# How hard can it be to spell? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 16, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515 "2003-08-16T02:07:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/21 "2003-08-16T16:42:41Z")
If you asked the average Utahn they would probly answer the capital of Canada is: 1 Toronto 1. Quebec (pronounced kweebek) 3 possibly Calgary( well after all they have the rodeo there!) or Canada has a capital I thought they were part of Great Britain:rolleyes: _this excludes all dope Utahns of course_ ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/22 "2003-08-16T16:46:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ex-PFC Wintergreen \* > \*\*The capital of Canada is Toronto, dumbass. \*\* When I read this, the first thing I thought of was **Canadian Bacon**. It’s a great movie. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/23 "2003-08-16T16:49:51Z")
Don’t worry **Ex-PFC Wintergreen** , I got it. Although maybe that’s just because I’ve never met anyone who actually thought that the Toronto is Canada’s capital. ---
**Author:** ![Ex-PFC\_Wintergreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ex-PFC\_Wintergreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ex-PFC_Wintergreen)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/24 "2003-08-16T18:01:32Z")
Maybe it would have gone over better if I’d had Steven Wright as a straight man. Oh well. Back to lurking. ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/25 "2003-08-16T19:49:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ex-PFC Wintergreen \* > \*\*Maybe it would have gone over better if I’d had Steven Wright as a straight man. Oh well. Back to lurking. \*\* Funny line. Obscure movie reference. Provokes humourous misunderstanding. 100% on point. C’mon **Wintergreen** , don’t make us beg, everybody gets chewed out here. (Pun on portion of poster’s name being fairly well-known flavour of gum. Smiley omitted in solidarity.) ---
**Author:** ![rmbnxs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@rmbnxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rmbnxs)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/26 "2003-08-16T23:31:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skogcat \* > \*\*…You should post more often, at least you have a sense of humour. \*\* It’s “humor,” dumbass. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/27 "2003-08-17T01:20:15Z")
Who you calling a dumbass, dumbass? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/28 "2003-08-17T01:24:31Z")
It’s _dumas_. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/29 "2003-08-17T01:25:53Z")
Actually, it’s _dumbarse_. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/30 "2003-08-17T03:09:36Z")
No, it’s “aphasic hemionid.” ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/31 "2003-08-17T04:37:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by moejuck \* > \*\*Just yesterday in my summer school class, I asked one of the students what the capital of Canada was. He responded “Michigan”…SO you all must be wrong! \*\* I’m Canadian? This explains so much. Actually, no, it doesn’t. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/32 "2003-08-17T04:39:26Z")
Well, during the blackout, an early map on [cnn.com](http://cnn.com) showing major cities with power outages had Ottawa on lake Ontario! ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/33 "2003-08-17T05:44:36Z")
I just wanted to point out that this thread is directly after the one titled “Suppoerting our Troops.” Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/34 "2003-08-17T06:21:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ataraxy22 \* > \*\*Well, during the blackout, an early map on [cnn.com](http://cnn.com) showing major cities with power outages had Ottawa on lake Ontario! \*\* That makes sense – CNN is only 160 years out of date! (Kingston was the capital of Canada for a short time well before Confederation; I had opportunity to tour the outside of the absolutely magnificent Georgian building constructed there to be the Capitol.) ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/35 "2003-08-17T06:30:50Z")
If I do not have a dictionary handy, I spell almost entirely by sight, i.e. does it look right? In an attempt to get a correct spelling for Ottawa, I could conceivably come up with the following variants: Otterwa Ottowah Ottawah Autoway Oughtowa Luckily, none of them _look_ right, so I would never have to explain why I don’t know how to spell the name of the Canadian capitol city. Although it does me no good when i try to spell ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/36 "2003-08-17T06:34:18Z")
Saskatchewen. If that’s the correct spelling, I must be channeling a Canadian. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/37 "2003-08-17T11:54:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kallessa \* > \*\*…I don’t know how to spell the name of the Canadian capitol city. Although it does me no good when i try to spell \*\* Capital city. A capitol is a building, or occasionally a group of buildings. ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/38 "2003-08-17T12:02:19Z")
Where’s the Grammar Nazi when we need him? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/39 "2003-08-17T12:11:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LolaCocaCola \* > \*\*Where’s the Grammar Nazi when we need him? \*\* I dunno, but I’m the _soi-dissant_ Apostrophe Nazi™, and I declare this thread apostrophically pure (so far). ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515/40 "2003-08-17T12:22:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > **apostrophically pure** _giggle_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-it-be-to-spell/195515.md?page=3)