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October 25, 2004

Spell-Check vs. Proof-Reading « Writing »

It seems a day doesn't go by without seeing some misplaced or incorrect word appearing in someone's writing. I don't worry about blogs, because we don't have editors. Heck, most of us don't have funding, much less a staff that should include copy-editors.

So while it bothers me, I don't usually make a big deal out of "tow the line" and such.

But check out this paragraph:

Why did the electoral college survive electing a president who failed to win a majority of the popular vote? Quite simply, we learned from 2000 that no matter what the drawbacks of the current system, it is imminently better than the alternative.

See anything funny? To wit, how could something be imminently better? Try: eminently and it makes sense. Sure, they sound almost the same, but the former is clearly totally inappropriate for the meaning intended.

It's enough to make me fear for the future of American literacy, I tell ya.*

*anyone want to offer me a job proof-reading? I usually catch one or two significant errors per published novel that I read, as well.

Posted by Nathan at 01:45 PM | Comments (4)
Comments

Irregardless, I think you are picking at straws
Arguably, this argument is foregone in the past.
*runs*

(Looks back at the intentional mistakes. Egads, I can't stand myself)

Posted by: Jeremy at October 25, 2004 02:04 PM

Me, too, Nathan. I see them everywhere, but even more annoying is that I make them myself occasionally.

Does MT (the lovely and affordable free one given us by MuNu) have a spell check that I have somehow missed?

Posted by: Rae at October 26, 2004 11:58 AM

Jeremy-good ones! A few from myself:

"You set over there."

"Lay down."

"She gave it to my brother and I."

Can you see the vein sticking out of my neck?

Posted by: Rae at October 26, 2004 12:00 PM

Rae,
As far as I know, MT has no spell-check. I think most people will write stuff in a word processing program and then cut/paste. That's one of the reason I usually give most bloggers a break (unless it actually confuses their meaning). But a professional organization like the NRO? They should do better, I think.

Posted by: Nathan at October 26, 2004 12:02 PM
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