What is it with spell checks?

I can see it being useful if a word is spelt incorrectly but why do spell checks consider some words to be better than others? For instance, on my old phone, if I typed the word 'mum' it would change to 'nun' (How often am I expected to need the word 'nun?'

As I type this, my new phone inserts an s after the quotes.

Earlier, I was typing the word 'whacks' but it changed it to 'shacks'

Re: What is it with spell checks?

oooer! Better watch yourself when texting then...could get you into all sorts of trouble!

Re: What is it with spell checks?

I always turn the autocorrect off on a mobile phone. Spell checkers are useful though.

Re: What is it with spell checks?

Basically spell checkers need to go back to school, they are more often than not absolutely useless, as you have found. The worst thing ever to happen to the English language IMO.

I can turn mine off but as soon as a particular file of text is completed it is automatically turned
on again as it's the default. As a fully qualified keyboard operator, touch-typing for over 40 years,
I find spell checkers extremely frustrating. Often these really slow me down as it's necessary to continually stop to correct errors.

Reading the final wording on-screen before finalising, submitting or sending is a strict requirement for me.

Re: What is it with spell checks?

Yeah, so I was just texting daughter about my woolly hat, except it didn't type out as woolly....... *ahem*

Re: What is it with spell checks?

I often send a text and after its sent it changes words and it doesn't make sense .

Must add

On Sunday daughter read out 50 words to 10 year old R to spell for her homework I decided to do it with her when we checked each others spelling I got 35 out of 50 and she got 49 out of 50

I used to think I was good at spelling , 10 year old Rosie couldn't stop laughing

I reckon I still need spell checker !

Re: What is it with spell checks?

Computers, phones, spell checkers - many if not all come initially set as American English which, as we all know of course, features a large number of misspellings!

I don't know about all operating systems, but with Windows it is easy to change American English to Correct English.

Of course, it would be easier for the entire world if the Americans could make the effort to perform all the necessary revisions in order to correct their erroneous version of English to the one that we, the real English, use.

Re: What is it with spell checks?

And yet all Americans have done, in the main, is get rid of the French influence in our spelling - something I thought would please you.


Candidate for a Pullet Surprise
by Mark Eckman and Jerrold H. Zar

I have a spelling checker,
It came with my PC.
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks aye can knot sea.
Eye ran this poem threw it,
Your sure reel glad two no.
Its vary polished in it's weigh.
My checker tolled me sew.
A checker is a bless sing,
It freeze yew lodes of thyme.
It helps me right awl stiles two reed,
And aides me when eye rime.
Each frays come posed up on my screen
Eye trussed too bee a joule.
The checker pours o'er every word
To cheque sum spelling rule.
Bee fore a veiling checker's
Hour spelling mite decline,
And if we're lacks oar have a laps,
We wood bee maid too wine.
Butt now bee cause my spelling
Is checked with such grate flare,
Their are know fault's with in my cite,
Of nun eye am a wear.
Now spelling does knot phase me,
It does knot bring a tier.
My pay purrs awl due glad den
With wrapped word's fare as hear.
To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should bee proud,
And wee mussed dew the best wee can,
Sew flaw's are knot aloud.
Sow ewe can sea why aye dew prays
Such soft wear four pea seas,
And why eye brake in two averse
Buy righting want too pleas.

Re: What is it with spell checks?

I have Word for many years and it has improved significantly over the years. But I had one that still gives me a smile. The intended word was "bore hole pump set"

Word decided it should be "brothel dumpsite"

I was tempted to leave it.....

Re: What is it with spell checks?

Oh you should have!

This reminds me of the subtitles on Youtube videos...some of them are hilarious, and bear no relation to the content being shown.