# "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:** 2
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/21 "2004-09-10T00:30:45Z")
I was guilty of definately. It was a weird block. I still have to think of it as de-finite-ly. ---
**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 10, 2004, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/22 "2004-09-10T02:42:14Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > **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. Interesting. I was almost convinced it was some internet phenomenon, along the lines of “k thnx bye!”. Like I said, I don’t ever remember coming across it when I was grading or proofreading papers. But I guess it is just a common mistake. Hm. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/23 "2004-09-10T03:39:26Z")
Can we lump _ridiculous_ under the most annoyingly common misspelled words? I see “rediculous” almost as often as I see “definately” and it really bugs me. It’s RIHdiculous! Who says it like REHdiculous?? ---
**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 10, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/24 "2004-09-10T03:44:48Z")
> [@Yumblie](#): > > Can we lump _ridiculous_ under the most annoyingly common misspelled words? I see “rediculous” almost as often as I see “definately” and it really bugs me. It’s RIHdiculous! Who says it like REHdiculous?? This is due to the same problem: schookids aren’t being taught root words. If you ever happened to notice that “ridiculous” stems off of “ridicule,” you’d never misspell it again. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/25 "2004-09-10T04:21:16Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > 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. This is just the internet. In people’s writing and e-mails, it’s far more likely to be misspelled, especially at the 7th grade level. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/26 "2004-09-10T04:50:37Z")
There’s one Doper who uses _definatly_ a lot; I attempted to correct her after seeing it several times, and she thanked me by continuing to use it. As horrifying as bad spelling is to me, I have to remind myself sometimes that the English language just isn’t as important to some. That’s just not their bag, baby. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/27 "2004-09-10T13:55:06Z")
I _constantly_ misspell this word - I always have to think when I’m typing it, and most of the time I have to go back and correct it anyway. And I have an English degree! While I try to be careful, I’ll try doubly hard now. Apologies. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/28 "2004-09-10T15:05:20Z")
I spell this word incorrectly all the time. I _KNOW_ that I spell it incorrectly. I’ll try alternate spellings. None of them ever look correct. So usually I just swap out and use certainly instead. I almost always get it right. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/29 "2004-09-10T16:04:41Z")
u butthedd! u spelt spacious wrong neway. it’s got an A duh! ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/30 "2004-09-10T17:40:02Z")
The reason I do not spell it correctly most of the time? Because my spell check doesn’t find it. If I write “definatly” which is usually my first try, the spell check doesn’t come back with anything resembling the correct word at all. For a long time, I thought that for some reason this wasn’t a real word, and that I was somehow making it up. That’s how I usually correct words that I misspell all the time. I’ll write it wrong so many times, and eventually look at the right spelling, and remember it. So now that I saw that tip about remembering the word ‘finite’ in the middle, I’ll probably get it right. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/31 "2004-09-10T18:28:48Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > but Christ - to me, at least, you look much more stupid misspelling an easy word than you do when offering a specious argument. Not even in the same ballpark. Misspelling “definitely” is like not knowing the capital of Zaire. Presenting a specious argument just means that you don’t understand logic, that you’re dumb. Misspelling is just misspelling. Big friggin whoop. The point of writing something is just to get your point across anyway. I doubt there’s anyone out there who sees one write, “I’m definately going to the movies tonight” and doesn’t know what the writer meant. Besides, that central sound of definitely is similar to the sound in a word like separate (as in “separate but equal”) or frigate, and it makes sense on some level that some people would spell it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/32 "2004-09-10T18:45:00Z")
Definitely! That’s the most annoying misspelling EVAR! (I’m an editor with a journalism degree. I have an “e” and “i” problem. Despite the rule, I can never be bothered to stop and recite the rule to remind myself which goes first. Both look corrrect to me. Generally, I just type and worry about the "e"s and the "i"s later. But that’s a different spelling rant, I guess.) ---
**Author:** ![Lao\_Tsu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lao\_Tsu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lao_Tsu)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/33 "2004-09-10T19:13:25Z")
Well, I stopped using my sig because I thought it might be too pendantic. I’m gonna use it now, baby! ---
**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 10, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/34 "2004-09-10T20:23:17Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Not even in the same ballpark. > > Misspelling “definitely” is like not knowing the capital of Zaire. > > Presenting a specious argument just means that you don’t understand logic, that you’re dumb. > > Misspelling is just misspelling. Big friggin whoop. The point of writing something is just to get your point across anyway. I doubt there’s anyone out there who sees one write, “I’m definately going to the movies tonight” and doesn’t know what the writer meant. > > Besides, that central sound of definitely is similar to the sound in a word like separate (as in “separate but equal”) or frigate, and it makes sense on some level that some people would spell it wrong. I disagree. Logic is a difficult and complex function, so I understand people not “getting” it or being able to use it correctly. Continually spelling something wrong, especially when it’s a basic word and there are examples of the correct spelling all around you, just makes you look stupid. Sure, you understand what’s being said, but tell me this: if you were going to hire someone and their resume was full of basic spelling errors and used slang terms, would you not care because you “got their point”? ---
**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:** [September 10, 2004, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/35 "2004-09-10T23:28:44Z")
‘Congradulations’ is more annoying than ‘definately’, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/36 "2004-09-11T00:49:26Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Not even in the same ballpark. > > Misspelling “definitely” is like not knowing the capital of Zaire. > > Presenting a specious argument just means that you don’t understand logic, that you’re dumb. > > Misspelling is just misspelling. Big friggin whoop. The point of writing something is just to get your point across anyway. I doubt there’s anyone out there who sees one write, “I’m definately going to the movies tonight” and doesn’t know what the writer meant. I beg to differ. To _some_ of us, it IS a big deal. Seeing “definately” makes my brain hurt, and it also makes me question the writer’s intelligence. YOU may not be wired to take spelling seriously, but some of us ARE. ---
**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 11, 2004, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/37 "2004-09-11T01:14:28Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > ‘Congradulations’ is more annoying than ‘definately’, IMO. There’s a great scene in the movie _Spellbound_ - a documentary about kids entering the National Spelling Bee. They follow some finalists around their hometowns as they prepare for the big tournament, and there’s a kid from Florida called Nupur. As they’re driving out of town, a local business had a sign out front that reads “Congradulations, Nupur!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/38 "2004-09-11T01:21:32Z")
Hey **woodstockbirdybird** , did I spell “bourgeoisie fuckface” correctly? ---
**Author:** ![shamrock227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@shamrock227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamrock227)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/39 "2004-09-11T01:41:00Z")
ok. Guilty. I’m sorry. I am the worst speller in the world. I try to be very careful because I am aware of it. However, “definitely” is one of those words that gets me every time because it looks correct to me spelled the wrong way. Although, now, thanks to FilmGeek I may be cured. ---
**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 11, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818/40 "2004-09-11T01:44:24Z")
> [@Demo](#): > > Hey **woodstockbirdybird** , did I spell “bourgeoisie fuckface” correctly? I don’t know. I can’t see straight after that cock-sucking you just administered. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definately-am-i-being-whooshed-spelling-grammar/263818.md?page=3)