Can you remember … or imagine … life without spell check or life with a manual typewriter?
January 13, 2008 by Lillie
Recently, a client sent me a document to edit that was filled with spelling errors that should have been caught by spell check. I sent my client a note offering to help her new assistant turn on automatic spell checking.
A few days later, I was working on a new document for the same client. I typed a word and realized I had misspelled it … but there was no squiggly red line under the word. Was it right? No, it looked wrong, but Word said it was correct when I manually checked the spelling. So I looked the word up in the dictionary, and it was wrong. Maybe there something wrong for the listing of that word in Word’s dictionary. So I typed another misspelled word … and another … and another. Word said all were correct. I typed gibberish. Word said it was correct. I opened all the other Office programs and typed the same gibberish and spell check put squiggly red lines under every “word.”
Thus began a three-hour process of researching and experimenting to correct the problem. I read Word help and checked all the settings. I logged into the Microsoft forums and tried the numerous suggestions for spell check problems. I changed settings and edited the registry and rebooted the computer after each change. Word still told me my gibberish was correctly spelled.
Finally, I came across a message that sometimes a “bad” add-in can cause a problem with spell-check. So I decided to disable add-ins one at a time, then see if spell-check worked. When I opened Add-ins and looked at the drop down menu to manage add-ins, I saw a selection for Disabled Add-ins. I opened Disabled Add-ins and discovered spell check was disabled! Word said the add-in was disabled because it caused a serious problem the last time it was used. I don’t recall any “serious problems” with Word – and I’m not likely to forget “serious problems” – but whatever happened, the problem is solved!
Spell check can be easily misused and abused. I continually see words that are spelled correctly but are the wrong word for the context because the writer accepted Word’s spelling suggestion. However, I know much time it can save and how much it can improve accuracy if used correctly.
That thought led to the memory of the typewriter. There wouldn’t be nearly as many writers as there are today if we still used manual (or even electric) typewriters.
Several years ago, I transcribed my mother-in-law’s life story from tape recordings she made. I had helped my mother with her story (which I’ll talk about in a few months in a series on writing memoirs and family histories), and my husband and I had encouraged my mother-in-law to write her own life story. She finally agreed to talk into a recorder if I would transcribe the recordings.
After I typed the manuscript, we took it to her to edit, especially to be sure I spelled unfamiliar names and places correctly. She asked how I wanted her to mark the changes. When I told her to just mark the manuscript pages, she said, “Oh, I don’t want you to have to re-type the whole page for a small error!”
She had used the same manual typewriter since her college days in the 1920s. She had never used a computer and was amazed when I told her I could make the corrections on the computer and print out a new manuscript.
Jack picked her up and brought her to my office to spend the afternoon while I was making the corrections. Cut and paste amazed her. She kept saying, “I would have had to re-type the whole thing to move things around like that.”
That experience gave me a new appreciation for the computer and word processing. It also gave me a wonderful visit with my mother-in-law and lovely memories years after she is no longer with us.
[tags]spell check, computer problem[/tags]
That story about your mother-in-law is wonderful. I sometimes wonder what my grandmother would have thought of computers. I mean, she knew about them and all, but she passed on in 1985 before the PC-age, and wouldn’t have been able believe the whole internet thing!
As to the wacky spell-check thing? That sounds so familiar. I posted a picture last week of my Dad’s computer screen as he wrote the apparently incorrect phrase, “This site will explain,” which flagged a warning light on his spell-check, and naturally, the system leapt to the rescue. It offered such useful suggestions as “This site wills explain,” for example–so, so helpful.
Well, at least it gave me a good idea for a post, anyway!
Ha ha, Lillie we were just laughing about spellcker today Spellcheckers! Wow; your post though, has made me miss using a typewriter. I still have an old Underwood and one electrical typewriter!
Wow! Flashback to typing class! I remember the teacher complimented me because I had a “great sense of the middle of the page”. (I could center a headline almost perfectly the first time.)
Now I have proof that I’ve always been in the Middle Zone!
What you experienced with your mother-in-law was a case of “technology gap”. The typewriter has served its part and is becoming a relic just like “typographical error” being thrown into the dust bin with “spellcheck”. With typewriters, people needed to use ten fingers with the “touch system”. Now with PC or laptop, people use only six fingers on the keyboard and two eyes on both the keyboard and the monitor. These just shows how technology has changed things.
I have one of those old typewriters in my collection. I think it’s a Royal typewriter.
I never was too fond of Word’s spell check. I’m on a Mac; more specifically a 17″ MacBook Pro. I purchased Grammarian. I like it.
The story about your mother-in-law made me chuckle.
You have received an award.
http://addictedtowriting.com/writing-meme-roar-for-your-readers-show-your-appreciation/
Lillie,
I remember in the early 1990s, when I took an advanced English composition course at my local community college: I didn’t even have a word processor, as most other students did, but was still using an electric typewriter; and my papers were usually the longest in the class–as long as 13 double-spaced pages.
Needless to say, it wasn’t easy when I decided to insert, delete, or move paragraphs around! One day, I was half-an-hour late for class (which wasn’t like me) due to editing and retyping a paper that had to be handed in that day–but at least I was able to get it done. Soon after, I bought a word processor–which made such a difference!
With everything that modern word processing programs can do, even that old-fashioned Brother word processor was inconvenient; but I didn’t realize it at the time, because it was far more convenient than anything I’d ever used before! (My dad used a manual typewriter to type up his poetry when I was growing up; but thankfully, while I grew, that era passed.)
Strange thing about your MS-Word spell check being disabled. Glad you finally figured that one out! Sometimes you’ve simply got to play “detective”–because there will always be those times when even our modern word processing programs will fail us in one way or another!
Great post!
Jeanne
I wrote for years with a manual typewriter and it still occupies a place of honor in my office. A lawyer from across the hall came over to borrow it. He had some forms to fill out and no way to do it. His two assistants came to watch since they’d never seen one used!! When I told them about carbon paper and white-out, they were amazed!
Has it really been that long ago? Wow I must admit that I’ve got some fond memories of my typing classes. The manual ones were early on in high school and by the time we were finishing up, they had been replaced by the electrical ones. I must say, that I too would not give up the comfort of my present keyboard. No way ! Lillie, thanks for letting me reminisce.
I’m just old enough to remember life before spelling checkers. I’m dyslexic and I wouldn’t be writing now if it wasn’t for them, I would be completely unemployable without a spelling checker. Lillie we are not spoiled, this is a necessity.
It’s very easy to forget how common technology became in rather short time, and how accustomed we are to it(won’t say we depend on it tho it might be true too) in everyday life. I mean I hardly ever write by hand anymore for example, anything more than a short note, it’s either laptop, pc or mobile phone. About spellcheck… for non native speaker like me it was huge help, tho I must say it made me somewhat lazy. I used to check dictionary far more often if only to check spelling before and thus my vocabulary improved significantly I believe. Still I couldn’t imagine writing without one now.
that spell checker poem is awesome
Haha, great poem.
How lost we would all be without spell checker
as a writer, i love spell checker but sometimes it makes me crazy.
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Since I’m a writer my self, spell check has help me check my errors and spelling and get A’s on my school reports.
So I’m happy for spell check.
Juan,
Although spell check can be mis-used when people accept the suggestions without making sure they are spelling the word they really mean, it improves our lives as writers tremendously.
I replied to all comments at the time they were made. However, when I moved my blog, threaded comments were lost.
i am using spellchecker right now while writing this comment
T42P (if you wrote YourName@Keywords, I could address you as a person rather than a product, and you would still get your keyword link),
I confess I don’t usually spell-check comments, but do for posts and other writing I do.
did it work?
T42p – maybe I should be writing as the typewriter in stead of a person
The old manual typewriter worked fine … though, of course, you can’t type very fast on a manual or the keys get all tangled up.
It must have been sooo hard. Nowadays, I hardly ever use paper, so I get slightly worried when there are no red squiggly lines under my handwriting!
Amy,
Thanks for the chuckle about the red squiggly lines under the words.
I seldom print documents, and I read electronically, so I rarely encounter paper.
i like to use the typewriter to polish my typing skills
gold (if you wrote Your Name @ gold bouillon, I could address you as a real person instead of carrying on a conversation with a precious metal, and you would still get your keyword link),
I didn’t know anyone still had a typewriter these days.
I think that spell checkers are an invaluable tool and once you’ve used them it’s very difficult to do without. One problem though is that they make you very lazy – I often don’t even try to spell a complex work correctly because I know that as long as I get it near enough the spell check will save me.
Chris,
Technology tools tend to make us lazy. I’m taking a Bible study at church—the first time I’ve done a live rather than online study in a long time. I’m so used to using the various Bible study tools online, I’ve forgotten where to find the various books in a printed Bible!
It’s amazing how we come to rely on technology, isn’t it. Before computers we coped fine, but now we use them so much, going without them seems inconceivable.
Anders,
We get spoiled easily. When we don’t know an easier way to do something, we put forth the time and effort needed. But once we know there’s a more efficient way … we can’t imagine going back to what was fine to us not long before.
Spelchekers have made me incredibably lazi.
Alexis,
Your comment reminds me of that poem that gets passed around in e-mail about spell-check. It’s filled with wrong words (their for there, etc.) and it’s all about how the spelling is perfect because of spell-check.
I just love spell checker but sometimes it makes me crazy.Technology tools tend to make us lazy and i think that spell checkers are an invaluable tool and once you’ve used them it’s very difficult to do without.
You’re right, Sam. And too many people depend on them for too much. Spell check can tell you if a word is spelled right, but it can’t tell you if it’s the right word. So people end up writing there for their, then for than, etc.
Well i think Microsoft’s word is a great thing for this because it gives you lots of facilities to correct the word and the sentence. Anyways keep it up and keep continue with your valuable posts.
Rock,
Yes, Word offers a lot of features that are great for editing–either your own or sharing edits with others.
Thanks so much for another post! hahah. Spellcheckers have made me lazy also. Especially auto spell checkers. Thanks for the post. Love the site.
Charles,
Thanks for the compliments.
I have never had that problem with Microsoft Word but I know that if I did it would get me pissed, I am using Vista and there always seems to be updates on Microsoft word included in them – maybe that is why I do not get many fatal errors when using it?
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sarah,
I keep Windows XP and Office 2007 updated, and I don’t think the add-on problem had anything to do with updates. It was a problem with an add-on that can happen anytime.
Well, it’s easier for me to use Microsoft word and I have been using this for the long time. It has all the stuff that you will be needing for the correction of your spellings and as well as the grammar.
karla,
As you will note in my post, I also use Microsoft Word. However, I don’t agree that it has everything you need for spelling and grammar correction. It can tell you if a word is spelled right, but it can’t tell you if it’s the right word. I see frequent errors in documents created in Word where people use there instead of their or except instead of accept or dozens and dozens more common errors. And the grammar check doesn’t understand context, so it’s wrong almost as much as it is right. I depend on spell check and grammar check in Word to bring possible problems to my attention, but I rely on my knowledge (or research if I don’t know) to make sure that I’m correcting an error and not creating one.
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