# ...th' hell happend to my Word dictionary?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/th-hell-happend-to-my-word-dictionary/60100>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 30, 2001, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/th-hell-happend-to-my-word-dictionary/60100 "2001-03-30T13:29:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/th-hell-happend-to-my-word-dictionary/60100/1 "2001-03-30T13:29:04Z")

</div>

So I’m typing a letter and decide to run it through the spell-checker of MS Word 2K. The spelling suggestions box comes up empty. I know this is wrong, since I know I misspelled a word, but couldn’t remember the correct spelling.

A digging through the HELP file gave me this tidbit

> [@](#):
>
> Make sure the appropriate language dictionary and other proofing tools are stored in the proofing tools folder (usually the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Proof or C:\Windows\Msapps\Proof folder

but there’s not enough information there to tell me what I need to know: what is the file name of the standard dictionary that comes with Word 2K? I tried to do a search for all \*.dic files, and came up blank. Reinstalling from the CD did nothing. I’d rather not uninstall and reinstall if I can help it. All I really need to know is the file name of the standard dictionary file so I can see if it’s in one of those two directories, and if not, I can search through the \*.cab files on the CD and reinstall it.

Fenris

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/th-hell-happend-to-my-word-dictionary/60100/2 "2001-03-30T13:44:11Z")

</div>

I can’t answer your question, but you should verify that the word that you intentionally misspelled is not a word. You probably already checked that, but in case you didn’t, before you mess around with the computer, you should check that out.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/th-hell-happend-to-my-word-dictionary/60100/3 "2001-03-30T13:59:58Z")

</div>

I did: “Congradutations”. Just to be certain, I respelled it “Congraduxations” and the spell checker caught that it was misspelled, but didn’t offer any suggested words either time.

Fenris

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jon787](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e47c2d/32.png) [@jon787](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jon787)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2001, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/th-hell-happend-to-my-word-dictionary/60100/4 "2001-04-01T01:14:07Z")

</div>

I had this problem with an old version of Microsoft Works (oxymoron) make sure that the box labeled “always suggest” is checked. If there isn’t any checkbox like that in the speel checker box, try checking preferences.

I hope this helps.

Jon :Þ

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2001, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/th-hell-happend-to-my-word-dictionary/60100/5 "2001-04-01T02:21:55Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by jon787 \*  
> **I hope this helps.**

It did!!!

THANK YOU! This has been driving me f\*cking insane for three days: I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled MSOffice and it wouldn’t work. One tiny check box and it does!

Thank you!

Fenris