In the past I was known for my spelling prowess. My school friends would quake in their boots if they showed me their work in case I pointed out a word that needed correcting. I learned not to be so 'helpful' for the sake of peace and harmony.
I'm forgetting how to spell. I am de-skilling myself through sheer lazy convenience,
letting the machine do all the work.
letting the machine do all the work.
Also because of UK versus US spellings my MS's are littered with contradictions, as sometimes I choose to use the 'z' version and others the 's' as in 'recognise'.
Don't get me wrong I do love and use my hardback
Oxford English Dictionary and my Roget's Thesaurus
to look up words, but I have found I must start using my brain again, as well.
Is this something you recognise in yourself?
Actually, writing on the computer has HELPED me with my spelling. My spelling used to be so bad that I had no idea that was even spelling words incorrectly. The spell check showed me words that I was like, "Oh, really?"
ReplyDeleteThen I tried to spell it correctly the next time around.
we should start a spelling bee contest online, I know when i was 6 I could spell words like cupboards and bicycle, when I was 8 I could spell czechoslovakia. Maybe it has to do with reading I dont read a lot like i used to(I read the complete works of Shakespeare when I was 8 didnt understand a word of the old english but still read it)
ReplyDeleteKritsal that sounds like you are using your brain to learn from spellchecker rather than just hurriedly correcting typos like me. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteJo, Not sure how spelling bee would that work online exactly :O)
Hi Madeleine.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. It's not spelling with which I have a problem (probably something to do with being a voracious reader in my formative years!) but I do have a problem with being all thumbs at a keyboard. Hooray for spellchecker is all I can say!
:D om
I think my spelling is pretty good for the most, but as obsessive as I am, I love the computer spellchecker <3<3 :-))
ReplyDeleteDoris
Came over from Theresa's Halloween Haunting.
ReplyDeleteMy spelling is great. It's my punctuation that KILLS me. UGH. I put commas EVERYWHERE. :)
Tee hee, I've gotten so used to writing with US English that I keep forgetting to switch back in "real life" :)
ReplyDeleteRach
LOL. Yes. I think I reply on Word too often. My problem is often my mind goes blank and I forget a really easy word. Might be my age, though.
ReplyDeleteThe 's' vs 'z' thing gets me every time. I'm pretty sure when I actually checked which is the US version and which is the UK version they were actually the opposite from what I thought they were...
ReplyDeleteI try not to rely on spelling checkers too much though, and I'm very happy to overrule them on occasion. :-)
I find in Blogland, it's my typing that has problems with spelling, as my fingers have independent suspension and don't always connect to the brain!
ReplyDeleteFor sure! I also have the same two books on my desk and use them ALL the time...plus Webster's New World Speller/Divider! I thought I was just getting older and more forgetful now I realize I'm de-skilling! (Love that word!)
ReplyDelete~Jean
Glad to see everyone still loves real books.
ReplyDeleteJinksy I love the term independent suspension!
:O)