Date:         Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:36:34 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: photo... illiteracy: examples from replies
In-Reply-To:  <061320081445.20317.485287FF0008478C00004F5D2214756402C9C9CDCB020E03020100@comcast.net>
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I'm impressed that, having read several replies to my posting, none have
shown selfrighteous indignation. The subject is entirely relevant to the
list.

In my experience even dedicated scientists have problems with punctuation
and spelling.

> Waht is the big dael aobut snplleig on the Vgoaann lsit? The hamun mnid
> can furige out prttey mcuh any wrod as lnog as the wreitr dseon't
> srecw up the fsrit and lsat crcteraahs.

Words can indeed be worked out from context, but often punctuation cannot.
These things are NOT unimportant... our entire written language depends on
them, and one incorrect punctuation-mark can utterly change the meaning of
a sentence eg "What's that on the road ahead?" and "What's that on the
road, ahead?" (and at this point addition of a period to end my sentence
is problematic... triple punctuation, anyone?

Note that dictionaries ans spellcheckers are only as good as their
authors!

Of course typos don't count, but:

> Uhhh, you'd be amazed at how many CEO's...(70's)...

Er... what do the CEOs and the 70 own?

> Its not just spelling Jeff, but the complete lack of structure in
> peoples'
> emails.

It's not just spelling, Jeff, but the...

> Yeah well I said "important letters, etc."

Yeah, well, I said "important letters etc".

> I agree it's spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.
> However, we also have to consider each of us has our own strengths.

I agree that it's spelling, grammar, punctuation and sentence structure.
However we also have to consider that each of us...

> Maybe you should find someone else for that task. (e-mail., writtne,
> submited).

.. someone else for that task (e-mail, written, sumitted).

> ...and some of it's wiring chewed on by animals...

its. It's means "it is".

> Pricey.

ALWAYS remove a final e from a word before adding any suffix. If "torquy"
looks awkward, so what?

> An evolving language is the equivalent of grammar by the lowest common
> denominator, no?  And think I actually had to learn English as a
> second
> language the correct way.  What was I thinking!

Well said! Languages do of course evolve; however corruption is something
else entirely.