# Is it rude to correct a friend's spelling? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 15, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322 "2013-01-15T19:43:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/21 "2013-01-15T23:39:28Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I usually correct my best friend’s spelling but he’s my best friend - I am truly doing it in his best interest and he knows it (he’s a bad speller). Also I won’t do it on his Facebook feed, but in private IMs or email. > > Anyone else, I don’t bother. But I’d absolutely use the correct spelling in my reply if my reply used the word(s) in question. This. I have a couple of friends who know they are bad spellers, know they sometimes use the wrong word, or when speaking, pronounce things wrong. I correct them, but not in public. Usually they thank me. I always spell words correctly, and use the correct word when replying to someone who has made an error. I cannot imagine using the wrong spelling or word to avoid possibly hurting someone’s feelings. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/22 "2013-01-16T05:09:09Z")
He’s your friend so all the more you should correct him. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/23 "2013-01-16T05:13:08Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > …you’re not really doing anything but make yourself look like an insufferable know-it-all. Ha! Look whose avatar is talking! ---
**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:** [January 16, 2013, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/24 "2013-01-16T05:24:57Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I usually correct my best friend’s spelling but he’s my best friend - I am truly doing it in his best interest and he knows it (he’s a bad speller). Also I won’t do it on his Facebook feed, but in private IMs or email. > > Anyone else, I don’t bother. But I’d absolutely use the correct spelling in my reply if my reply used the word(s) in question. This is what I do with my sister, the bad speller. I also tease her about it when the subject comes up. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/25 "2013-01-16T05:41:19Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > I would use it correctly if I used the word in the reply, but it would be unspeakably rude to actually go out of my way to point their mistake out. This, except when the misspelled word is my name. Any friend who misspells my name when not replying to a letter by me gets a pass, any friend who misspells my name when replying to a letter which has my name both in From: and in the signature gets wet-trouted. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/26 "2013-01-16T10:49:07Z")
Huh, why would you misspel something on purpose to protect someone’s feelings? Like the Queen drinking from the finger bowl? Nah, I won’t say anything unless I know for a fact that they’d appreciate it, but I’m not going to misspell things on purpose. How else will they learn? Annoyingly it has happened to me on several occasions that people have miscorrected my spelling. For some reason it’s always the Dutch word “sowieso” that does it. It means “in any case” or “anyway”, and nobody can spell it. I’ve seen “zoiezo” and “zo wie zo” and all sorts of variations. I send something back that _happens_ to contain the correct spelling, only to get a reply telling me I misspelled “sowieso”. :rolleyes: For that, no holds barred. You are going to get told you are a moron, with references. ---
**Author:** ![mage-girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@mage-girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mage-girl)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/27 "2013-01-16T15:33:46Z")
Not quite the same, but I have a friend that will correct your pronunciation of Japanese words. Me and my friends are middle-aged anime fans, not actual Japanese people or current Japanese language students. I’ve increasingly found this irritating to the point of wanting to smack her. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/28 "2013-01-16T15:55:00Z")
> [@mage-girl](#): > > I have a friend that will correct your pronunciation of Japanese words. > > Me and my friends are middle-aged anime fans, not actual Japanese people or current Japanese language students. I would think fans would care about getting it right. Isn’t she saving you from looking foolish with actual-Japanese or knowledgeable folks? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/29 "2013-01-16T17:33:27Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > And you’ll notice I screwed up the code there…I think there’s a rule that someone making note of someone else’s misspellings online will very often make their own mistakes! Around here, that’s called Gaudere’s Law, but I recently learned the much more universal name for it: Murhpy’s Law. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/30 "2013-01-16T18:01:23Z")
Many people have asked me to correct their spelling and punctuation, and I will; otherwise, I do as others have suggested, and use the correct spelling in a return letter or post. If the person picks up on what I hope is a tactful correction, that’s good; if not, I think I’ve done my part without being rude. ---
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/31 "2013-01-17T13:05:04Z")
On a tangent here, I do appreciate it when someone suggests that I have used the wrong (generally spoken) word and offers a better one. I was at the dealership the other day and was using the word “gaskets” instead of the proper “weatherstripping.” The first Service Writer let it go (no harm there) but the second Service Writer corrected me and I did appreciate that. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/32 "2013-01-17T13:41:00Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > why would you misspel something on purpose I love this thread. It’s a laugh a minute.😃 Keep it coming! Old joke: There’s one word in the dictionary that’s always misspelled… can you name it? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/33 "2013-01-17T14:10:16Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Old joke: There’s one word in the dictionary that’s always misspelled… can you name it? Misspelled? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/34 "2013-01-17T19:26:12Z")
Yes. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/35 "2013-01-17T19:34:16Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Yes. 🙂 You misspelled ‘no’. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/36 "2013-01-17T19:35:17Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > You misspelled ‘no’. Ahem. “Know.” ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/37 "2013-01-17T19:43:01Z")
If they’re generally sharp, or generally a good speller, then yes, correct them, subtly. If they’re not, then don’t waste your time. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/38 "2013-01-17T19:47:07Z")
It’s rude to correct someone’s spelling, grammar, etc unless; they ask you too, or you have some kind of supervisory relationship (ie your their teacher/tutor/boss/etc). ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322/39 "2013-01-17T20:17:21Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Ahem. “Know.” Cite? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-correct-a-friends-spelling/647322.md?page=1)