# "Definately" - Am I Being whooshed? (Spelling/Grammar) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 9, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818 "2004-09-09T20:13:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/1 "2004-09-09T20:13:13Z")
I admit I may be naive, and perhaps spelling it “definately” is some sort of internet chat room in-joke - especially since I hadn’t seen that misspelling since coming to these boards, and I used to correct high school English papers - but then again, considering the problems people have with “there/their/they’re” and “your/you’re” (not to mention “it’s/its” and the misuse of “disinterested” and “fortuitous”), it’s (see - apostrophe for the conjunctive form, no apostrophe for possessive) just as likely that a large number of you simply don’t know it’s spelled “defin_i_tely”. With more challenging words I can understand spelling mistakes, but this is a pretty damn common word, probably available for reference in just about any book or publication at your disposal, so how the hell do you manage to keep fucking it up? I realize this is a “minor” rant, and it’s been addressed here before, but Christ - to me, at least, you look much more stupid misspelling an easy word than you do when offering a specious argument. You’d think at a site dedicated to fighting ignorance, people would at least be able to _spell_ correctly. Did your teachers run out of red pens? Man. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/2 "2004-09-09T20:31:01Z")
Could you dig up some examples? It would save some searches. And, did you mean “seen that misspelling \*prior to \* coming to these boards?” ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/3 "2004-09-09T20:51:55Z")
I brought this up once before [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=156957). (And of course Gaudere’s Law stung me twice in that OP, but I digress :)). As of that post (1/3/2003) I found that it had appeared 3704 times in SDMB threads. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/4 "2004-09-09T21:01:59Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Did your teachers run out of red pens? Man. Heh, shows how much you know, they use purple markers now. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/5 "2004-09-09T21:10:44Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > Could you dig up some examples? It would save some searches. And, did you mean “seen that misspelling \*prior to \* coming to these boards?” [Here’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=246506&highlight=definately) one where it’s right in the title. [Here’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=39926&highlight=definately) another. For more, try reading _practically any post in any forum_. Are you honestly trying to tell me you’ve never noticed this, or are you just being contentious? And yeah, of course I meant _prior to_. I knew Gaudere’s rule would hit me, so I’m not even sweating it. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/6 "2004-09-09T21:11:10Z")
Thanks, **Dooku**. I had no idea it was so previlent. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/7 "2004-09-09T21:13:46Z")
Dammit **Worm Eater** beat me to it! Shit, Gaudere’s law strikes again 😃 :D&R: Sam ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/8 "2004-09-09T21:18:50Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > Thanks, **Dooku**. I had no idea it was so previlent. Yeah, it’s a real privelege to know you. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/9 "2004-09-09T21:22:05Z")
> [@Dooku](#): > > I brought this up once before [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=156957). (And of course Gaudere’s Law stung me twice in that OP, but I digress :)). > > As of that post (1/3/2003) I found that it had appeared 3704 times in SDMB threads. Yeah, thanks. I knew it had been done before, but I didn’t find your post when I searched. I’m gonna check to see what the number’s up to now. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/10 "2004-09-09T21:29:37Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Are you honestly trying to tell me you’ve never noticed this, or are you just being contentious? Honestly never noticed. It does not immediately jump out at me like some other misspellings would. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/11 "2004-09-09T21:39:59Z")
From the Rufus Xavier Offline Dictionary: Def \* in \* ate \* ly (Adverb): to do something in such a manner as to cause defness in another person. From the verb definate, meaning to loose your hearing. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/12 "2004-09-09T21:58:53Z")
**woodstockbirdybird** : [I am so right there with you on this one.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=171780&highlight=definately) The incorrect spelling of the word definitely is so pervasive that one is more likely to see “definately” or “definatly” than the correct spelling. Why, oh why?!? This phenomenon is like nails on a chalkboard for me, and I am an English teacher, so I am now on a mission from God. By the end of last year, every one of my seventh graders could spell this word correctly. It must be bloody difficult, because in spite of the mnemonic devices, a big sign posted at the front of the room all year, and having the word on every quiz, it wasn’t until the very last quiz of the year that the all managed to spell it right. I showered them with candy. ---
**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:** [September 9, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/13 "2004-09-09T22:07:44Z")
Peeple just don’t pay attension to thier speling ect anymore. Or maybe they never did. Definitely. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/14 "2004-09-09T22:31:48Z")
> [@Futile Gesture](#): > > Peeple just don’t pay attension to thier speling ect anymore. > > Or maybe they never did. Definitely. [Futurama] The Big Brain am winning again! I am the greetest! Now I am leaving Earth for no raisin! HA HA HA HA HA!!! [/Futurama] ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/15 "2004-09-09T22:34:01Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Yeah, it’s a real privelege to know you. Bzzt, _wrong_. As I have learned from reading the threads here, that word is spelled _priviledge_. Duh. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/16 "2004-09-09T22:36:50Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#): > > From the Rufus Xavier Offline Dictionary: > > Def \* in \* ate \* ly (Adverb): to do something in such a manner as to cause defness in another person. From the verb definate, meaning to loose your hearing. 😉 I disagree. I think it’s a subconscious conflation with the word _defenestrate_. My theory–follow me here–is that once you toss someone out a window, they \*definately \*ain’t coming back. I think it’s that unconcious association that’s to blame. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/17 "2004-09-09T22:46:32Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Bzzt, _wrong_. As I have learned from reading the threads here, that word is spelled _priviledge_. Duh. :rolleyes: This, from someone called **lissener** … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/18 "2004-09-09T23:31:10Z")
I may be wrong (I frequently am) but my own school experience leads me to suggest that the teaching of Latin - and indeed Greek, if you can cope - can have a profoundly beneficial effect on one’s spelling and grammar. At my school, an all-boys’ Catholic Grammar School in West London (1970-1977), Latin was compulsory for the top stream from the start (aged 11) with Greek kicking in the following year. Did me a power of good. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/19 "2004-09-09T23:36:53Z")
The mispelling [_“definately”_](http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&q=definately), yields about 1.3 million Google hits, while the correct spelling [_“definitely”_](http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&q=definitely), returns roughly 10.8 million links. Thus we can _tentatively_ but not _definitively_, conclude that the word is misspelled about 12% of the time. I’m shamed to say that I’ve contributed to that 12%. But I solemnly swear to go forth and sin no more! Yep. Definately. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/20 "2004-09-10T00:26:57Z")
Before coming to these boards, I had no trouble with “recommend”. But it’s misspelled so often (“reccommend”) that now I do a double-take even when it’s spelled correctly. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818.md?page=2)