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Words
Does spelling really matter?

A UK academic, Ken Smith of Bucks New University, suggests that common spelling mistakes should be accepted into everyday use.  He says we already accept alternative spelling for a number of words, so why not for a few more.

Does it really matter if we write arguement for argument or truely for truly? And does i really need to precede e (except after c)? Mr Smith suggests that, retrieve or retreive, it’s still pretty clear what the writer means.

Most readers can work their way around a few misspellings without too much trouble.  Indede, meny reeders wll fnd there wey thruogh this sentance. But they are unlikely to think well of the sentence’s author.  They are unlikely to think: here is an educated person; here is a person who knows what they’re talking about. And that’s the point. Unconventionally-spelled words undermine the writer’s authority.

At KiwiStreet, we have no hesitation in starting a sentence with and (although there are still some people who, mistakenly, believe this is prohibited).  Similarly, we feel a preposition is sometimes a perfectly proper word to end a sentence with. But anything-goes spelling? We think conventional spelling – however illogical – adds an important suggestion of voracity to the writer’s words. Sorry, Mr Smith.