How do you spell words correctly?

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The discussion centers on the challenges of spelling words correctly, especially when encountering them for the first time or in multiple languages. Participants highlight the reliance on dictionaries and the importance of learning spelling rules, such as "i before e except after c." There's a recognition of the cognitive processes involved in spelling, likening it to problem-solving skills where recognizing patterns is crucial. The conversation also touches on the evolution of writing and spelling, questioning whether it is a learned skill or a heritage passed down through generations. Additionally, there are humorous exchanges about the quirks of the English language, including its irregularities and pronunciation challenges, leading to a broader discussion about the complexities of spelling and language comprehension.
wolram
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You note a word for the first time, how do you know how to spell it correctly?
and how do you remember all the correct spellings of words ?
 
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Dictionary. Also, after taking that spelling test, I obviously have no idea about how to remember to spell words correct :smile:
 
That's a good question, especially when having to spell in several languages. There is a phenomenon about recognising words which must be a learning ability since we only seem to write a few thousand years. This could be unlike another incredible human ability, recognising a million faces and still adding new faces to the database on a daily basis.

Or is writing a heritaged skill that we have been doing for ten thousands of years?

My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling, but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places.

http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/4500/quo_pooh.htm
 
Well for an instance, Once is sounded Wonce, and there are so many words
that sound the same, such as fair, there etc, the english language is stupid.
colour should be kulor.
 
Andre said:
That's a good question, especially when having to spell in several languages. There is a phenomenon about recognising words which must be a learning ability since we only seem to write a few thousand years. This could be unlike another incredible human ability, recognising a million faces and still adding new faces to the database on a daily basis.

Or is writing a heritaged skill that we have been doing for ten thousands of years?



http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/4500/quo_pooh.htm
:smile: :smile: :smile:
 
the english language is stupid. colour should be kulor.

So why not spell "fish" like "ghoces"

gh as in laugh
o as in women
ces as in worcester
 
wolram said:
You note a word for the first time, how do you know how to spell it correctly?
and how do you remember all the correct spellings of words ?
There are rules that we are taught.

For example:

The non-word "fiturate" looks more reasonably spelled than a possible alternative spelling of this non-word, "fichuraight."

Partly because we are taught certain rules (i before e except after c) and partly due to visual exposure to so many written words.
 
I have never been able to explain how it is that I can spell a word I've never seen in writing before. There just seem to be basic patterns, that even more irregularly spelled words fit a pattern...something about the meaning or the rest of the word tells me that a ph might be used instead of an f.

I guess for people who can spell well, it's similar to someone who is very good at solving math problems...sometimes reaching the solution requires recognizing some patterns and having a good armamentarium of tips and tricks you've acquired through solving many other problems. Just as a math student will not be able to solve a novel problem if they have only memorized the solutions to the problems they have already seen and not learned problem solving skills, one cannot just approach spelling as memorization of known words if you need to spell words you may not have seen written before. In a way, it still is a problem solving skill, though not in the sense most people think of problem solving.
 
Anohter itnreertsing pehonemnon is taht rcegozinig waht the wrod is spuopesd to be is not hrad wehn the frsit and lsat ltetres are in the croerct palecs.
 
  • #10
Moonbear said:
having a good armamentarium of tips and tricks you've acquired through solving many other problems.
?...
 
  • #11
pattylou said:
Anohter itnreertsing pehonemnon is taht rcegozinig waht the wrod is spuopesd to be is not hrad wehn the frsit and lsat ltetres are in the croerct palecs.

Thats cool Pattylou. :biggrin:
 
  • #12
Danger said:
?...
I am not sure if that is good enough to get a warning Danger :smile:
 
  • #13
pattylou said:
Anohter itnreertsing pehonemnon is taht rcegozinig waht the wrod is spuopesd to be is not hrad wehn the frsit and lsat ltetres are in the croerct palecs.
Ralley, peens?
I'm not so craiten.
 
  • #14
Danger said:
?...
acquired :smile: :smile: :smile: have a c

moonbear, and i thought i was i bad.

Please don't hit my button.
 
Last edited:
  • #15
wolram said:
acquired :smile: :smile: :smile: have a c

moonbear, and i thought i was i bad.

Please don't hit my button.

Now, even the loftiest may occasionally plummet, don't masticate them just because you get the chance to do so once in a century.
 
  • #16
Alluding to her age that way might earn a warning.:rolleyes:
 
  • #17
Insinuating she has made spelling mistakes prior in her life might get you banned..
 
  • #18
When you misspell a word, it usually looks strange and unfamiliar, that's why I usually realize which word I've misspelled, but unfortunately I don't know how to correct it sometimes!

Hey has patty spelled recognize correctly or it's something else? :confused:
 
  • #19
Andre said:
That's a good question, especially when having to spell in several languages. There is a phenomenon about recognising words which must be a learning ability since we only seem to write a few thousand years. This could be unlike another incredible human ability, recognising a million faces and still adding new faces to the database on a daily basis.

Or is writing a heritaged skill that we have been doing for ten thousands of years?



http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/4500/quo_pooh.htm


That explains it then, i have 9950 yrs of catching up to do.
 
  • #20
wolram said:
i have 9950 yrs of catching up to do.
You mean that your birth certificate isn't etched on a clay tablet?:confused:
 
  • #21
Danger said:
You mean that your birth certificate isn't etched on a clay tablet?:confused:


Birth certificate ? I was found under a gooseberry bush.
 
  • #22
Better be careful; there's just something about that phrase that makes me think that it would excite Arildno.:-p
 
  • #23
Danger said:
Better be careful; there's just something about that phrase that makes me think that it would excite Arildno.:-p

Some times it is hard for me to understand some peoples thinking, but i
guess hairy critters brains work differently. :-p
 
  • #24
main bohot kum ghaltian karta hoon angraizi kay imlay mein halan ke meri pehli zaban angraizi hay hi nahin :smile:
 
  • #25
Thanks, cefarix!
You just blew out my spell checker.
 
  • #26
As spellyng ich a fairly recent innovation in termes of þe Englisch tonge, I tende to avoid it.
 
  • #27
jcsd said:
As spellyng ich a fairly recent innovation in termes of þe Englisch tonge, I tende to avoid it.
That should be "avvood", methinks.
 
  • #28
arildno said:
That should be "avvood", methinks.

I was trying to be clever by using common ways to spell words in the past before spelling was standardized. Unfortuntely I don't know how they spelt "avoid" in Middle English!
 
  • #29
I think they spelt it "eschew", jcsd.
 
  • #30
arildno said:
"eschew"
Gesundheit.

avoid

ETYMOLOGY: Middle English avoiden, from Anglo-Norman avoider, to empty out, variant of Old French esvuidier : es-, out (from Latin ex-; see ex–) + vuidier, to empty (from voide, empty; see void).

http://www.bartleby.com/61/96/A0549600.html
 
Last edited:
  • #31
Evo said:
Gesundheit.

avoid

ETYMOLOGY: Middle English avoiden, from Anglo-Norman avoider, to empty out, variant of Old French esvuidier : es-, out (from Latin ex-; see ex–) + vuidier, to empty (from voide, empty; see void).

http://www.bartleby.com/61/96/A0549600.html

Void, that is what my doctor ask me if I was having a problem doing.:smile:
 
  • #32
arildno said:
Ralley, peens?
I'm not so craiten.
Yes, ralely. But you hvae to mkae srue you use the rgiht ltetres and taht the frist and lsat lrtetes are in the rgiht palces.

-Ptaty

(you lsot me on "pnees." Waht did you maen by taht?)
 
  • #33
pattylou said:
(you lsot me on "pnees." Waht did you maen by taht?)
Oh, you'll be sorry you asked... :-p
 
  • #34
pattylou said:
Yes, ralely. But you hvae to mkae srue you use the rgiht ltetres and taht the frist and lsat lrtetes are in the rgiht palces.

-Ptaty

(you lsot me on "pnees." Waht did you maen by taht?)
I just thought that "ralley, peens" had such a melodic ring to it.
Nothing else, whatever Evo might think.
 
  • #35
lol. I did not even notice you guys had done that again, I thought you were all posting gibberish. pnees is penes, arildno's word for the plural of penis.

ralely, I thought that was some crazy word at first, so no, that switcheroo does not always work :smile:
 
  • #36
mattmns said:
lol. I did not even notice you guys had done that again, I thought you were all posting gibberish. pnees is penes, arildno's word for the plural of penis.

ralely, I thought that was some crazy word at first, so no, that switcheroo does not always work :smile:
WHAT??
That was not my intention. I swear it, the phrase just sounded so good..
And besides, it isn't my word, it is the world's correct plural term.
 
  • #37
Give it up arildno, you've been caught pening again.
 
  • #38
wolram said:
acquired :smile: :smile: :smile: have a c

moonbear, and i thought i was i bad.

Please don't hit my button.

I can spell just fine...I never made any claims regarding typos! :biggrin: I can't even blame my sticky L key for that one (you might notice some L's are getting left out of my words lately...my L key has been getting very sticky lately and is driving me nuts).
 
  • #39
Moonbear said:
I can spell just fine...I never made any claims regarding typos! :biggrin: I can't even blame my sticky L key for that one (you might notice some L's are getting left out of my words lately...my L key has been getting very sticky lately and is driving me nuts).
You shouldn't eat stinky cheese and drink mouldy wine while using your computer.
It doesn't like either. Your computer, that is. The wine and cheese, for the sake of clarification.
 
  • #40
arildno said:
You shouldn't eat stinky cheese and drink mouldy wine while using your computer.
It doesn't like either. Your computer, that is. The wine and cheese, for the sake of clarification.
Actually, I think pasta sauce is to blame. I was eating ravioli a couple weeks ago and one escaped from the fork and splattered sauce everywhere, including on my keyboard. It's been sticky ever since. At least I don't spit coffee on my keyboard. :biggrin: :smile:
 
  • #41
Moonbear said:
Actually, I think pasta sauce is to blame. I was eating ravioli a couple weeks ago and one escaped from the fork and splattered sauce everywhere, including on my keyboard. It's been sticky ever since. At least I don't spit coffee on my keyboard. :biggrin: :smile:
What about pickle juice?
 
  • #42
arildno said:
What about pickle juice?
No, I haven't had any pickles recently. :frown: I'm really craving pickles too. I need to find a good supplier of pickles.
 
  • #43
Moonbear said:
No, I haven't had any pickles recently. :frown: I'm really craving pickles too. I need to find a good supplier of pickles.
I have more than I can handle at the moment.


That reminds me. Runs down and..
 
  • #44
arildno said:
What about pickle juice?
:smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: That is bad, even for your Arildno lol!
 
  • #45
Arildno & I were recently discussing how difficult it is to find a really good pickle. When I was little, the best pickles were at the little league ballpark my brother played at. Now I can find some similar at deli's, those BIG pickles in the barrels, but the quality is inconsistent.

Oh, for keyboards, coffee with creamer is baaaad. Don't get any sesame seeds under your keys either.
 
  • #46
Yup, it was a good pickle. Yummy!
 
  • #47
Evo said:
Arildno & I were recently discussing how difficult it is to find a really good pickle. When I was little, the best pickles were at the little league ballpark my brother played at. Now I can find some similar at deli's, those BIG pickles in the barrels, but the quality is inconsistent.

Oh, for keyboards, coffee with creamer is baaaad. Don't get any sesame seeds under your keys either.
Or ash. Ash should not enter the keyboard.
 
  • #48
Evo said:
Arildno & I were recently discussing how difficult it is to find a really good pickle. When I was little, the best pickles were at the little league ballpark my brother played at. Now I can find some similar at deli's, those BIG pickles in the barrels, but the quality is inconsistent.
Wow, I really didn't know much of anything about pickles when I was little. I thought they were kind of gross back then and had no interest at all. I think it's an acquired taste.
 
  • #49
arildno said:
Or ash. Ash should not enter the keyboard.
:confused: What nonsense is that? nothing solid should enter the keyboard. Ever.
 

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