Most of you know I enjoy writing and am in a women's writing group called The Write Women of Sitka. We have a wonderful time sharing writing every week. But some of us, okay, one of us, okay I'll admit, it's me, can't spell worth a darn. I often ask myself, do I really have to know how to spell well in order to write well. The answer of course is no. Two of my fellow Write Women, Kathy and Mo are quick to tell me that spell check is a great camouflage for people who don't spell well. It's more important to have an exquisite vocabulary. I think they're right. So I'm working on mine.
Remember as a kid our fathers would try to get us to all learn a new word every week. And in college we were suppose to learn a new word every day. Yea, right. But if I had only done that then, I would now know all the words I ever needed. I could have moved on to Spanish words or maybe French. But I was busy watching Gilligan's Island and Flipper on the black and white RCA TV.
So now I'm trying to play catchup with my vocabulary - I've flat given up on the spelling. I'm following Liz's example and keeping a dictionary close by, even when reading for fun. And I'm trying my hand at some crossword puzzles (which is torture for me). I've even started doing some vocabulary studies on-line. There's a vocabulary software site (www.vocaboly.com) that has several tests. I've taken 2 today and got 100% on one and 90% on the other. Of course they were the easy ones. But by the end of the week, I'll be ready to challenge any one of you - as long as you don't count off for spelling.
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Beware of spell check's many downfalls. If it is a 'word' and spelled correctly, spell check won't flag it...even if it is the wrong word for the context. There's no substitute for correct grammar.
ReplyDeleteIf you want a lifelong spelling/grammar lesson, you can always join me in the LiveJournal communities grammar_nazis and wrongworddammit. I've learned quite a few things, as well as witnessed a good deal of snarking.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget spogg.com - society for the promotion of good grammar! I agree with what Karen said about spell check, and I love when I am typing in a word that is odd, but spelled correctly, and the computer gives me some alternative 'suggestions'. (This is the Kathy who Ann wrote about above...)
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