# What words are spelled wrong, in your opinion? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 24, 2017, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660 "2017-02-24T19:44:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/61 "2017-02-27T20:04:42Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > Privilege should be privlidge (but only for certain people) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/62 "2017-02-27T20:06:09Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > One little thing: “rhyme” is so spelled because of a false analogy with “rhythm”: it really ought to be spelled “rime” (as it is in the title of Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”). I do. How about Cavalry and Colonel? ---
**Author:** ![Totenfeier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Totenfeier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Totenfeier)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/63 "2017-02-27T20:12:03Z")
“Gray” is the norm in American English; it’s “grey” in British (and I live in America, unfortunately, these days). The dog breed known as the “greyhound,” according to Wikipedia, takes its name from an Old English term, “grighund;” I don’t know if anybody knows what the “grig” referred to, but the “grey” in greyhound doesn’t refer to its color; there are many different varieties of coat color. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/64 "2017-02-27T20:24:57Z")
> [@Totenfeier](#): > > “Gray” is the norm in American English; it’s “grey” in British (and I live in America, unfortunately, these days). > . Grey, gray. See my spellchecker doesnt care. Dictionaries allow both. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/65 "2017-02-27T20:30:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Grey, gray. > > See my spellchecker doesnt care. > > Dictionaries allow both. The dictionary is wrong-The correct spelling is “grey”, because the other spelling is too damn bright. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/66 "2017-02-28T03:56:28Z")
I’ve only been to Jamaica once. Many restaurants, etc. used simplified spelling, but it didn’t make things easier for me – I presume some found it easier to pronounce. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/67 "2017-02-28T19:42:19Z")
Words that end in “el” and “le” should be interchangeabel. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/68 "2017-02-28T20:11:36Z")
Judgment. It should really have that extra e. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/69 "2017-02-28T20:36:42Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Well, “wrong” is certainly spelled wrong. W-r-o-n-g. wright. ---
**Author:** ![SUZ\_MAC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@SUZ\_MAC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SUZ_MAC)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/70 "2017-03-01T22:32:02Z")
This thread is making my eyes hurt. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/71 "2017-03-02T03:01:59Z")
**ALL OF THEM … EVERY LAST GODDAM WORD** … THEY’RE ALL MISSPELTED … I need to go take meds now … ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/72 "2017-03-02T03:42:26Z")
I came here to offer Aluminium, since I missed it on a spelling test in 6th grade. But spell check made it look misspelled & aluminum appears correct. Did we officially change the spelling of that word? Online dictionary says both are correct. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/73 "2017-03-02T04:33:09Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > I came here to offer Aluminium, since I missed it on a spelling test in 6th grade. But spell check made it look misspelled & aluminum appears correct. Did we officially change the spelling of that word? Online dictionary says both are correct. 'Aluminium" is the British spelling and pronunciation. Aluminum is what normal people say (aka Americans). It is a trap used to catch spies. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/74 "2017-03-02T07:13:21Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > 'Aluminium" is the British spelling and pronunciation. Aluminum is what normal people say (aka Americans). It is a trap used to catch spies. Well dammit, I need to go back to my 6th grade english teacher & dispute this! She is also responsible for my spelling this the British way for the past 40 years :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/75 "2017-03-02T09:39:22Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > 'Aluminium" is the British spelling and pronunciation. Aluminum is what normal people say (aka Americans). It is a trap used to catch spies. Yu min a shibolez. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/76 "2017-03-02T10:17:31Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Creating words with two or more silent letters in them should be a capital offence. As are proper nouns with an initial lower case letter. My vote is for chaos, the word not the state of our spelling. ---
**Author:** ![Totenfeier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Totenfeier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Totenfeier)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/77 "2017-03-02T16:22:47Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > Judgment. It should really have that extra e. I spell it that way frequently and without qualm (when I can get away with it). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/78 "2017-03-02T17:26:13Z")
To me “wrongly spelled” ≠ “not phonetically spelled”. English is only an “incidentally phonetic” language. e truli fǝnɛtIk lɑŋwIdʒ wʊd wɚk dIfɚrɛntli My nomination: **“its”** , the possessive form of “it”. To me it is self-evident that it should be spelled “it’s”, just like the contraction for “it is”. I’m convinced that the epidemic of apostrophe misuse traces back to confusion over “its”. And yes I know the word “it” is a pronoun. I suppose some would say that, for the sake of my own consistency, I should be advocating for “her’s” as the possessive of “her”. Problem is, the possessive of “him” is neither “hims” nor “him’s” but “his”. That supports the notion that the possessive forms of pronouns are special cases. Whatever. There are really two feminine analogues of its/it’s --\> “her” (as in “that is _her_ book”) and “hers” (as in “that book is _hers_”). The first formulation is the more common way in which the possessive form of “it” crops up in speech and writing. “The rule, and _its_ antecedents, have been cited”. In that location it really ought to have an apostrophe; the “s” works like the “s” affixed to “store’s” in the sentence “The store’s windows are dirty”. I think kids learning grammar get bewildered by “its”, the possessive, not having an apostrophe, and that causes them to lack clarity of what apostrophes are for. ——— OK, and “buses”. You gotta be fucking kidding me. You can’t pluralize “bus” that way and pronounce it the way it’s pronounced. That word with that spelling has to rhyme with “fuses”. Who cares if it is spelled the same way as a word that means “kisses”? ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/79 "2017-03-02T17:49:43Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > “Hyperbole” is an intentional trap and that is not an excessive exaggeration. I didn’t match up the spoken and written forms mentally until I was in my 30’s. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is a good way to spell it so that it makes sense intuitively in English. That’s epitome for me. All the ie/ei words. Pick one, spell them all that way. “I before E except after C, or when it sounds like a” with 74,962 exceptions is a bit fucking much. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660/80 "2017-03-02T18:34:02Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > I came here to offer Aluminium, since I missed it on a spelling test in 6th grade. But spell check made it look misspelled & aluminum appears correct. Did we officially change the spelling of that word? Online dictionary says both are correct. supposedly the element’s original name was “alumium,” then shortly after changed to “aluminum.” Then IUPAC settled on “aluminium” as the preferred form, with “aluminum” being an accepted alternative. Apparently it’s only an issue with this one element, as we haven’t changed to saying platinium, tantalium, molybdenium, etc… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-are-spelled-wrong-in-your-opinion/780660.md?page=5)