# If you can't spell it right, don't use it! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 25, 2001, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331 "2001-04-25T19:00:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TomH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@TomH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/21 "2001-04-26T09:39:27Z")
Just a WAG, but since I and O are next to each other on the keyboard, couldn’t “viola” be a simple typo? ---
**Author:** ![Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazing_Tiki_God)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/22 "2001-04-26T09:48:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TomH \* > \*\*Just a WAG, but since I and O are next to each other on the keyboard, couldn’t “viola” be a simple typo? \*\* [anal retentive]NO! People aren’t allowed to make mistakes. They should meticulously go over and over their posts thousands of time to make sure there are no typos![/anal retentive] Nah just kidding but you bring up a pretty good point. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/23 "2001-04-26T12:31:31Z")
**xtal** > [@](#): > > Fiver claims: > “I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I’d work for love or candy, if I could just work with people who aren’t ignorant and/or stupid.” > > I’ve got some candy…and some beer. Okay, that’s the payment…what’s the work? ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/24 "2001-04-26T13:30:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TomH \* > \*\*Just a WAG, but since I and O are next to each other on the keyboard, couldn’t “viola” be a simple typo? \*\* :: grudgingly:: Yes, I suppose that could happen. But I prefer to think that these people are ignorant slobs who can’t be bothered to learn to spell. ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2001, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/25 "2001-04-26T22:33:03Z")
Eh, whatever. I think there are more important things to get annoyed about, like confusing “They’re”, “Their”, and “There”. Imean, these are entire WORDS. They do NOT look alike! The same goes for “too”, “to”, and “two”. P.S. Figure out the difference between “you’re” and “your” while you’re at it, m’kay? _The preceding post had absolutily nothing to do with the fact that I can’t spell to save my life._ ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2001, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/26 "2001-04-27T06:47:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by missbunny \* > I worked for this dingbat woman once who sent out an e-mail to the _entire_ office - all 200 of us, including the managing director - telling us that “when traveling, you can lift up the mattress on your hotel-room bed and carefully place your suit underneath. Then, go to sleep and when you wake up in the morning - WAH-LA! - your suit will be ironed! You’ll be neat and will have saved laundry charges too!” > > What do you guys think is more idiotic - the spelling or the e-mail itself? I’d say it’s a toss-up. > > \*\* Idiotic for the reasons already mentioned, but also because, even assuming that you were strong enough to hold the mattress high enough to spread the suit out properly, or had a second person to elevate it for you, you’d just forget it was under there, until too late. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2001, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/27 "2001-04-27T06:49:11Z")
Plus which, according to urban legend, you don’t want to probe too deeply into hotel mattresses anyway. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/28 "2001-04-27T22:49:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sealemon88 \* > \*\*…like confusing “They’re”, “Their”, and “There”. Imean, these are entire WORDS. They do NOT look alike! The same goes for “too”, “to”, and “two”. > > P.S. Figure out the difference between “you’re” and “your” while you’re at it, m’kay? > \*\* Add to that list the difference between “accept” and “except”, as in: There are no **acceptions** to the rules, and You have to **except** the fact that I don’t like you. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2001, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/29 "2001-04-27T22:55:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dolores Claiborne \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by TomH \* > > \*\*Just a WAG, but since I and O are next to each other on the keyboard, couldn’t “viola” be a simple typo? \*\* > > :: grudgingly:: Yes, I suppose that could happen. But I prefer to think that these people are ignorant slobs who can’t be bothered to learn to spell. \*\* Yeah, it’s easier just to call someone an idiot rather than assume they just made a simple error. [sub]and no, I don’t care if I misspelled anything.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/30 "2001-04-28T23:10:08Z")
Another comment that doesn’t relate to spelling, but it bugs the hell out of me when people use the word “insure” instead of “ensure.” This error was made on MY COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE LETTER. (or is it an exceptance letter?) 🙂 ---
**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:** [April 28, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/31 "2001-04-28T23:48:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alphagene \* > **I’ve used “viola” before. And I took five years of French. I did it deliberately to give my post that goofy uncultured Norton-from-The-Honeymooners appeal.** That’s a mere bag-of-shells. ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/32 "2001-04-28T23:48:52Z")
**Dolly** (if I may be permitted this familiarity): - the musical instrument you’re thinking of is a _viole_ in French, although you are quite correct in stating that it is a musical instrument in English (in addition to being a temperate perennial herbaceous plant, but that’s a different matter) - actually, _viola_ in French is the third person singular, past tense, of either ‘to rape’ or ‘to violate/infringe’ (depending on the context) - strictly speaking, it should be written with a grave accent on the ‘a’: _voilà_! **sealemon** : > [@](#): > > The preceding post had absolutily nothing to do with the fact that I can’t spell to save my life point well taken:D. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/33 "2001-04-28T23:53:52Z")
If you can’t spell it **correctly** , don’t use it! ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/34 "2001-04-29T02:37:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hajario \* > \*\*If you can’t spell it **correctly** , don’t use it! > > \*\* Didn’t you meant to say, " If you can’t spell it korrektly, don’t use it" ??? 😃 Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/35 "2001-04-29T03:03:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sealemon88 \* > \*\* > _The preceding post had absolutily nothing to do with the fact that I can’t spell to save my life._ \*\* I think you spelled “to save my life”, perfectly.😃 [sub]imthjckaz runs and hides behind a dictionary[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Catenary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@Catenary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catenary)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/36 "2001-04-29T03:10:24Z")
Two more; one champs at the bit, not chomp and one does not flounder (that’s a fish), one founders or is foundered. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/37 "2001-04-29T15:10:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Catenary \* > \*\*Two more; one champs at the bit, not chomp and one does not flounder (that’s a fish), one founders or is foundered. \*\* I’ve just about haddock my fillet of this kind of senseless baiting. Carping on and on about it wont’ salvage a thing. The scales of justice won’t be tipped a bit, chum- no matter what kind of bad spelling halibuts you may decry. Have you not heard of the famous once a year **Flounder’s Day Sales**??? 😃 😃 😃 Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![Tabithina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@Tabithina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabithina)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/38 "2001-04-29T15:45:53Z")
"Musec Festival Vender Aplication _(sic)_… Show schedual\*(sic)\* Friday 6:30-10:00… Description of you’re Products\*(sic)\*\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_" Applications such as this fill me with foreboding, based on my past experiences. If the organizers can’t be bothered with spelling, they often can’t promote an event effectively, either. It’s a red flag. ::tosses application back into the wastebasket:: ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2001, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/39 "2001-04-30T02:39:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \*Add to that list the difference between “accept” and “except”, as in: > There are no **acceptions** to the rules, and > You have to **except** the fact that I don’t like you. Please tell me this is a joke. “Accept” is a verb: One accepts an award. “Except” is a conjunction: All of the children ate dinner, except for Jimmy. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331/40 "2001-04-30T02:59:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \* > One of my bosses sent out email to everyone about the importance of meeting our training goals. His main point was that it’s our responsibility to meet our individual training requirements. As he put it: > > > [@](#): > > > > \*\*“The ownness is on you.” > > \*\* I attended a team meeting a few weeks ago and was told that “the otis is on you”. Repeatedly. [sub]I suppose he meant that I’ll have to try a little tenderness.[/sub] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-cant-spell-it-right-dont-use-it/63331.md?page=3)