Spelling is important.
Grammar is important.
Especially when involving words…
In today’s world, written word is growing more and more common. With the fairly recent introduction of text messaging, email, IM services, social networks, and online self publishing (which is what we’re all doing here on Fanpop when we post articles, and what I am mainly addressing), it is not only important how your words sound, it’s just as important, if not more so, how they look.
link* to me, some people seem to believe that spelling and grammar is not at all important in these self publications.
Just to list a few examples I’ve come across:
" so what if [your spelling] is wrong it just mean that u r writing this from ur heart and not really caring about the spelling"
This, I can see this person’s point, but that is what a rough rough draft is for. (I don’t know if rough rough is the proper term, but that’s what my 12th grade English teacher called it)
" dont tell me what to do. A lot of people love my articles....they dont care if things are spelt wrong....your not wiser, or smarter then me soo leave me alone. "
This, I find to be very ignorant.
Yet another one.
" o wow come on who cares if her spelling is messed up!"
Please, let me tell you.
(I have quoted three different people. I’m not targeting anyone)
Why spelling is important:
Spelling can be defined as a code that uses letter sequences to represent specific words that have an associated pronunciation and meaning within the mental dictionary.
As stated above, how your words look is very important. Your eyes need to actually see this code before your brain can decode it.
Some people read strictly for the content (newspaper or magazine article, movie review, and so on), but many other people (many people on Fanpop) read to feel something. To get into the writers mind and truly relate to the story. Reading around typos and misspellings is very annoying and takes a little too much more effort than it’s worth. It makes you think to yourself,
If the author doesn’t care enough about what he/she is saying, then why should I even bother reading this?
NONE of us want that.
Some of you may consider bringing up this little item:
“I cluod not blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch sudty at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas thgouht slpeling was ipmorantt.“
I admit, this isn’t the most difficult thing to read, but it’s not the most enjoyable thing to read either. As a writer, you don’t want people to just read your stories. You want them to enjoy the experience and feel the urge to do it again and again.
The difference between a spelling error and a typo:
A typo is generally an accident, such as you hit the wrong key by mistake, whereas a spelling error is, in a way, intentional. You honestly believe the word is spelled a certain way, when in reality, it’s not.
Example:
I always feel ridiculed when users comment on my horrible spelling.
Typo: I alwsys feel ridiculed when users commment on my horrible spelling.
Notice how on the keyboard, the s is right next to the a. This is a simple mistake I’ve seen almost everyone make. Adding an extra letter, or leaving one out is also very common, along with reversing the order of two letters.
Spelling error: I always feel ridaculed when users comment on my horrable spelling.
There’s not really any simple slip of the finger that would justify this. None that I can see or understand, at least.
When speaking, spelling means absolutely nothing, but when writing, it makes all the difference in the world.
I was going to include why grammar is important as well, but I feel I’ve been typing forever, so I’ll end it here.
*I only did that because I love The Killers.
Grammar is important.
Especially when involving words…
In today’s world, written word is growing more and more common. With the fairly recent introduction of text messaging, email, IM services, social networks, and online self publishing (which is what we’re all doing here on Fanpop when we post articles, and what I am mainly addressing), it is not only important how your words sound, it’s just as important, if not more so, how they look.
link* to me, some people seem to believe that spelling and grammar is not at all important in these self publications.
Just to list a few examples I’ve come across:
" so what if [your spelling] is wrong it just mean that u r writing this from ur heart and not really caring about the spelling"
This, I can see this person’s point, but that is what a rough rough draft is for. (I don’t know if rough rough is the proper term, but that’s what my 12th grade English teacher called it)
" dont tell me what to do. A lot of people love my articles....they dont care if things are spelt wrong....your not wiser, or smarter then me soo leave me alone. "
This, I find to be very ignorant.
Yet another one.
" o wow come on who cares if her spelling is messed up!"
Please, let me tell you.
(I have quoted three different people. I’m not targeting anyone)
Why spelling is important:
Spelling can be defined as a code that uses letter sequences to represent specific words that have an associated pronunciation and meaning within the mental dictionary.
As stated above, how your words look is very important. Your eyes need to actually see this code before your brain can decode it.
Some people read strictly for the content (newspaper or magazine article, movie review, and so on), but many other people (many people on Fanpop) read to feel something. To get into the writers mind and truly relate to the story. Reading around typos and misspellings is very annoying and takes a little too much more effort than it’s worth. It makes you think to yourself,
If the author doesn’t care enough about what he/she is saying, then why should I even bother reading this?
NONE of us want that.
Some of you may consider bringing up this little item:
“I cluod not blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch sudty at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas thgouht slpeling was ipmorantt.“
I admit, this isn’t the most difficult thing to read, but it’s not the most enjoyable thing to read either. As a writer, you don’t want people to just read your stories. You want them to enjoy the experience and feel the urge to do it again and again.
The difference between a spelling error and a typo:
A typo is generally an accident, such as you hit the wrong key by mistake, whereas a spelling error is, in a way, intentional. You honestly believe the word is spelled a certain way, when in reality, it’s not.
Example:
I always feel ridiculed when users comment on my horrible spelling.
Typo: I alwsys feel ridiculed when users commment on my horrible spelling.
Notice how on the keyboard, the s is right next to the a. This is a simple mistake I’ve seen almost everyone make. Adding an extra letter, or leaving one out is also very common, along with reversing the order of two letters.
Spelling error: I always feel ridaculed when users comment on my horrable spelling.
There’s not really any simple slip of the finger that would justify this. None that I can see or understand, at least.
When speaking, spelling means absolutely nothing, but when writing, it makes all the difference in the world.
I was going to include why grammar is important as well, but I feel I’ve been typing forever, so I’ll end it here.
*I only did that because I love The Killers.