# An icon to let people know they can correct any spelling/grammar errors. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 26, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151 "2005-07-26T01:15:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/1 "2005-07-26T01:15:50Z")
I have been thinking about whether it would be better to have an icon telling other users that it is ok to correct the spelling/grammar errors of my post. I know that most people right now won’t correct spelling mistakes because it can annoy the poster and interrupt the topic. If the poster wanted to have superior dopers spell-checking his post, then he is fresh out of luck. It can be a simple icon that could go next to the icon that tells people if someone is online or not and it could be activated through profile options. There would have to be separate icons for grammar and spelling though, for more clarity. The only down side is that any topic can become hijacked by dopers who just want to correct other peoples errors. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/2 "2005-07-26T01:21:25Z")
Huh? You mean a link to enable you to edit things entered by others? If so, no chance. You ain’t editing me. If you mean a link to report bad spelling, then, huh? You don’t think mods have enough to deal with, without “Ooooh, sir, Toby didn’t use his apostrophe correctly” And what spelling and grammar is expected, anyway? Colour me blind, but you can kiss my arse if anyone’s correcting me in my theatre of choice. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/3 "2005-07-26T02:08:38Z")
I think he means an icon a poster could elect to include in thier post that grants others permission to critique the spelling of the post. If the icon is absent, you are invited to STFU about any spelling or grammar errors. I think we alreasdy have one, isn’t that what :smack: means? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/4 "2005-07-26T02:40:30Z")
Lern too spel, and it wont be a problim anymore! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/5 "2005-07-26T04:00:55Z")
Even if you gave people permission to correct your posts, Gaudere’s Law would still apply - and then we would have a never-ending chain reaction of corrections. It would be murder on the poor hampsters. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/6 "2005-07-26T06:08:00Z")
That is only if everyone has the icon turned on. Though on reflection an icon that one has to turn on and off in their profile would not be a good idea. A better idea would be to have an icon that can be turned on and off for each individual post. That way the person correcting the mistake can have the icon turned off, forbidding anyone to correct any of his mistakes for that particular post. An icon also does not force people to correct your spelling errors, it only lets everyone know that you will not get annoyed if anyone happens to do so. This would explicitly let people know that a poster does not want his spelling or grammar to be corrected in anyway. Getting rid of a huge annoyance for some people. It would also allow people who do correct spelling and grammar to do so without fear of any ridicule or negative stigma. This feature still does not allow people to go from thread to thread only correcting spelling errors. I have seen someone being warned for too many off-topic jokes that they made in GQ. That same warning can apply for someone who has nothing to add but spelling corrections. Corrections would be better off made along with some useful reply to the topic. The hope is that everyone making spelling corrections now would shift their attention to the people that actually want the corrections made. Since people are inevitable going to make corrections in spelling, why not shift their efforts towards people who value their advice? Or we can have this feature strictly for the OP only. This way the OP is telling everyone that his topic can shift to a meaningful discussion of grammar if anyone wishes to do so. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/7 "2005-07-26T11:18:19Z")
We’ve always said that Mods are happy to correct spelling, grammar, and other typos when it is important – for example, bad spoiler tags, or typing “now” when you meant “not” or whatever. Just use the REPORT button (or, if it’s your own post, REPORT the post above or below yours and tell the moderators explicitly what you’re reporting.) The other side has been all favorable, to my way of thinking. We used to have lots of folks who just piled on typos or grammatical errors, so that (say) around one-quarter of a typical thread was just snarky comments about spelling. We’ve now learned not to be so critical of others – let whoever among us is without typos cast the first scone. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/8 "2005-07-26T11:20:54Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Gaudere’s Law would still apply - … It would be murder on the poor **hampsters.** Ha! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/9 "2005-07-26T11:59:55Z")
**Lakai** , if you, in particular, want your spelling/grammar critiqued, I don’t see why you couldn’t make it your sig: “Please point out (in email!) grammar and spelling errors! Much appriciated!” or some such. If you feel the need for feedback, this would get it for you, without slowing down the hampsters or hijacking other people’s threads. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/10 "2005-07-26T13:22:51Z")
Is the OP just an oblique way of hinting that we shouldn’t be nitpicking? ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/11 "2005-07-26T15:59:39Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > . . . corrected in **anyway**. . .Getting rid of a huge annoyance for some people. . .people are \*\*inevitable \*\*going to make corrections. . . That’s “any way”; “Getting rid of a huge annoyance for some people” is a sentance fragment; and it’s “inevitably”. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/12 "2005-07-26T16:19:28Z")
Oh good lord, there are so many spelling errors and Gauderes’ in this thread I simply don’t know where to start! sentance appriciated hampsters (twice!) thier alreasdy However, this is a great idea. I also want an icon that indicates I do not want factual errors in my post corrected. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/13 "2005-07-26T16:36:56Z")
> [@Futile Gesture](#): > > However, this is a great idea. I also want an icon that indicates I do not want factual errors in my post corrected. Ooh! Ooh! The teeming millions are hereby invited not to point out logical errors in my posts. Or lack of evidence. Or that my cite is my post. Does that cover it all? ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/14 "2005-07-26T16:42:36Z")
Penis would ensue for sure. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/15 "2005-07-26T19:13:31Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > The only down side is that any topic can become hijacked by dopers who just want to correct other peoples errors. People’s, not peoples. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-icon-to-let-people-know-they-can-correct-any-spelling-grammar-errors/314151/16 "2005-07-26T19:47:44Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > Ooh! Ooh! The teeming millions are hereby invited not to point out logical errors in my posts. Or lack of evidence. Or that my cite is my post. That would be an excellent sig!