Reclaiming the language ...

[Raj]

For sometime now, I have been noticing an increasing tendency for verbal paraphasia - not just here but in general. This is not a complaint or rant ... merely an observation. Do you think it could stem from the use of predictive text and word prompts? Is it failure to realise that the spell checker has corrected your spelling mistake but used a homophone? Some classic examples ...

Dose - A measure of medicine etc. / Does - Present tense of the verb 'to do'
Brought - Past tense of the verb 'to bring' / Bought - Past tense of the verb 'to buy'
Affect - Verb meaning "to influence and change" / Effect - Verb meaning "to cause" or noun meaning ‘a result or an influence'
Allusion - a subtle reference or hint / Illusion - a deceptive visual
Definite - Not vague, certain / Definate - Unfortunately there is no such word
There - An adverb meaning 'that location' / Their - the possessive case of the personal pronoun 'they'

As I said, it is not a complaint or an attempt to correct the people who do this or anything like that. Just felt like making an observation.

[Linus]

In my opinion, there are no excuses for slack grammar.

If someone has word blindness then say so,I have seen folks stick up for poor spelling saying the person may have Dyslexia.

Text typing was just a way to get around the amount of letters you were allowed to use when texting people so words were shortened, but now is a pain in the back side.

[Timmytree]

In my opinion, there are no excuses for slack grammer.

If someone has word blindness then say so,I have seen folks stick up for poor spelling saying the person may have Dyslexia.

Text typing was just a way to get around the amount of letters you were aloud to use when texting people so words were shortened, but now is a pain in the back side.

[GrandadG]

In my opinion, there are no excuses for slack grammer.

If someone has word blindness then say so,I have seen folks stick up for poor spelling saying the person may have Dyslexia.

Text typing was just a way to get around the amount of letters you were aloud to use when texting people so words were shortened, but now is a pain in the back side.

[raygun]

Why is it that everyone with Dyslexia can spell it ?

ATB
Ray.

[Mason]

Stanley Unwin's school of the English Language, has a lot to answer for.

[Linus]

In my opinion, there are no excuses for slack grammer.

If someone has word blindness then say so,I have seen folks stick up for poor spelling saying the person may have Dyslexia.

Text typing was just a way to get around the amount of letters you were aloud to use when texting people so words were shortened, but now is a pain in the back side.

you saw this one

In my opinion, there are no excuses for slack grammer.

If someone has word blindness then say so,I have seen folks stick up for poor spelling saying the person may have Dyslexia.

Text typing was just a way to get around the amount of letters you were aloud to use when texting people so words were shortened, but now is a pain in the back side.

but missed this one ,I rest my case

[Timmytree]

I blinked at the wrong moment!

[Roadworthy]

I find the thread an interesting observation enumerating a few of my pet language peeves. I believe part of the problem lies in lax education systems as well as in lazy people. Some can use the language and don't, others simply don't bother. When I was in school we had to diagram sentences. Although I felt it a useless exercise it did give one an awareness of sentence construction. That won't do a thing for incorrect usage of words but it should let one know how they go together. Grammar is probably a lost art. You may concentrate on word usage if you wish, but how many clerks in stores can return your change without looking at the cash register to see what the change should be? Computers will probably rule the world because overall people are too lazy to do so.

Yes, I know the difference between to and too, more and moor, sew and so.