# Is spelling considered grammar? What about punctuation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 19, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667 "2013-01-19T00:40:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667/1 "2013-01-19T00:40:20Z")
I got in a dispute with a Facebook friend. She posted a picture that read\* “Grammar: The difference between feeling your nuts feeling you’re nuts”. I commented back snarkily, “that’s not grammar, it’s spelling”. Now, I know it’s not so much a matter of spelling as using the right word, or maybe even using the right punctuation. But it got me thinking: 1. Is the particular example given here (“feeling your nuts” vs. “feeling you’re nuts”) an example of poor grammar, variation in grammar, or anything related to grammar? 2. Is spelling a subset of grammar, or something else entirely? (A google search returned lots of hits for “Spelling and grammar”, implying they’re different concepts. But you know how rigorous that experiment was.) \*Why O why do people post pictures of text?? As a network engineer, the wasted bandwidth is terrifying to me. Also, isn’t copying and pasting a lot easier than “sharing” or whatever? /rant ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667/2 "2013-01-19T01:36:06Z")
1. Yes, grammar includes parts of speech. The difference between your and you are would be included. However, grammar is far more than that. It encompasses the entirety of the structure of a language and how the various parts interrelate. 2. Spelling is not itself grammar. Neither is punctuation. Or usage. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667/3 "2013-01-19T01:59:07Z")
In this case it’s what we call a “usage error.” In this case, the word “your” is spelled perfectly correctly, but the incorrect homophone was used. I have heard various opinions about whether or not “usage” is a subset of grammar or a different beast entirely, I’m not sure if there’s a consensus. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667/4 "2013-01-19T02:48:34Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > In this case it’s what we call a “usage error.” In this case, the word “your” is spelled perfectly correctly, but the incorrect homophone was used. No, these are clearly two different uses whose effect depends on the different homophones involved. > [@](#): > > I have heard various opinions about whether or not “usage” is a subset of grammar or a different beast entirely, I’m not sure if there’s a consensus. I’d like an actual cite from an authoritative source that states that usage is a subset of grammar. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667/5 "2013-01-19T03:02:46Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > I have heard various opinions about whether or not “usage” is a subset of grammar or a different beast entirely, I’m not sure if there’s a consensus. > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I’d like an actual cite from an authoritative source that states that usage is a subset of grammar. Apparently there is **not** a consensus. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667/6 "2013-01-19T03:14:47Z")
im sorry i didnt men to be stupid illl levae the boasrd forever im so sorry please dont be mad im so sorry ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667/7 "2013-01-19T03:50:36Z")
Jesus, jragon, is your self-esteem made out of tissue paper? ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667/8 "2013-01-19T03:55:23Z")
i dont deserve self esteem im not good enough to have it ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667/9 "2013-01-19T04:02:22Z")
Dude, at least listen to yourself if to no one else. You say you’re self-banned. Act that way. Stop posting and take some time off. Get help if you need it. Do not self-flagellate. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2013, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spelling-considered-grammar-what-about-punctuation/647667/10 "2013-01-19T07:08:18Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > im sorry i didnt men to be stupid illl levae the boasrd forever im so sorry please dont be mad im so sorry > [@Jragon](#): > > i dont deserve self esteem im not good enough to have it **Moderating** **Jragon** , whatever issues you have, GQ is not the place to express them. If you can’t refrain from comments like this, it’s best you ask to be put on posting sabbatical. Please contact an administrator. Colibri General Questions Moderator