Good spelling is being overlooked these days.

Spellcheckers are a big help.

Bad spelling is another form of sloppiness.

The way we speak, the way we spell DOES make a difference. Are you listening, Stan Milam ?

The way we speak, the way we spell DOES make a difference. Are you listening, Stan Millam ?

female poster here...not going to get all emo on you, but please don't lump everyone in the same category...even though I understand what you are implying.

Time for a new poll.

(And I would prefer it to not be national politics. *yawn*)

It's all Ubamas fault!

all in favor of a new poll say
" I "

New poll please

Ok girls - let us get along. You can always tell the female posters. They always pump emotion in to their posts. If they could only substitute it for logic....

I don't recall ever cheering anybody on. Hannah, go away. You can come back when you get a grip on the english language.

Hannah, why must you aways be so nasty? Who is the jerk here?

I always use the second comma too after a proofreading seminar in which the speaker explained why you should. The example given was a court case in which there were four children named in a will. The wording was, "...distributed to John, Mary, Kate and Max." The estate was divided three ways instead of four. John received one third, Mary received one third, and poor Kate and Max were stuck having to share the last third because they were grouped together as one entity based on the comma usage.

swiss chick is exactly right. I do the hiring at my work, and the lack of spelling skills i see is mind numbing. It doesn't disqualify an applicant, but it sure doesn't put them at the top of the pile.

Speleng ez vary emportunt. Authirwyze knowwon kood phigur owt whut wuz gist sayd. Wright?

In a series, the British omit the comma before the conjunction. They've been screwing up our language for years.

Normally, when listing a group of three or more, I would use commas between all items, including before the conjunction. Copperguy is correct in that either is acceptable, however. Thanks, hannah, for pointing out my error.

My father was an English teacher. As a courtesy, he chose to never correct an adult's language. He frequently corrected mine (and my siblings and our friends) growing up, but looking back I am grateful! I find it so frustrating to communicate with adults with poor language skills. It's NEVER too late to learn and apply the knowledge. (Even on comment blogs.) ;) Happy spelling, folks!

I figure if someone can get 99.5% of what they type or write to be error-free, they're doing really well. I was playing online Scrabble with a high school teacher and she used the wrong "to". Of course, once I giggled and pointed it out, she KNEW it was wrong but had just had the normal "brain fart". However, my 23 year old step-daughter (who, somehow, will be graduating from college in December) writes at the level of a junior high student. It makes me want to cry. How do kids get through school that poorly educated? (She's a good kid; not trouble or hard to discipline.) *sigh*

I always add the last comma in a list:

Would you like one and two, three and four, or five and six?

Without the last comma:
Would you like one and two, three and four or five and six?

spikesmom - LOL!
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I do see alot of places requesting that you fill out their application (for employment) on their premises. Used to be able to take them home and shoot them in the mail or drop them off the following day. I have a good idea why they're doing that.

Both ms_sassy and hannah are correct. Depending on one's writing style, a comma may or may not be used after "desire."

"interest, desire, or energy"
"interest, desire or energy"

Either one is acceptable. I always use the last comma, others do not.

How would you rate the importance of spelling?. . . . .gee, it's like asking. . ."How would you rate the importance of a paycheck that's equivalent to what you are worth?" I guess if you don't mind making minimum wage and the fact that no one takes you seriously . . . then "no" I guess spelling doesn't matter.

hannah is trying to correct someone?? LOL!

Chelleandlou, maybe is all one word.

Where did she miss a comma? Looks good to me.

I can understand an occasional spelling slip up, because I do rely on spellcheck more than I would like to admit, but you should always understand how to use proper grammar. It is so much easier to have a conversation with someone when you don't have to ask them to restate their sentence.

I was in the McDonald's drive-thru at the first window waiting for my change when the cashier YELLED to the next window's cashier, "I ain't got no quarters left!" My heart just sank for her and my first thought was, "You're destined to work at McDonald's for the rest of your life." :(

Where I worked, they started requiring examples of written documents from those applying for open positions to weed out applicants with poor vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and writing skills. In reviewing weekly and monthly summaries it was shocking to read such poorly written reports submitted by college educated managers and directors.

If I cannot understand a comment posting after the second attempt, I don't have the interest, desire or energy to try to figure out what the poster is trying to say. Therefore, IF your comment is something that you really would like others to seriously consider as a point/counterpoint, it IS important to spell correctly, use punctuation correctly and have well-thought out sentences.

If what you are typing is just bs that no one cares about, consider not posting...although, of course you have the freedom to post however you choose. ;)

Consider this:
Woman without her man is nothing
or this:
Woman, without her man, is nothing.

now consider this:
Woman: without her, man is nothing!

Punctuation IS important, too!

Unfortunatly, I rely heavly, on spelcheck.

Spelling and grammar count when I am looking at resumes. If you don't pay attention to details in your resume, you won't pay attention to details in your job.
*
Now website comments are a different thing altogether. I might have less respect for your opinion if you have a LOT of mistakes, but a few mistakes and typos are understandable in this setting.

Small town Wisconsin Mayor was getting ready to give a speech. He told his wife, "I heard a word I like the sounds of, but don't know what it means. I need to git that word in my speech."

Wife: "I'll help ya'. What's the word?"

Mayor: "Propaganda."

Wife: "Ah, yes. By my first husband, I had three kids. By my second husband, I had two kids. By you, I've had no kids. That means that I am the propa goose, but you ain't the propa ganda!"

Point: Know what you're talking about before you say it. "I could care less?" THINK about it! If you could care less, then that means you care. The correct phrase is, "I COULDN'T care less!"

I've witnessed a police SUPERVISOR giving court testimony that made my skin crawl:

Attorney: "What did you see him do?"

Supervisor: "I seen him hit the victim."

"SEEN?!?!?!" OMG! How about, "SAW????????" A SUPERVISOR, no less!!!!! To me as a juror, t

rooster: That works for those who have the Google tool bar. Not everyone does.

LOL. Like I said, almost everyone has an occasional error. The CORRECT description of the sign was:

"Cyclists Please Ride Slow(ly)"

That "d" on the end of "Please" got past me!

Hannah: You missed the entire point of my relating that story. My point was that spelling is important, but on forums like these content is more important. Lots of folks use examples to illustrate their points, and I use plenty. I, also, am not Catholic. However, I do not use my own perceptions of Catholicism as illustrations, because I know that my perceptions may be incorrect.

I did not "bash" you. I simply used that to illustrate my point that we should be careful of our footing when holding our opinion out as worthy of consideration. One would have had to engage in a substantial amount of research in order to find out that you made that "hell Mary" post.

To intimate that I "bash" you day in and day out is making yourself - somehow - a victim of my posts. In fact, I have never criticized you for spelling, punctuation, or grammar, as others have. I have worked VERY diligently to explain things for you in the past. Yet, the moment I express concern about your motivations or misconceptions, I suddenly am the "bad guy." If you insist on having - and posting - opinions about everything, then you must accept that you will be called out when you are in error. You would do well to humbly say, "Oops. Boy am I bad," rather than to cry out in despair, "Oh, poor me. I'm being picked on for no reason." In fact, there IS a reson some people pick on you (and others point out your errors). That reason is your insistence on being heard.

proof your posts. the ABC spell check box to the right of the google search box just below the top site box will spell check these posts. grammar is another situation. i recommend you only try to stay sober when you use the comment box. just my opinion. i am not trying to stifle free speech.

i never understood how one could read an not know how to spell,so spelling is very important.

I think all of us who post on these forums at one time or another have a typo. Spelling is very important to me, as are grammar and punctuation. I always proof my posts, yet still have the occasional error.

While I don't get excited about folks who have errors in their posts that are due to laziness, I will speak up when someone tries to make a point but clearly has no idea what they're talking about. I remember a heated discussion involving religion. A poster made reference to Catholics believing they can "just say a few hell Mary's and it's ok." That one deserved a strong rebuke, and I was happy to oblige!

Then there was my first trip to Picnic Point, by UW Madison. I was with a friend, walking along the path. My friend suddenly stopped and asked, "I thought you've never been here before?" He pointed to one of those official brown signs, posted by UW staff. This is what is said (although the part in parentheses had been etched in with a pocket knife):

"Cyclists Pleased ride slow(ly)!"

What can you do but laugh?!?!

It's amazing that people can speak a language their entire lives but can't correctly spell the words they speak. I cringe every time I drive past a business with a misspelled word on it. Being creative with letters to make up for ones they don't have is one thing, but most mistakes are not because of being short of letters. I was at a school last year and they had just installed their security door. You had to push a button to be let in. A hand written note on the door said: "Please wait to be buzzed in. It's a new system and we are getting used to it. Sorry for the inconvience." Inconvience??? This was at a school. Poor spelling, grammar and punctuation makes you look bad. It's hard to take people seriously on these boards, and elsewhere in life, when they can't write two coherent sentences in a row. (You know who you are. I know mymaro does!)

Too hilarious, mymaro!!

Definitely a difference between poor spelling and typos. The internet police sometimes get a little overboard.

You say tomato, I say tomatoe...
Dan Quayle was ridiculed
When he spelled potatoe.

Spelling is important...but having the same people (i.e. internet police) constantly harping on those with lesser spelling skills (or simply typos)tends to get old. Actually, I can compensate readily for spelling errors when reading...but trying to get through sentences that aren't put together properly, that's pure torture!

I think spelling is extremely important!! I agree that if there are spelling errors in a resume, it does not matter what the person's qualifications are, I usually pass on by. I don't think that spelling is a sign of your intelligence, as my brother is a doctor and can't spell for anything. But on important papers like resumes, it is so easy to find the correct spelling of the word that there is no excuse for not having it perfect.

luvujvl - hilarious!! It also advertises hand washes, yet I have never seen anyone washing someone's hands. Wild, wacky stuff!

yah, i don't sea whut the problum is with spellin and grammer being not good. me no understand?!?!

The thing I hate the most is when people bash other posters grammar, all the while dropping letters or misspelling common everyday words as they compose a comment.
Remember also that some words have variant spellings. For example, tomato and tomatoe are both accepted versions of the same word.
On another note, how much do we all just love the ones that post twenty or more comments to the same story. As if their opinion is so, so relevant.
If two people want to have a war of words via the readers comments section of the Janesville Gazette, urge them to use an instant messaging application. Yahoo Messenger and AIM have their flaws but both are adequate for back and forth schoolgirl-type arguments.
Read the entire article twice, if you have to. We see so many people skipping content just so they can post what they themselves believe to be fact. And too, view the readers comments before you post what you think is a humorous commentary to any one article. Chances are good that somebody else beat you to it.

There is a sign by an auto detail shop near Papa John's at Center & Parker Drive - "The Differance is Quality"............yes, spelling matters.

to bad they dont teach it in schools! 4 Real, Lol, GTG, bbl cya!

Texting and computer lingo don't help matters any. It's unreal the way people talk on Facebook, Myspace, etc. Someday may be the reality of how messed up our kids are will hit educators in the face. I had spelling tests all through high school and in college. Between spelling and silly math, I wonder how much our children really know Do your kids a favor, don't spell for them and buy them a dictionary. It's time they find out how to spell.

to bad they dont teach it in schools.

This is from the front page of todays USATODAY.com. Just clipped now...
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Gold roasrs despite Arab denails of secret plan to ditch dollars.
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I'd say spelling is important.

I agree, realitybytes! I understand there are people with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. However, there are functions such as spelling and grammar checks. There is no excuse for spelling errors...other than plain laziness.

Thanks reality b, this kind of demo is engaging and always surprising. Have enjoyed them before, and enjoyed yours as well. But I still also voted it as very important. Leaving wiggle room for the Hemingways, Fitzgeralds and Twains, it is the least thing - as in resumes - one can sharpen to make a show of intelligence.

SPELLING QUIZ: i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Actually, I do believe spelling is important. When I search through a pile of resumes, I usually ignore those with spelling errors. Simple spelling errors demonstrate laziness or stupidity.

Yeha, Spehling ihs nehvr improtent..