I'm not comfortable nor am i happy here

[Rubyretro]

If you're using Word, Ruby, the toolbar contains a drop-down menu which allows for the changing of language. Once this is set to 'English' (either 'UK' or 'US'), Spell Checker changes accordingly. As soon as you're done, reselect the French language from the toolbar drop-down menu. Likewise, I would also recommend that you download WordWeb, a free and extremely useful dictionary/thesaurus that sits in your system tray.

Best wishes.

Garry Wroe.

Thanks Garry -I will try and download 'Wordweb' -although I used to have
a dictionary/thesaurus on the computer (which I used alot) and my brother
(interfering as usual !) got rid of it; he said that it used an enormus amount of memory and clogged up my ancient laptop.

I know about the settings for Spellcheck on Word, but my computer seems to 'reset' things all by itself (!). Also my children use my computer behind my back, and regularly change all the settings, and it all becomes an enormous chore.

There is also the problem which Pirate once mentioned, which is that words which actually exist do not show up as errors. So when I made a typo
of 'pouring' for 'poring' (it was only a typo -which is why it stung), then it wouldn't have been corrected by Spellcheck anyway.

[caz]

I completely respect your view Bob and I agree that it is important to make the effort to get things right on an academic site such as this.

However, it is also important to remember that some people have real problems with proof-reading in that they cannot always identify mistakes. Other people cannot always read very closely what they have typed. i come into the latter category. I have to have the zoom facility on but I still don't notice mis-types and therefore make a lot of error, especially if I'm in a hurry.

I think it is important to set the standard but to be tolerant when people have something important and valued to express.

Hi Limehouse,

I rarely if ever see intolerance towards posters who have 'something important and valued to express' but obviously have 'real problems' doing so coherently - for example if English is not their first language or they genuinely struggle in this medium and are happy to admit it.

It's the lack of care, time taken, and respect for one's readers, on the part of posters who claim to be reasonably well schooled and well read, that often results in a complaint that the readers needs to be more tolerant.

There's a world of difference between making an effort to make up for one's lack of ability, and having (or claiming) the ability but not being arsed to use it because it's 'just' a message board. And that difference is usually very clear to anyone reading carefully.

So it's actually a bit shabby to put the blame on the long-suffering reader while implying that the posters singled out for attention are those with genuine literacy problems, when in fact such posters are generally left alone and treated with respect, regardless of what importance or value is attached to their contributions.

I think some people are getting their knickers in a twist unnecessarily. If an automatic red pen were to highlight every little error in every post, we would instantly see how lightly we are all getting off if only the odd 'howler' attracts attention.

There's a good reason why they are called howlers.

Love,

Caz
X

[Rubyretro]

[yes, Caz ..and I see that I wrote 'enormus' in the post to Garry (despite reading it back several times!!!!).

I take it that everyone does know that I can spell 'enormous' ?..and it's very strange that I can't even see it when I read the text back !

Can you 'catch' reverse -dyslexia ? -I have a dyslexic child but never showed any symptoms before Casebook !!!

[caz]

Hi Rubes,

I would never attempt to correct you or anyone for 'enormus' - it's obviously a simple case of missing out an o while typing quickly, something we all do. Besides, it's not funny enough.

I have a theory that we are probably all dyslexic to one degree or another, hence the difficulty with proofreading our own work. I have what I like to call east/west dyslexia. I have no trouble at all with left/right or north/south, but whenever I come across east or west, spoken or written, it's like a foreign language. I have to really think about it and I've always been the same. With east I have to think of India and with west it's Cornish cream teas, or I just can't get my bearings.

I'd make a horrible weather girl.

Love,

Caz
XX

[caz]

It's the lack of care, time taken, and respect for one's readers, on the part of posters who claim to be reasonably well schooled and well read, that often results in a complaint that the readers needs to be more tolerant.

Ooh lordy, look at me here - it should of course be 'the reader needs' or 'the readers need'. I couldn't make up my mind which sounded better and ended up making a balls-up.

Love,

Caz
X

[protohistorian]

Hi Rubes,

I would never attempt to correct you or anyone for 'enormus' - it's obviously a simple case of missing out an o while typing quickly, something we all do. Besides, it's not funny enough.

I have a theory that we are probably all dyslexic to one degree or another, hence the difficulty with proofreading our own work. I have what I like to call east/west dyslexia. I have no trouble at all with left/right or north/south, but whenever I come across east or west, spoken or written, it's like a foreign language. I have to really think about it and I've always been the same. With east I have to think of India and with west it's Cornish cream teas, or I just can't get my bearings.

I'd make a horrible weather girl.

Love,

Caz
XX

Hello Caz,
You are indeed correct. When we compile sounds in our minds we use what linguistic anthropologists call phonemes. These are representations of the sound in our mind, our mind currency when expressing ourselves. The problem often arises, that when we read what we have written, that we are in fact parroting the representation string and not reading what is actually typed. The problem is much more pronounced in spoken communication, and applies to images as well. This is a cross cultural feature and appears to be the case with the entire species. At least that is what the charged me for to learn at school, but, as we all know by now, if there is a way to screw it up, I will. Dave

[Rubyretro]

,

if there is a way to screw it up, I will

. Dave[/QUOTE]

yes, well, obviously me as well !

Otherwise, talking of images, have you seen that experimental film of a staged
football match where a man dressed in a gorilla suit suddenly runs onto the pitch, beats his chest, and rushes off (just for a few seconds) ?

The fact is, that when questioned on the film, nearly nobody has noticed the 'gorilla'...

...which neatly brings us back to the reliability of witnesses in the JtR case.

[protohistorian]

, . Dave

yes, well, obviously me as well !

Otherwise, talking of images, have you seen that experimental film of a staged
football match where a man dressed in a gorilla suit suddenly runs onto the pitch, beats his chest, and rushes off (just for a few seconds) ?

The fact is, that when questioned on the film, nearly nobody has noticed the 'gorilla'...

...which neatly brings us back to the reliability of witnesses in the JtR case.[/QUOTE]
Hello Ruby, that sounds like a separate issue called scotoma. Essentially this is the on-board interpretive bias of the observer. If you do not expect to see something in the image, you are much more likely not to. This is a documented facet of human perception as well. Dave

[protohistorian]

let me try that again!

, . Dave

yes, well, obviously me as well !

Otherwise, talking of images, have you seen that experimental film of a staged
football match where a man dressed in a gorilla suit suddenly runs onto the pitch, beats his chest, and rushes off (just for a few seconds) ?

The fact is, that when questioned on the film, nearly nobody has noticed the 'gorilla'...

...which neatly brings us back to the reliability of witnesses in the JtR case.[/QUOTE]
That sounds like a separate perceptual limitation of humans, called scotoma. This is an on-board observer filtering based on the the observer's anticipation of seeing something. There is an actual physiological form of scotoma which results in the skewing of perception due to physiological malfunction. In short, EVERYONE cannot say with certainty what the perceive by virtue of being a human being. Dave

[claire]

My favourite, recently (although not on here), was, 'She was wearing a turbine and a long robe.'

[protohistorian]

Ouch!!Dave

[Rubyretro]

But why is that funny ??

you should see the lovely turbine that I've got on today..

[protohistorian]

Is a turban powered flying device a magic carpet? Dave

[Rubyretro]

Is a turban powered flying device a magic carpet? Dave

But what do you mean ?

My toupée -the fab Psilo-rug ?

[claire]

I guess turbines are more socially acceptable than certain other forms of headgear in France these days