Does proper Spelling Matter, Toronto Star May 31, 2013
“Judging character or worth by how meticulous a speller a person is , is a way to say, ‘I’m better than you. . . . it is a form of liscenced prejudice” , Simon Horobin.
I have a strange luv/hate relationship with proper language usage, particularly with proper spelling. For the record I am an excellent speller and never need spell check if i really do want a message to go out correct, I won every spelling bee i ever entered as a child. It is well known that there is no evidence of ANY correlation between intelligence and being a good speller.
I have suffered the slings and arrows of rebuke for my sloppy typo and spelling error-riddled emails from family and friends. I know i have been judged unfairly, i feel, by many. I need not remind everyone that if correctness in spelling had always been important as it is now we would all be writing in Middle English. It was only in the 19th century that spelling became formalized and rigidly codified. Heavens, even Shakespeare spelt his own name with six different spellings, There were 114 known versions of the spelling of the word, “through”.
But what bothers me most about my predilection to sloppy typing and spelling, is how others judge me . For many, judging other’s spelling or grammatical errors has become a form of classism. I have often been berated by even close family, who care.
In my defense, i have argued that an undue emphasis on correctness is a form of one-up manship. I am smarter than you, I am better than you. It has become, for some, a form of classism. In our constant search for ways to prove our worth, precision in the use of language has becone one way of feeling superior. I am certainly often made to feel inferior. It is ok to denigrate those who do not type or spell correctly. It is hard to explain to people that the fact that my failure to type or spell accurately is due more to a form of ADHD than it has to do with my iability to type or spell. So to tell me to buck up, is a bit like shouting at a deaf person, ” LISTEN TO ME!”
Though I categorically must insist that if my version leads to misunderstanding or is unclear, then it is unforgivable. But if the meaning is still clear despite the typos and spelling errors, back off!
It is not as if i am incapable of writing precisely. I completed a doctoral thesis at U of T which I typed myself and self edited and there is not one error in its 500 pages. Editing it was one of the most painful experiences of my ADHD life.
I was heartened to read the Toronto Star article, Does proper Spelling Matter,( Friday, May 31), by Simon Horobin, professor of English at Oxford University. God bless his soul , he argues,
” judging character or worth by how meticulous a speller a person is , is a way to say ‘I’m better than you. . . . it is a form of liscenced prejudice” Hallelujah!
I have been hurt and embarrassed by those who have judged me unfairly about my failings with language. Simon Horobin’s comment validated a feeling i have long
Diakiwsblog 
AMEN !!
_____
Hi Jerry,
This is a subject I have given a lot of thought – and emotion – to. To answer your question, Does Proper Spelling Matter? It really depends. If you are spelling in a mobile medium, it doesn’t matter. If you are spelling in a work or academic environment, it does. You can draw a big fat line between the two. (You can also draw a line between “young” and “old”, but I’m not going there right now.)
For texting, blogging, emailing from a PDA, etc, people are on the run and spelling has evolved (or degenerated, depending on your perspective) to match this fact – e.g., “how r u i’m gr8”. This used to bug me at first, as I do tend to like things neat and tidy, but that is irrelevant as the world has moved on and people don’t care about their spelling as they dash off a note from a mountain top (you are the poster boy for this), or from a bus, or while walking across the street. People want to get a message out quickly and they are not worrying about their spelling!
In the working world, however, it’s a whole different story. Yesterday, I plowed through about 40 resumes and cover letters while reviewing applications for a Communications Director position. If there are 2 or more spelling mistakes in a cover letter, that candidate is OUT, because I’ve learned over the years, that these seemingly small mistakes are a big clue about what is to come. I’ve seen it over and over again. If someone is sloppy, or just careless, when they are presenting themselves to you for the first time, it is guaranteed to show up in their work, when it counts – the newspaper headline with a blooper, wrong spelling of a new product name in a press release, the final draft of the President’s presentation, etc, etc.
So… it makes me crazy as people with experience, who should know better, are in such a rush that they don’t stop and pay attention to the spelling details as this is exactly what will bite them, and you/me, in the butt, at the moment when it really matters.
“Old Gal”
Well old gal, i do appreciate your thoughtful, clearly articulate explication of your views of the two types of communication. I agree almost completely . You are probably right about those with two or more errors in a letter. But i do feel it is more complicated than that.
While you could be assured you are right 99 times out of a hundred but you would be missing the odd weirdo who knows how to spell but actually cannot see any errors in his final letter. There is a manifestation of a learning disability that results in being disqualified for a job for a flaw as simple as misspelling two words. In effect a form of discrimination against people with learning disabilities. i am sure if Jonathan was eminently qualified for a job, but was not considered for some small reason that was a manifestation of a disability you would be concerned at how unfair the process was. I am convinced that if your criteria was applied to me i would still be unemployed all my life.
I can see my finished letter and cannot see the errors even though if pointed out i can rectify it in a nano second. i just can’t see it. Ann disagrees with me but i believe it to be true. How to accommodate my quirk is another thing because in the main, you are absolutely right but i could never bring my quirky genius to a task . I would noT be considered. .