so bad over things that I've been in tears. My spellcheck has so many errors in it that it waves a red flag and says I got nothing. Spellcheck does nothing for things like breath/breathe, for, four, fore for example. Then something as weird as etc versus eg is beyond me.
And then something like my first sentence here, I thought I was using a comma but I see I was using !. Be dangled if I can think what that is called.
I've seen threads on scrapping sites tear apart published LO with spelling errors, so I can see why a gallery LO should be right.
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Post by AussieMeg on Mar 1, 2015 4:00:44 GMT
Once I sent a diary note to a parent in which I "apologised" for her not receiving her child's book (which the child had forgotten!) She very rudely replied "SPELLING!!!!!" and circled my word in red pen. I WANTED to copy and staple a page from a dictionary and explain that "as we lived in Australia I chose to use that spelling rather than the American one", but of course I just dated and signed her reply instead!
Oh man, I don't think I could let that one go!!!
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ingrid
Full Member
Posts: 490
Jun 26, 2014 0:52:41 GMT
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Post by ingrid on Mar 1, 2015 4:34:27 GMT
I don't typically correct others because I'm afraid my correction will have an error in it. I'm the last person in the world that would correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc., because my correction WILL have an error. It's just Murphy's law. I only commented in general, to no one in particular, about no one in particular, on a phrase I often see and hear misused. That's interesting, because I remember a recent thread where a poster was talking about the "tang" of someone's voice and you said something in response like, "I think you mean 'twang'." I only remember because whatever she was saying was pretty obvious, yet you responded only to call her out while adding nothing to the discussion. OP, I probably wouldn't have said anything about the layout unless the person who made it was asking for criticism, but the response was a bit over the top. If someone asks me for constructive criticism or to proof-read something, I'll point out any mistakes in the gentlest way possible. Otherwise, I don't say anything. Why risk making someone feel uncomfortable or defensive because there's a slim chance they might appreciate the fact that I called them on an error that's so easy to make when you're quickly typing? There have been a few times when I've been responding to someone during a debate or argument and nailed them for spelling/grammar errors and I always feel like a jerk after doing so. It's not like their mistake detracts from their original point or as if I actually care about educating them. It's just me being a smug asshole and acting like I'm obviously superior because they forgot a comma. I try really hard to remember there's nothing admirable about taking cheap shots to come out on top in an argument.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 14:28:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2015 4:49:00 GMT
Here's my question for general discussion: "Too many people get upset about being corrected" is a common sentiment I see in this thread. It's my understanding that Americans' spelling and grammar mistakes are becoming more prolific, more pronounced, and on more basic levels than in the past.
So if those who had the advantage of being taught these basics in school don't speak up, is our society doomed to literacy ignorance 10, 15, 20 years down the road? At what point do we give up education in favor of not hurting people's feelings?
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AmeliaBloomer
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,842
Location: USA
Jun 26, 2014 5:01:45 GMT
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Post by AmeliaBloomer on Mar 1, 2015 5:23:24 GMT
It's my understanding that Americans' spelling and grammar mistakes are becoming more prolific, more pronounced, and on more basic levels than in the past. Are you sure their are more mistakes now then before? I think your wrong. Thats the difference between you and I.
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Post by leftturnonly on Mar 1, 2015 5:41:28 GMT
Oddly enough, the only time I've ever been told off for correcting someone's spelling was in a dream by a teacher friend of mine with excellent spelling/grammar skills who I've never seen tell anybody off for anything. I've never corrected her.
I was so confused, I woke up!
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 14:28:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2015 6:32:31 GMT
I'm the last person in the world that would correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc., because my correction WILL have an error. It's just Murphy's law. I only commented in general, to no one in particular, about no one in particular, on a phrase I often see and hear misused. That's interesting, because I remember a recent thread where a poster was talking about the "tang" of someone's voice and you said something in response like, "I think you mean 'twang'." I only remember because whatever she was saying was pretty obvious, yet you responded only to call her out while adding nothing to the discussion. Oh, I had forgotten about that. I do remember that and thinking about it now, was certainly done thoughtlessly. I really didn't mean to be an ass and didn't see it that way at the time, although now it seems obvious. It was just one of those moments that I didn't think about what I was doing. I am sorry I did that. Very good point. It's odd because that's really how I see most of the errors, IF I do see them -as probable typos. I really don't know why I said that then instead of just chalking it up to a typo. It's usually only "all the sudden" and "would of" that seem to jump out at me and make me wish people knew it wasn't correct. Anything else I just ignore, because who really cares and I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination and probably didn't see it anyway. Thinking about it now, it's just one of those things I wish I could do over.
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Mar 1, 2015 6:40:44 GMT
Was just wondering if you've ever been told off for correcting someone's grammar/spelling mistakes, and how often you do it. I didn't read that other thread entirely, but what I did read made me thing of this incident on the old Two Peas. I was browsing through the gallery there looking for layouts specific to Israel, and saw one with the title, in LARGE letters that said "Maseda". That should be "Masada". I did pm the creator of that layout and said something about how I loved her layouts and I was glad she'd put up some about Israel because there weren't many out there, blah blah blah... nice things. Then I said "but I just wanted to mention that "Masada" is spelled wrong. I thought you might want to know because it's in the title of the page."
I have a question, and I am sincerely asking because I don't know the answer. Are you SURE it's Masada, and only Masada? I ask because I assume as far as Israel is concerned, they write the location name in the Hebrew alphabet-- is there an official spelling in English?
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Post by gar on Mar 1, 2015 10:05:21 GMT
Once I sent a diary note to a parent in which I "apologised" for her not receiving her child's book (which the child had forgotten!) She very rudely replied "SPELLING!!!!!" and circled my word in red pen. I WANTED to copy and staple a page from a dictionary and explain that "as we lived in Australia I chose to use that spelling rather than the American one", but of course I just dated and signed her reply instead!
Oh man, I don't think I could let that one go!!! Me neither!!
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Post by k8smom on Mar 1, 2015 10:11:48 GMT
I used to correct others, and co-workers in particular, without ever stopping to think about how it might make them feel to be called out for a grammatical or spelling error... until a co-worker challenged me one day and asked who made me the Grammar Police and why I felt it was any of my business to correct anyone else. I thought long and hard about what motivated me to correct them and didn't like where that train of thought took me, I haven't done it since.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 14:28:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2015 10:25:25 GMT
Here's my question for general discussion: "Too many people get upset about being corrected" is a common sentiment I see in this thread. It's my understanding that Americans' spelling and grammar mistakes are becoming more prolific, more pronounced, and on more basic levels than in the past. So if those who had the advantage of being taught these basics in school don't speak up, is our society doomed to literacy ignorance 10, 15, 20 years down the road? At what point do we give up education in favor of not hurting people's feelings? I "give up" education when I am not in a teaching role to the person being corrected. This message board, facebook, emails, work are not classrooms in which I have the role of teacher. When my children were young and I was actively parenting them I had a role as an educator for them. I corrected them at that time. IMO our society already has a bigger problem with willingness to hurt other people's feelings than we have with grammar issues. eta: Everyone in the first world (which is the majority of people you encounter online) has had the advantage of being taught these grammar and spelling basics in school. If they choose to not use them what makes it someone else's place to correct them? If you feel that strongly about education perhaps all of you grammar police should become high school English teachers.
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Post by monklady123 on Mar 1, 2015 11:47:20 GMT
Was just wondering if you've ever been told off for correcting someone's grammar/spelling mistakes, and how often you do it. I didn't read that other thread entirely, but what I did read made me thing of this incident on the old Two Peas. I was browsing through the gallery there looking for layouts specific to Israel, and saw one with the title, in LARGE letters that said "Maseda". That should be "Masada". I did pm the creator of that layout and said something about how I loved her layouts and I was glad she'd put up some about Israel because there weren't many out there, blah blah blah... nice things. Then I said "but I just wanted to mention that "Masada" is spelled wrong. I thought you might want to know because it's in the title of the page."
I have a question, and I am sincerely asking because I don't know the answer. Are you SURE it's Masada, and only Masada? I ask because I assume as far as Israel is concerned, they write the location name in the Hebrew alphabet-- is there an official spelling in English? Yes, pretty sure. (I took this photo when I went to Israel.)
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