# How well do you spell? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 27, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169 "2002-10-27T23:38:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SparrowHawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@SparrowHawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SparrowHawk)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/21 "2002-10-28T03:55:29Z")
I missed two, and one of them was minuscule. The other was millennium. Two “n’s”. Who’da thunk? Still, this is why bad spelling drives me bonkers. I’m very visually oriented, and while I’m capable of coughing up a honker myself it’s usually due to poor typing and lack of proofreading. When I see typos and misspellings (_especially_ mine) they leap out at me, screaming. It’s like someone who is very musical having to listen to notes that are just off key. It’s not a desire to lord it over people who are more “ignorant” or “careless” than I am or a wish to be a “spelling Nazi.” It’s…“AAARRRRRGGHHHH!!! Doesn’t that _bother_ you?!” The Offspring says punctuation errors bother her more. She also says that “The Offspring” is a band. Shall she be Baby Hawk? She says she prefers Hawklette. She is Hawklette henceforth. (Yes, this is an appalling spelling. It is hers. She claims it is not appalling, it is unique. Okay.) 😛 And since the search function won’t let me ask for “law” even in conjunction with Gaudere, can somebody explain that one to me? Is it related to Godwin’s? ---
**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/22 "2002-10-28T04:14:35Z")
I missed [ul][li]indispensable,[/li][li]battalion,[/li][li]minuscule,[/li][li]inoculate, and[/li]harass.[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/23 "2002-10-28T04:57:06Z")
I’m pretty sure I won - sort of. I missed 24 and these are the ones that I missed. desiccate indispensable weird privilege embarrassment liquefy seize cemetery battalion despair irritable accidentally minuscule millennium judgment existence independent occurrence sacrilegious insistent anoint supersede irresistible all right I’m almost embarrassed to post this actually. I went back and just checked all of the boxes on the left hand side and I got a better score than I just did. This isn’t good for the ego at all. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/24 "2002-10-28T05:35:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SparrowHawk \* > And since the search function won’t let me ask for “law” even in conjunction with Gaudere, can somebody explain that one to me? Named after our esteemed moderator, it states (paraphrased) that when you attempt to correct/criticize someone else’s spelling (or grammar?) in a post, you will surely make a similar error that you will not notice before hitting Submit. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/25 "2002-10-28T05:36:51Z")
I missed 9: desiccate accommodate desperate battalion liaison minuscule inoculate drunkenness coolly Most of these are words that I rarely even use. In fact, accommodate and desperate are the only two in this list that I use with any degree of regularity. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2002, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/26 "2002-10-28T05:57:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mayberrydan \* > \*\*I’m pretty sure I won - sort of. > > I missed 24 and these are the ones that I missed. > \*\* You won. But I came a close second. I got 22 wrong. I think I had some bad ‘programming’ influencing my test i.e. I thought it was wrong to have two lots of doulbed letters in words. and some other wrong rules in my head. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/27 "2002-10-28T06:59:24Z")
Six for me, but I’ll claim Canadian spelling on a couple, and thoughts of higher things for the rest. Yeah, that’s the ticket! Canadian spelling! Higher things! ``` * desiccate * indispensable * ecstasy * minuscule * judgment * supersede ``` (And just to appease Gaudere, there was a typo above that I caught at the last minute!) ---
**Author:** ![Cek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Cek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cek)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/28 "2002-10-28T07:31:38Z")
Looks like a tie for first place… I missed 24 too… ---
**Author:** ![AmbushBug](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ambushbug/32/4600_2.png) [@AmbushBug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmbushBug)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/29 "2002-10-28T08:30:15Z")
Missed three. Didn’t expect to miss any, but I choke under any pressure (lost state in 8th grade due to bad marraige). desiccate ecstasy minuscule …and I’m still bitter about county in 7th grade. “surrogate” is not pronounced /sAir’ uh gut/ with a long “a” in the first syllable! [sub]mumble mumble razzen frazzin caller[/sub] -AmbushBug [sub]yes, i did ask for a definition, use in sentence, and it didn’t click[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/30 "2002-10-28T14:48:38Z")
i can spel beter than al ov u. 12 wrong. I think I’m going to show this test to my English teacher. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/31 "2002-10-28T15:03:01Z")
I missed 19, most of those words I don’t use all that much so I’m not that worried about it. I am a pretty poor speller though. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/32 "2002-10-28T15:09:24Z")
I missed 19, most of those words I don’t use all that much so I’m not that worried about it. I am a pretty poor speller though. ---
**Author:** ![Alto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Alto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alto)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/33 "2002-10-28T19:49:23Z")
She says, “‘Variants’ listed in your dictionary are not correct – they are variants. That means people use them – they are not preferred by educated editors. Ain’t is also in your dictionary – that does NOT mean it’s correct.” That’s just nonsense. Some words have two equally acceptable variants–they can’t both be listed first. Just because a spelling is listed second doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Look up “back yard” in Websters. Most copy editors use Websters, so they will change the spelling to “backyard.” Now look it up in the American Heritage Dictionary. The first spelling listed is “back yard,” so I quietly change the spelling back. It’s a little game I play with my copy editors. (The same is true of “bloodred” which I think looks ridiculous as one word. The American Heritage doesn’t even list “bloodred” as a variant.) Any spelling that is listed as acceptable in a reputable dictionary is acceptable, so long as you’re consistent about it. Sure, “ain’t” is in the dictionary, but it’s clearly labelled “nonstandard.” (Oh, I missed 4, and they were all genuinely wrong, not acceptable variants, but I forgot to write down what they were.) ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/34 "2002-10-28T23:06:56Z")
I’m generally a good speller, but I missed 9. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/35 "2002-10-29T01:16:37Z")
ARGGHH! The only ones I got wrong (except for a couple) were the ones I went back and “corrected”! How many times do I have to be told go with your first instinct on things like this?!? ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/36 "2002-10-29T01:23:26Z")
Good Lord! I missed 14! I’m gonna have to stop telling people I’m an excellent speller, I guess. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/37 "2002-10-29T01:31:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Here are the correct spellings of the ones you got wrong: > • desiccate > • indispensable > • minuscule > • irresistible Those spellings for dessicate and for miniscule sure does look wrong to me…oh well… ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/38 "2002-10-29T01:33:58Z")
I missed 12. Out of 50, that is 24% wrong. Leaving 76% correct. A strong C, and it seems to be the average around here. I missed: desiccate accommodate liquefy seize minuscule judgment independent occurrence sacrilegious supersede irresistible separate I’m one of the stronger spellers I know, actually. And I also know that `minuscule' is wrong. The word is spelled `miniscule,’ and I’d be willing to fistfight anyone who says different. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![fizzestothetop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@fizzestothetop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzestothetop)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/39 "2002-10-29T01:34:09Z")
I missed 22. I’m not surprised though. When I help my 3rd graders in class with their spelling I have to keep the spelling list handy so I won’t mess up any of the words. (It’s not as bad as it sounds, really I swear. Last week they had pharmacist, penicillin and prescription. When I was in 3rd grade I certainly wasn’t spelling any of those words!) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169/40 "2002-10-29T01:54:32Z")
**AmbushBug** > [@](#): > > Missed three. Didn’t expect to miss any, but I choke under any pressure (lost state in 8th grade due to bad marraige). I do hate to be a bearer of bad tidings…of course I also hate to get wooshed… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-spell/134169.md?page=3)