I was an engineering schools wet dream.?ÿ Almost a perfect score on the math section of the SAT and barely half that in the other section.?ÿ Spelling is not my strong point.?ÿ I had a professor tell me to get a pocket dictionary because my spelling was so atrocious (this was well before the days of the internet and auto correct).
True typos or misspellings are one thing, using incorrect words is another.
(Look, know spelling errors)
I have the gift (perhaps really a curse) to pick grammar and spelling errors out of the middle of almost any printed document.?ÿ I don't even really have to read the text.?ÿ My eyes can just scan the source and my brain finds those errors.?ÿ
I have generally learned to bite my tongue when I really have no dog in the hunt, so to speak.
I once had a business partner who habitually uses incorrect words in his speech and writings.?ÿ He is so bullheaded that I had to quit trying to educate him.?ÿ However, he is still my brother, so I do have to still put up with that nonsense.?ÿ ?????ÿ
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At my first job after college my employer put out a variety of publications.?ÿ A monthly magazine, a quarterly collection of technical papers published together, an annual yearbook of sorts, plus all sorts of pamphlets, programs, advertising, etc.
Within the first month on the job my co-workers discovered I was a mean proofreader.?ÿ The next thing I know I am added onto every list of who was to review which publications.?ÿ We had a lady whose fulltime job was proofreading.?ÿ We had some interesting discussions as we differed on certain items of concern.?ÿ That made me much better at proofing.
The first scan was to catch the obvious typographical errors.?ÿ The second scan was to catch (no/know, their/there, threw/through) errors.?ÿ The toughest scan was to find the grammatical errors and punctuation errors.?ÿ That part of the job was identical to that of the proofreader.?ÿ The additional reason they wanted me checking was to find cases where something in the technical field was either wrong or in need of being double-checked with the author.?ÿ That was far more difficult.?ÿ Is it LaPlace or Laplace or Laplaise or laplace or la place or Le Place??ÿ Psychrometrics involve water/air mixtures while psychometrics involve the brain but many pronounce them the same.?ÿ I once caught galleons in place of gallons.
Decades ago when I taught surveying in college I took points off for spelling errors, and one young man thanked me. I've never forgotten Scotty's words: "Nobody ever told me I can't spell."
Think about it - he had been passed along from grade to grade.
But he had a closet full of Participation Trophies to bolster his self esteem.???? ?????ÿ
Communicating in the written form is an art.?ÿ An art that everyone should aspire to maximize to their own benefit.?ÿ Reading quality publications that have been scrutinized by proofreaders is the best way to improve one's writing skills.?ÿ Before entering the working world I'm sure I had read thousands of books of varying sizes and subjects, thus greatly expanding my vocabulary.?ÿ My ex-wife grew up doing the same thing and continues to read voraciously.?ÿ All of my daughters and my grandchildren go through books daily.?ÿ They are also great communicators, both in written or spoken form.?ÿ The exception being the newest grandson who is not quite five months old.?ÿ But, his parents read at least five little kids books to him each day.?ÿ They started doing that about a month prior to his birth and have continued to do so.?ÿ One day a nanny did not read to him, which was her last day on the job.
