Author Topic: 2007 Worst dialog nominee, spelling category (Read 12,840 times)

zridling · « **on:** August 10, 2007, 10:44 PM »

Came across this opening dialog for Professor PC Typing Tutor, and must say, it's been a while since I've seen spelling this bad. (It's the same dialog, just scrolled.)

I'll have to use "in case of a doubt about" sometime in conversation.

Lashiec · « **Reply #1 on:** August 10, 2007, 11:33 PM »

I'm sure they were testing the effectivity of the program while they typed the text for the dialogs

mouser · « **Reply #2 on:** August 11, 2007, 01:44 AM »

I object to this topic on the grounds that there is a high likelihood i could win the runner-up prize.

zridling · « **Reply #3 on:** August 11, 2007, 03:29 AM »

You know the saying: it's no shame to make a mistake, just a shame not to correct it.

lanux128 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 11, 2007, 03:51 AM »

hehe.. luckily, they're not selling the "Spelling Tutor".. i'd like to add another cliché: to ignore one mistake is to invite another.

Jimdoria · « **Reply #5 on:** August 20, 2007, 08:30 PM »

Hmmm - the site is at a .br domain. I'm thinking English probably isn't their first language. Maybe it's spelled correctly in Portuguese!

jgpaiva · « **Reply #6 on:** August 20, 2007, 11:03 PM »

Quote from: Jimdoria on August 20, 2007, 08:30 PM

Hmmm - the site is at a .br domain. I'm thinking English probably isn't their first language. Maybe it's spelled correctly in Portuguese!

Interestingly, the first time i saw this thread, i thought "damn looks like this guy is translating directly from portuguese". Now it makes sense! (i hadn't noticed the .br domain

).
"in case of a doubt about" is a portuguese expression, apparently that guy didn't know it doesn't exist in english

(the 'e' between "K" and "L" means "and"

)

Darwin · « **Reply #7 on:** August 20, 2007, 11:35 PM »

Cool - thanks for clearing that up for us, João. It's funny how often a non-native speaker will directly translate an expression from their native language into a different one, preserving syntax and everything. I see it all the time with Korean friends going from Korean into English and do it myself going from English into Korean (though this is less frequent an occurence because I am horribly handicapped by the fear of making a mistake, so don't often try...).

ak_ · « **Reply #8 on:** August 20, 2007, 11:48 PM »

This topic is going to make us - non-native english speakers - paranoid

Grorgy · « **Reply #9 on:** August 20, 2007, 11:52 PM »

thats ok though ak_ theres a lot of paranoid native english speakers here to

Ok who said that!!??

Darwin · « **Reply #10 on:** August 20, 2007, 11:55 PM »

You've nothing to fear from me, ak_! The way I mangle (and confuse) French and Korean is pretty awe inspiring (and that's after 13 years of public school - in the NA sense of public school - French and living in Korea for 4 years). By confuse I mean that when I try to speak French, Korean comes tumbling out and when I try to speak Korean, French comes tumbling out. But I'm an ace in English, really. OK, you'll just have to take my word for it.

Actually, what is awe inspiring is how well many non-native English speakers communicate in English and how pitifully the vast bulk of native English speakers are able to communicate in anything other than their mother tongue.

EDIT: removed grand mal seizure inducing attempt to illustrate the stereotypical native English speaker attempting to communicate in a different language...

cranioscopical · « **Reply #11 on:** August 20, 2007, 11:56 PM »

Quote

This topic is going to make us - non-native english speakers - paranoid
Quote
theres a lot of paranoid native english speakers here to

It snot doing much for my slef-confidense!

Grorgy · « **Reply #12 on:** August 20, 2007, 11:58 PM »

cranioscopical · « **Reply #13 on:** August 21, 2007, 12:01 AM »

Quote

I W-I-L-L S-P-E-A-K L-O-U-D-L-Y A-N-D S-L-O-W-L-Y S-O T-H-A-T Y-O-U C-A-N U-N-D-E-R-S-T-A-N-D M-E!

A very useful technique but, unfortunately, a disproportionately-large number of those on whom I employ it seem to be hard of hearing!

Darwin · « **Reply #14 on:** August 21, 2007, 12:09 AM »

Quote from: cranioscopical on August 21, 2007, 12:01 AM

Quote
I W-I-L-L S-P-E-A-K L-O-U-D-L-Y A-N-D S-L-O-W-L-Y S-O T-H-A-T Y-O-U C-A-N U-N-D-E-R-S-T-A-N-D M-E!

A very useful technique but, unfortunately, a disproportionately-large number of those on whom I employ it seem to be hard of hearing!

Pardon me? What was that? SPEAK UP!

lanux128 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 21, 2007, 01:42 PM »

Quote from: Jimdoria on August 20, 2007, 08:30 PM

Hmmm - the site is at a .br domain. I'm thinking English probably isn't their first language. Maybe it's spelled correctly in Portuguese!

to be frank, i actually had attempted to learn Brazilian Portugese a few months ago, now i realize how i must have sounded to those Brasileiros..

cranioscopical · « **Reply #16 on:** August 21, 2007, 07:16 PM »

Quote

to be frank, i actually had attempted to learn Brazilian Portugese a few months ago

Don't be Frank: I've been shouting at him for ages, he must be deaf!

Darwin · « **Reply #17 on:** August 21, 2007, 08:28 PM »

Quote from: cranioscopical on August 21, 2007, 07:16 PM

Quote
to be frank, i actually had attempted to learn Brazilian Portugese a few months ago

Don't be Frank: I've been shouting at him for ages, he must be deaf!

Surely you're mistaken?

lanux128 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 22, 2007, 01:55 AM »

Quote from: cranioscopical on August 21, 2007, 07:16 PM

Quote
to be frank, i actually had attempted to learn Brazilian Portugese a few months ago

Don't be Frank: I've been shouting at him for ages, he must be deaf!

cranioscopical · « **Reply #19 on:** August 22, 2007, 02:15 AM »

Quote

Quote
Don't be Frank: I've been shouting at him for ages, he must be deaf!

Surely you're mistaken?

Shirley? Did you say Shirley? Isn't she married to Frank? Eh?