Is this driving anyone else nuts?

Question

Somebody (usually uk - but not always) asks a reasonable question, and the immediate reaction (usually US) is to pull them up on their spelling.
I've just seen a question where the asker used the word 'tyre' and the first response was to correct him to 'tire'.
This really bugs me because the English spelling is correct and we have enough illiteracy in this country without being dragged down to USA levels (lets face it, they re-wrote the dictionary so that their way was right - hey ho, it's the war all over again)
Just so's this don't turn into an anti-English/anti-American rant, what I mean to say is why do people ignore the question just to show off their ignorance?
Is this bugging anyone else?
Bite me!

Answer 1

It is annoying and sad to see how insular (continental?) and bigoted many Americans are. Also many think that this forum only has questions from the United States and see questions from Canada, the UK, the Antipodes and many other parts of the world as 'illegal immigrants'!



Unfortunately, the disrespect and criticism is not restricted to the US. I have seen many others complain about spelling, especially that of people whose knowledge of English is limited.



To complain about spelling before one answers the question (or even without answering it) shows disrespect for other users. If I feel that a questioner has been shown undeserved disrespect I will generally report the abuse. I also sometimes do a little research into that answerer's other questions and answers. If they appear to misbehave often, they will get a number of (appropriate) violation notices from me.



As far as English/American spelling is concerned, on a forum like this both usages should be considered correct.

Answer 2

Here here!!! My feeling entirely! I got told off for writing neighbour because someone told me it was relly neighbor!!! Not in my books it isn't!!!



What also annoys me is people making fun of others, asking if they're too stupid to use spellcheck. Don't know about you but spellcheck doesn't always work! And sometimes you're in a hurry so you mispell simply because you press keys in the wrong order. I'm well used to typing 'teh' instead of 'the' but it doesn't mean that i'm stupid! Simply in too great a hurry to reply because i've other things to do!!!



I think there are many people about who don't bother about questions at all! They simplly want to post something, anything really and it can be a bit daunting for whoever asked the question. How many times do you see someone asking why people don't give serious answers or make fun of their questions/spelling. It irritates the hell out of me. To start of it's most inconsiderate and also defeats the purpose of Yahoo answers.



Please do forgive my poor spelling i'm British you see! LOL

Answer 3

I know what you mean! When I posted my first question, some ****head answered "Try learning how to spell so you sound more intelligent, then people might listen to you."



I used the Yahoo! spell-checker, because my own spell-checker couldn't find a problem, and I found that he was complaining about the way I spelt "realise"!! I was relieved to find that it was something so trite, and just ignored him!



I should have reported him really I suppose ... but Yahoo! would probably have agreed with him! After all, it's an American company....!!!

; )

Answer 4

I'm from the US and I don't do that. Actually, I give the person the benefit of the doubt that it is actually a typing error as opposed to a spelling error. I just answer the question.



Two weeks ago, however, someone asked one of those questions that annoy everyone, and a bunch of people from everywhere harrassed the asker about something he spelled incorrectly. I think it was their way of telling the asker that they thought he was stupid for asking the question, as opposed to saying that the question was not to their liking.



Also, I would like to extend to you my apology for anything my fellow Americans (US) have done to offend you in the past. Thanks for the question.

Answer 5

I will bet that they don't know anyone from the UK, I have allot of friends from the United Kingdom and Australia and we have fun ribbing each other over our different terms. Maybe just a Little bit of patience could be shown from either person and explain to the other that this is the correct way to spell it where I'm from. If not then just kick them in the @rse.

Answer 6

I'm American and it annoys me as well, but maybe it's because I'm an English major?



No seriously, I think some feel a need to do it to diminish the questioner's validity and reasonableness. However, I think it really just shows the responders ignorance and close-mindedness. Just be aware that not everyone in America is like this...

Answer 7

I think it's a real problem on here that you don't know the country of origin of the person asking the question.



Some questions can only be answered on a regional basis, and it can drive you mad having to ask for the detail each time. A little national flag next to your user name would help solve this and would also extend credit to foreign nationals making an effort to write in their second language.

Answer 8

We should all try to appreciate that we come from different countries and the spelling may not be the same.......respect the differences and think before we quickly react....



A poorly written sentence and a question that makes no sense is far more annoying to me. Spell check is there..but we should be able to retain the way we spell words according to our language in our own country.

Answer 9

I totally agree with you, what's the point in making an issue out of a word that's spelt correctly even if it's not how it's spelt the 'American' way. It's just a form of nit-picking. Your question isn't anti-American, it's the truth. I've seen things like 'color' instead of 'colour' who am I to jump up and correct that person?!

Answer 10

I hadnt noticed the spelling thing, but if I had it would bug me.

As for ignoring the question that does get to me. If you dont understand a question, dont answer it! Though I must admit I have 'answered' questions that dont actually answer them when people are being racist or just plain incorrect.

Answer 11

My grandparents were from the UK. My dad was born in Canada as was I . The spelling police are on me all the time for my spelling and the way I phrase somethings. I have tried to explain but they can't see past their dick & jane spellers!!

Answer 12

Yeah, it is totally annoying, but it's different if you can't understand their question because their spelling is so bad. Sometimes I have to ask people to correct their spelling, so I can understand what they are trying to say before I answer their question.

Answer 13

Yes that bugs me too. People are really mean sometimes. The thing that bugs me is when people use all caps, or no punctuation. I just pass those questions up because I have difficulty reading them.

Answer 14

I believe it is wrong to insult someone from anywhere on their inability to spell properly, no is perfect, what bugs me is when people abbrieviate like you with u, or your with ur, things like that. But I also feel that you are not asking a true question, you are just using your question to slam americans and your also catorgorizing us, we are not all ignorant, just like not all uk are illiterate.

Answer 15

Yeah, it's irritating and irrelevant to the question that the asker was trying to find out about. There must be alot of grammer police in here...

Answer 16

Yes, I find it very annoying. I was asking a serious question about paraesthesia and the answerer thought his/her duty to point out the 'correct' spelling (paresthesia) by his/her vocabulary. What was the point?

Answer 17

INNIT?

am sik of all these people PULlin people up on their INcorrect spellin an Punchuashun.

Us English invented da language innit?

Shabbah!!

Answer 18

fuckinglimey.