Summertime . . .

Friday, July 1, 2011
. . . and my spelling is terrible!

"You can tell it's summer," Andy said the other day. "You have way more typos than you usually do."

Yep, it's summer. And if you haven't noticed (I bet you have), my spelling, grammar, and general typing tend to deteriorate in these sticky months.   

Generally I'm kind of stickler about good grammar. Nothing rubs me wrong faster than viewing some public display of bad spelling or bad grammar.

Like this little gem I found at the 2007 Chicago Marathon:

I mean, figure out the difference between "your" and you're" already! Same goes for there/their/they're, et al. And misplaced apostrophes? Don't even get me started.

But as much as sloppy spelling and grammar give me gas, I'm just as guilty as the next schmuck. I've been known to type "one" when I meant "won." Sometimes messages get crossed and confused during the trip from brain to fingers. I'm a master at not finishing conjunctions. Lots of times I mean "don't" or "can't" but instead end up with "do" or "can" in my text instead. Kind of changes the meaning a little bit. . . .

I wish everything I ever typed has an outpouring of perfectly formed, grammatically correct, error-free sentences. But the truth is, everything I write needs good looking over, with lots of editing and proofreading, before it's really worthy for the world's eyes: editing and proofreading that doesn't always happen in the summer months as I move quickly from task to task.

I don't think life is too short to proofread. But I do think sometimes life is too distracting to do a very good job of it.

And you know what is too short for proofreading? Summer.

15 comments:

  1. My pet peeve is when people use an apostrophe to make a plural. I love the "Pobody's Nerfect" button. Might have to make up a poster with that to put in my piano studio!

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  2. I always have to give it to people who can just type and it comes out beautifully. Especially the ones that do it in complete sentences.. and mistakes and it still sounds amazing.

    I think it's ok to be less strict- the grammer police will let you slide for the summer ;)

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  3. RED INK! Arrg! Commas apostrophes and mistyped words get me every stinking time. It bothers me to see it so that must be why I turn a blind eye to my own mistakes ;)

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  4. Haa, I'm no grammar police but sometimes I just can't continue to read something if it's covered in grammatical errors. Sometimes I see errors in my blog posts weeks after they've been posted, even after I proof read them 3-4 times...*sigh* Pobody's Nerfect!

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  5. I hear ya about that. I promise that I will not judge too harshly (or at all) in these summer months when proofreading tends to get thrown out the window.

    You know, or how about just ever? You mean well, you write well, sometimes the brain just does its own thing.

    Also, I am astonished at the number of people who STILL have no idea about your/you're/their/there/they're, and so on and so on. Boggles my mind. Did NO ONE pay attention in English? At ANY point in time?

    No? Okay. *eye twitch*

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  6. I’m stopping by from Hop Along Friday and following on GFC, Twitter, and Facebook. I'd love for you to drop by my blog and follow back.
    www.LisaBlogs.com

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  7. I get SO frustrated when I realize I have made a typo.... I always go back and adjust it!!!

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  8. I can be a major betchface about grammar, but I don't proofread, capitalize, etc when I email or blog. naughty naughty. Its sort of an elitist thing because I know that I know the right (the write way? hahaha) way. My downfall is practically never capitalizing "i" in emails. It can be embarrassing at work, but I'm a child of instant messaging generation... we never capitalized. it ruined me.

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  9. I'm a language geek, and I'm extremely disturbed when I see errors on "your" vs "you're" and similar things. And English isn't even my native language, LOL. Probably there are people out there who think my English sucks. But simple errors still irritate me... I think your writing is just fine though..

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  10. I live in the mountains of Georgia and the very top pic reminds me of it. I try not to go word by word on what people write. I just enjoy what they have to say and let it go. I am a new follower thru GFC and while I was here I went ahead and followed on Facebook also. I would really love and appreciate a follow back on both of those if you don't mind. Take your time because my blog is not going anywhere! Enjoy the weekend and Happy 4th of July!!

    Mary@http://www.mmbearcupoftea.com

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  11. Great minds, Ada. And here in Utah? You would NOT believe the public displays of grammatical ignorance. Doug's and my favorite thing we've seen - one that typifies the redneckish dialect in which some locals still speak - was a bright red sign on some guy's truck that read: "Fore sell." We still wonder whether he was kidding or not.

    But on a more serious note, I used to take issue on the matter, to the point of being judgmental towards others. :/ Then something occurred to me. I couldn't solve an algebraic problem to save my life! Does that make people who like math think I'm an idiot?

    So whenever I notice someone's typos (whether they're there because the person hurried or because they are uneducated) and it gets under my skin, I try to remind myself that I'm not good at everything, either. I should just thank God that I'm smart enough to know and apply the rules of the English language!!!

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  12. As Kelli said, Amen! And since the summer months tend to take away my eloquence, I will only say that I agree with you completely...and I love that Pobody's Nerfect thing. LOVE.

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  13. Summer in MN is definitely too short for proofreading :)

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