# Spelling on the web **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871 "2015-10-17T02:42:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/61 "2015-10-19T15:21:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I would wager that among the general population, spelling is probably better now than it ever has been before. There have always been good spellers and bad spellers, but the good spellers are probably now a greater proportion of the population. More people than ever before are communicating via the written (or typed) word, and many of our communication channels now give instant feedback on most (though not all) spelling errors. > > What’s different is the selection effect, or rather the lack thereof. In our parents’ generation, someone who was a poor speller would be unlikely to get published, so you’d be unlikely to see any of their spelling, and even if a poor speller did get published, their words would pass through the hands of an editor or proofreader who would correct them. Nowadays, though, anyone at all who wishes to be published can be, and without any intermediary. So while we’ve always had the poor spellers, now they’re much more visible than they used to be. Exactly. If you have access to everyday writing from 20-40-60 years ago, such as notes and letters, you will see some of those bad spellers, but even there there’s some selection. The worst spellers would necessarily be those who practised little, and thus left fewer missives behind. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/62 "2015-10-19T18:05:27Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Coral have various ways of stinging each other. You must be careful about putting some types next to each other. Interesting juxtaposition of username and expertise. Not that corals are plants, but they’re not much smarter than plants, so similar in that way. I guess an aquarist (sp?) would have to be careful to avoid actual carnivorous plants in with the fishies. Could get expensive quickly. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/63 "2015-10-19T18:12:35Z")
Just about all the denizens will bite, sting or eat each other. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/64 "2015-10-21T08:58:10Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Interesting juxtaposition of username and expertise. Not that corals are plants, but they’re not much smarter than plants, so similar in that way. > > I guess an aquarist (sp?) would have to be careful to avoid actual carnivorous plants in with the fishies. Could get expensive quickly. Are there carnivorous water plants that take prey the size of aquarium fishes? ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/65 "2015-10-21T11:19:34Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Are there carnivorous water plants that take prey the size of aquarium fishes? If there aren’t, then there ought to be… ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/66 "2015-10-21T12:40:57Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Are there carnivorous water plants that take prey the size of aquarium fishes? There are some Utricularia that are aquatic. The largest thing that I’ve seen [U. gibba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utricularia_gibba) take is mosquito larvae, and it is just able to grab the tail. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/67 "2015-10-22T08:24:01Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > There are some Utricularia that are aquatic. The largest thing that I’ve seen [U. gibba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utricularia_gibba) take is mosquito larvae, and it is just able to grab the tail. 🙂 Highly magnifying aquarium walls and tiny fish then … That could work. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/68 "2015-10-22T09:54:28Z")
I think the inability to punctuate annoys me more than misspelling. It’s especially common with quotation marks, which seem to be a complete mystery to some people. I’ve seen examples like all of the following: “I’m leaving you, she said.” “I’m leaving you.”, she said. “I’m leaving you.” She said. “Are you leaving” she asked? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/69 "2015-10-22T11:13:13Z")
Yup. And all of these artifacts are the result of people who are non-readers/writers simply transcribing the stream of talking that’s going on in their head. Stream of consciousness is like most everything else on the inside of a human: goopy & messy and not really fit for public viewing. Watching these folks try to write is sorta touching in a child-like way. Much like watching me try to paint a picture. It looks like something an 8-year old might have done. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/70 "2015-10-22T11:21:19Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > “I’m leaving you.”, she said. “Is the period supposed to be there?” He asked, proving his ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/71 "2015-10-22T14:12:20Z")
> [@choie](#): > > The web has certainly taught me that a shocking number of English-writing people–indeed, maybe approaching half–don’t know the difference between “worse” and “worst.” I can’t count the times I’ve seen “He was the worse singer I ever heard” or variations thereof. Just once and I’d think it was a typo, but it happens far too often now for me to think it’s a slip. Possibly autocorrect. T and E are fairly close together, and the predictive algorithm will put the more frequently used first. You think you typed “worst” and the computer inserts “worse”. Lack of detailed review of your post gives errors. I occasionally post here from my phone, and am just about guaranteed there will be one autocorrect problem somewhere along the way. > [@carnivorousplant](#): > > “Is the period supposed to be there?” He asked, proving his ignorance. Generally, you shouldn’t put a period in the sentence until the end of the sentence. The standard format is to put the comma inside the quotes instead of the period, and then one period at the end. No comma outside the quotes after the comma inside the quotes. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/72 "2015-10-22T14:34:18Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Generally, you shouldn’t put a period in the sentence until the end of the sentence. The standard format is to put the comma inside the quotes instead of the period, and then one period at the end. No comma outside the quotes after the comma inside the quotes. I believe that I was taught to close the quote before the comma. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/73 "2015-10-22T15:49:29Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I believe that I was taught to close the quote before the comma. > :dubious: That’s British style. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/74 "2015-10-22T15:57:25Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > That’s British style. Well, hell, they invented the damn language! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/75 "2015-10-22T15:59:38Z")
But they’re godless Commies! ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/76 "2015-10-22T16:16:12Z")
I saw it again today: “disgusting” spelled “discusting”. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/77 "2015-10-22T16:22:11Z")
Our mother was an English teacher. And she was one in the home, also. She was quick to correct verbal and written English in the house. I listened and learned. My brother, 18 months older, didn’t pick up on it. And was a very poor speller. But, he was a great mechanic, and there was nothing he couldn’t fix. ---
**Author:** ![Abner\_Ravenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@Abner\_Ravenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abner_Ravenwood)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/78 "2015-10-22T17:04:17Z")
I’ve seen a couple deeds or lists of heirs recorded in the land records over the years where the decedent is referred to as the diseased as opposed to the deceased. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/79 "2015-10-22T17:20:59Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > But they’re godless Commies! The Brits are G-dless Commies? I missed something somewhere. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871/80 "2015-10-22T17:51:31Z")
My current pet peeves: “prolly” meaning probably. (it appears early in this very thread, possibly ironically) “and wahla” and variants for et voila! When it is “viola” at least they were trying. Brake and break, of course, as has been mentioned. Automotive, motorcycle, and bicycle forums kill me with that one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-on-the-web/734871.md?page=5)