Spell Czech Nazis: STOP IT!

You know who you are.

There’s a certain smug sense of intelligence and superiority that comes from recognizing, and correcting, others’ grammar and spelling mistakes.

In fact some of you may even take great pleasure in the sport.

STOP IT! It’s misguided superiority!

When you realize where spelling and grammar came from, you’ll probably change your mind about correcting others incessantly.

Furthermore, by constantly correcting others, you’re placing the form of communication above the actual message the writer is conveying. And that misses the whole point of communication.

But let’s back up a little, shall we? Let me tell you about me.

A Confession: I’m a Recovering Spelling Nazi

I’m the number one spelling nazi, since I was a kid. I was always amazing at spelling!

My greatest claim to fame happened when I was in high school and I took a French class. I was so good at catching spelling mistakes, on three different occasions — while taking a French test — I discovered spelling errors my French teacher had made on the actual test itself.

I walked up to the front of the room and pointed them out to her during the tests.

She was shocked. And impressed.

So impressed that she nominated me for a “Golden Key” award in French because of it. (This was a big deal academic award for nerds at my school).

So when it comes to spelling, I know my stuff. And I can correct almost anyone when their words go awry.

Well, I used to be able to. But something happened when I thought a little bit more about where spelling came from:

They made that shit up!

The Origins of the Dictionary

In 1755, Samuel Johnson wrote the first definitive English dictionary in an attempt to help readers understand difficult words.

Prior to this, there were a few glossaries floating around, but no central source for information about the meanings of words.

Another goal was to codify spelling, as it varied widely everywhere.

Why?

Because people made up spelling to begin with.

Please read that again.

Spelling was invented to capture words on paper. But let’s go back even further (not farther!).

Where did words come from?

Again, they were made up. All of them. Absolutely every word was made up at some distant point in the past.

Now I don’t know about you, but when I realized this, I suddenly became a lot more sympathetic to people spelling creatively (aka “badly”). They are just engaging in the same behavior that invented words to begin with.

Who am I to judge them?

Beyond Spelling and Grammar: The Meaning

When I’m a spelling or grammar nazi, I’m completely disregarding the whole intent of communication, focusing instead on the words instead of the meaning the author is attempting to convey. In short, I’m being small-minded and picking nits, seeing the trees instead of the forest.

And it’s rude! And people feel inferior and bad when all they are trying to do is get an idea across.

Beyond that:

Being a poor speller is not a sign of low intelligence.

In fact some of the greatest minds who ever lived were poor spellers:

Einstein was a poor speller!

I can hear the ire in your heart rising:

But There’s a Reason for Spelling and Grammar!

Yes there is! Spelling words incorrectly can change the meaning of the communication. So it is important to spell as well as we can so we communicate as well as we can.

Beyond that, I do love words. Maybe you do too!

I love how “there,” “their,” and “they’re” all have different meanings. I love how words sound. I write poetry and lyrics. I just adore words!

So when someone mangles the meaning of a sentence by writing “Their coming over later,” part of me cringes. I always will. You probably will too.

Take off the Uniform.

All I’m saying is, think about the whole origin of spelling and grammar, how it was made up to begin with, and you might find a little bit of compassion arising within your wordy soul.

Not everyone is blessed to have the facility avec les mots that you do.