Their or There?
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We once had one of our lads who wrote in, asking for a recommendation for a Commission. Only trouble was: he couldn't spell it.
I had advertized for help. This isn't just any old help. I was looking for a Network, (computer), Adminstrator with at least 5 years experience. The resumes came in thick and fast.
I have a thing for proper spelling and grammar in a resume when you consider that a Network Admin with five years experience should be able to, (and feel a need to), turn on his spell checker and grammar checker just for giggles.
Imagine my surprise to find that one applicant had spelled his own name wrong....
Before you laugh and say I'm fibbing I knew he had done so because the name on the cover letter was spelled differently from that on his resume...
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The spell checkers that try to convert you to a different way of spelling
have now confused me on some things. Like is it 'ise or 'ize.
You end up second guessing yourself.
have now confused me on some things. Like is it 'ise or 'ize.
You end up second guessing yourself.
Last edited by 500N; 9th Sep 2013 at 21:36.
Good grammar - the difference between knowing your **** and knowing you're **** 
...and helping your uncle jack off his horse
??
Last edited by BEagle; 9th Sep 2013 at 21:40.
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Tom:
Don't worry, tomorrow we will boldly go where no JetBlaster has gone before and discuss aviation related stuff... 
I feel like I have fallen into the deepest darkest part of the internet where we discuss the horror of the split infinitive
Avoid imitations
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The most incorrect phrase of all:
Langleybaston with:
Boy George | Official Website
Surely not!
Langleybaston with:
The Waleses [as proud parents of boy George]
Surely not!
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SOSL
(Your #34) I don't think we're too far apart. (Quote): "I didn't mean to poke fun at anyone who has difficulty with the English language".
Nor do I. These people are victims; no blame is to be laid at their door. They are the victims of the catastrophic "liberal" educational policies which have been adopted in Britain these last 50 years. The young man who "had difficulty" with the word "Commission" was not uneducated - he had a string of good "O" Levels as long as your arm.
The later young ladies and gentlemen who came to us had (IIRC) to be of minimum "A" Level standard - many were graduates. They simply had not, at any stage, been taught English grammar, syntax and spelling properly.
The sad truth is that our schools are simply not doing their job. It is a commonplace that many primary schoolchildren are being introduced to secondary education without the basic literacy and numeric skills which they need to take advantage of it. How can it be otherwise ? In about '65, I spoke to a colleague who was retiring and had been accepted for teacher training. He had been surprised to find that not even an "O" Level in English was a requirement for this.
So it feeds into secondary education, where the "Concrete Jungle" and "Bog-Standard Comprehensives" are by no means fictional. Lack of discipline in the classroom is at the heart of it, without that the disruptive element will neither learn themselves nor allow others to do so. There is a right to be educated, but it comes with a duty to learn.
All this leads to the inevitable conclusion: I have read recently that 40% of school leavers at 16 are able to read and write only to the standard expected of those two (or more ?) years earlier, and I understand that the Government is to require these to attend two years further education in order to remedy the failings of the previous 11....... A satisfactory state of affairs ?
Rant over and out, Cheers !..D.
(Your #34) I don't think we're too far apart. (Quote): "I didn't mean to poke fun at anyone who has difficulty with the English language".
Nor do I. These people are victims; no blame is to be laid at their door. They are the victims of the catastrophic "liberal" educational policies which have been adopted in Britain these last 50 years. The young man who "had difficulty" with the word "Commission" was not uneducated - he had a string of good "O" Levels as long as your arm.
The later young ladies and gentlemen who came to us had (IIRC) to be of minimum "A" Level standard - many were graduates. They simply had not, at any stage, been taught English grammar, syntax and spelling properly.
The sad truth is that our schools are simply not doing their job. It is a commonplace that many primary schoolchildren are being introduced to secondary education without the basic literacy and numeric skills which they need to take advantage of it. How can it be otherwise ? In about '65, I spoke to a colleague who was retiring and had been accepted for teacher training. He had been surprised to find that not even an "O" Level in English was a requirement for this.
So it feeds into secondary education, where the "Concrete Jungle" and "Bog-Standard Comprehensives" are by no means fictional. Lack of discipline in the classroom is at the heart of it, without that the disruptive element will neither learn themselves nor allow others to do so. There is a right to be educated, but it comes with a duty to learn.
All this leads to the inevitable conclusion: I have read recently that 40% of school leavers at 16 are able to read and write only to the standard expected of those two (or more ?) years earlier, and I understand that the Government is to require these to attend two years further education in order to remedy the failings of the previous 11....... A satisfactory state of affairs ?
Rant over and out, Cheers !..D.
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Relax and enjoy what we have today, because believe me future generations will be a lot worse.With computer technology in primary schools,[ and in one case of a grandaughter aged 4, Daycare!] there will soon be generations of kids who never learned to write, let alone spell! I send text messages without shorthand, which my grandkids think is hilarious though I do note they don't use their shorthand replying to me!
Daycare!] there will soon be generations of kids who never learned to write, let alone spell! I send text messages without shorthand, which my grandkids think is hilarious though I do note they don't use their shorthand replying to me!
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"For Free"; another one now in general use. "You can have it for free"! No I bloody can't - it is either "free" (i.e. for nothing) or you can have it for nothing!
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Is it any wonder kids can't spell when you see words like
Nite and Tru on products and in general use. I can't think
of others at the moment but many exist.
Nite and Tru on products and in general use. I can't think
of others at the moment but many exist.
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Smith, where Jones had had "had", had had "had had". "Had had" had had the teachers approval.
There are different possibilities. I think that the above is one. Being a pedant, I've also corrected a typo!
There are different possibilities. I think that the above is one. Being a pedant, I've also corrected a typo!
Last edited by Capetonian; 10th Sep 2013 at 05:52. Reason: Corrected my own typo too!
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No offense to Capetonian, here is another one that has crept into everyday use.
"Being a pedant, I've also corrected a typo!"
I am sure my English teacher said it was a "spelling mistake".
When did "typo" come into use ?
Edit
Is it offense or offence ?
"Being a pedant, I've also corrected a typo!"
I am sure my English teacher said it was a "spelling mistake".
When did "typo" come into use ?
Edit
Is it offense or offence ?
Last edited by 500N; 10th Sep 2013 at 06:03.
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I disagree. There is a difference between a spelling mistake, where one simply does not know how to correctly spell a word, such as persistently not knowing the difference between the use of 'practice' and 'practise', although it is arguable that that is a grammatical rather than a spelling error, and a typing mistake which has not been spoted and corrected (yes it was deliberate!)
Words like 'unnecessary' with double consonants often throw me.
Words like 'unnecessary' with double consonants often throw me.
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all of this spelling confusion was caused by the bloody americans trying to streamline the language and rationalise the spelling.
the word is colour!
the word is aeroplane!
bloody americans......
the word is colour!
the word is aeroplane!
bloody americans......
The latest from BBC Breakfast. Former MP and convict Chris Hune suggesting that he should have "fessed up" to his crime much earlier.
W@nker!
I also see the use of 'my bad' creeping in on Pprune.
What's wrong with 'you people'???
W@nker!
I also see the use of 'my bad' creeping in on Pprune.
What's wrong with 'you people'???
Last edited by Party Animal; 10th Sep 2013 at 07:55.